accelerate
accelerate — 動詞
1. of a car, train, or similar machine, to move at a higher speed than before, usua
加速行駛
車輛行駛速度變快
of a car, train, or similar machine, to move at a higher speed than before, usually because the driver presses the gas pedal harder.
The taxi accelerated as the traffic light turned green outside the station.
車站外號誌燈轉綠時，計程車隨即加速行駛。
subject is a vehicle; intransitive use
Saoirse's small electric car can accelerate from zero to sixty in under five seconds.
Saoirse的小型電動車能在五秒內從靜止加速到時速六十英里。
accelerate from X to Y for speed range
The bus accelerated sharply, and Mrs. Ines grabbed the metal handrail to keep her balance.
公車猛然加速，Ines太太連忙抓住金屬扶手以保持平衡。
On the open highway, the motorcycle accelerated past two trucks within a few seconds.
在開闊的高速公路上，那輛機車幾秒內就加速超越了兩台卡車。
Quinn pressed the pedal hard, and the old pickup truck slowly began to accelerate.
Quinn用力踩下油門，那輛老舊小貨車才慢慢開始加速。
- speed up
everyday phrasal verb; less formal than 'accelerate'
- pick up speed
idiomatic; emphasises the gradual increase
- decelerate
formal; means to slow down
- brake
specific to vehicles; means to slow using the brake pedal
文法句型
[vehicle] + accelerates
accelerate from X to Y mph
用法筆記
Subject is almost always a vehicle or its driver. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is reserved for engine-powered transport, while sense 2 covers people, animals, or other moving objects.
常見錯誤
2. of a runner, animal, or moving thing, to start travelling at a quicker pace than
加快速度
人或物的移動速度變快
of a runner, animal, or moving thing, to start travelling at a quicker pace than the one being kept just before.
On the final lap, Kofi accelerated and overtook two runners before the finish line.
在最後一圈，Kofi加快速度，在終點線前超越了兩名選手。
subject is a person; intransitive
The cheetah accelerated across the dry grass and caught the young gazelle in seconds.
獵豹在乾草地上加快速度，幾秒內就抓住了那隻幼小的瞪羚。
The small stone accelerated as it fell, hitting the bottom of the deep well loudly.
那顆小石頭墜落時不斷加快速度，最後重重撞上深井底部。
The skater accelerated around the curve and raised both arms to keep her balance.
溜冰選手在轉彎處加快速度，並舉起雙臂維持平衡。
- slow down
the most common opposite for people and animals
- decelerate
more formal or technical
文法句型
[person/object] + accelerates
用法筆記
Subject is a person, animal, or non-vehicle object. Often used in sports reports and physics contexts. Distinguish from sense 1, which is reserved for engine-powered vehicles.
3. of a process or change, to take place at a quicker rate, or to push such a proce
加快；提早
事情或變化更快或更早發生
of a process or change, to take place at a quicker rate, or to push such a process to take place at a quicker rate.
Climate scientists warn that warmer oceans are accelerating the melting of polar ice.
氣候科學家警告，海洋升溫正在加快極地冰層融化的進程。
transitive: accelerate + noun (melting)
Online classes accelerated Pedro's progress through the second-year history course.
線上課程加快了Pedro在二年級歷史課的學習進度。
transitive: accelerate someone's progress
After the merger, the growth of the small bakery chain accelerated across three cities.
合併之後，這家小型烘焙連鎖店在三個城市的成長明顯加快。
The new policy is expected to accelerate the decline of coal use in rural areas.
新政策預期將加快鄉村地區煤炭使用量下滑的速度。
Inflation accelerated last month, surprising shoppers at the local market.
上個月通膨加快，讓在地市場的買菜民眾大為意外。
- slow
as a verb: to make a process happen more slowly
- delay
to push the timing later rather than make it quicker
- decelerate
formal; used of growth, inflation, or similar trends
文法句型
accelerate + noun (process/decline/growth)
[process] + accelerates
用法筆記
Subject or object is a non-physical process such as growth, decline, change, or progress. Distinguish from senses 1 and 2, where the subject physically moves through space.
常見錯誤
4. to act on a moving body so that its physical speed becomes higher than it was a
使加速
施力讓物體移動得更快
to act on a moving body so that its physical speed becomes higher than it was a moment earlier.
Powerful magnets in the long tunnel accelerate the tiny particles to nearly the speed of light.
長隧道中的強力磁鐵能將微小粒子加速到接近光速。
transitive: accelerate + object (particles)
Strong winds accelerated the small wooden boat across the calm lake toward the harbour.
強風把那艘小木船加速推過平靜的湖面，朝港口而去。
Gravity accelerates a falling apple at about ten metres per second every second.
重力讓掉落的蘋果每秒約增加十公尺每秒的速度。
The rocket engine accelerated the spacecraft sharply just after it left the launch pad.
火箭引擎在太空船離開發射台後立刻將它劇烈加速。
- decelerate
to make a moving body slow down
- slow
everyday equivalent
文法句型
accelerate + [moving object]
用法筆記
Common in physics and engineering. Subject is usually a force, engine, or field, and the object is the thing being made to move faster. Distinguish from sense 3, which acts on processes rather than physical motion.