ad-lib
ad-lib — 副詞
1. said or done at the moment of speaking or performing, without any advance prepar
即興地
未經準備地說或做
said or done at the moment of speaking or performing, without any advance preparation or rehearsal.
During the Q&A session, Aaron answered several tough questions ad-lib and won over the crowd.
在問答時間，Aaron 即興回答了幾個棘手的問題，贏得了觀眾的喜愛。
adverb modifying verb of speaking: answer/speak/respond ad-lib
When the teleprompter broke, the host told jokes ad-lib for ten minutes until the show resumed.
提詞機故障時，主持人即興說了十分鐘的笑話，直到節目恢復播出。
Camila delivered her entire thank-you speech ad-lib without glancing at a single note card.
Camila 整場感謝詞都是即興發表的，完全沒有看任何一張筆記卡。
The actors performed the final scene ad-lib after their script pages blew off the stage.
劇本頁被吹下舞台後，演員們即興演出了最後一幕。
Nellie sang the national anthem ad-lib when the recorded backing track failed to play.
預錄的伴奏帶沒有播放時，Nellie 即興演唱了國歌。
- impromptu
more formal; often used as an adjective or adverb without a hyphen
- off the cuff
idiomatic and slightly informal; suggests a casual style
- extemporaneously
very formal; common in academic or legal writing
- from a script
describes reading prepared material
- by the book
suggests following rules or instructions exactly
用法筆記
Frequently appears after verbs of speaking or performing (answer, speak, deliver, play, sing) to indicate the manner of the action.
常見錯誤
2. played or sung according to the performer's own artistic choices, freely departi
自由演奏地
演奏者自行決定音符節奏
played or sung according to the performer's own artistic choices, freely departing from the written notes or rhythms.
The jazz trumpeter played the bridge ad-lib, surprising the band with unexpected notes.
那位爵士小號手在過門處自由演奏，用出乎意料的音符讓樂團成員大吃一驚。
music register: play/sing ad-lib in jazz performance
The sheet music instructed the pianist to perform ad-lib for the next eight measures.
樂譜上指示鋼琴家在接下來的八個小節自由演奏。
Gita sang the aria ad-lib, adding delicate flourishes that were not in the original score.
Gita 自由演唱了詠嘆調，在樂譜原有的旋律之外添加了細緻的裝飾音。
In Baroque music, soloists often perform the cadenza ad-lib to display their technical skill.
在巴洛克音樂中，獨奏者通常自由演奏華彩樂段，以展現他們的技術能力。
用法筆記
Common as a musical notation in sheet music, particularly in jazz, Baroque, and Romantic-era classical works. Distinguish from sense 1 (UNPLANNED), which is about speaking generally — this sense is restricted to musical performance.
常見錯誤
3. allowed to be performed on whichever instrument happens to be available, without
不拘樂器地
不拘特定樂器或演奏者
allowed to be performed on whichever instrument happens to be available, without requiring a specific one.
The conductor told the woodwind players that the clarinet part could be taken ad-lib by any section member.
指揮告訴木管組，單簧管的部分可以由任何一位組員不拘樂器地演奏。
music notation: part may be taken/performed ad-lib
The score marked the violin solo ad-lib, so the flautist played it when no violinist was present.
總譜上標記小提琴獨奏不拘樂器，因此沒有小提琴手時由長笛手演奏。
Feng arranged the piece so the second horn part could be performed ad-lib on any brass instrument.
Feng 將樂曲重新編排，讓第二法國號的部分可以由任何銅管樂器不拘樂器地演奏。
The score marked the flute part ad-lib, so a cellist played it for the school concert.
總譜上標記長笛部分不拘樂器，所以大提琴手在學校音樂會上演奏了這個段落。
- optional
simpler and more general; not specific to music
- as available
descriptive phrase used in performance notes
用法筆記
This sense appears almost exclusively in written musical scores and performance instructions. It tells the performer that the instrument is not fixed — unlike sense 2 (MUSICAL FREEDOM), which is about how to play, not which instrument to use.
ad-lib — 動詞
- ad-libpresent simple I / you / we / they
- ad-libs3rd person singular
- ad-libbing-ing form
- ad-libbedpast simple
1. to say something or give a performance by creating the words or material on the
即興表演
未經準備的表演或發言
to say something or give a performance by creating the words or material on the spot, without any advance planning.
When the microphone stopped working, Jin ad-libbed a funny story that kept the audience entertained.
麥克風故障時，Jin 即興表演了一個有趣的故事，讓觀眾樂在其中。
transitive: ad-lib + object (speech/story/remark)
The actor forgot his lines entirely and had to ad-lib the rest of the scene with his co-star.
那位演員完全忘了台詞，只好和搭檔即興表演剩下的場景。
Kasia ad-libbed a short wedding poem after noticing the best man was too nervous to speak.
Kasia 在婚禮上即興表演了一首短詩，因為她注意到伴郎太緊張而說不出話。
Jazz musicians often ad-lib their solos, building fresh melodies from the underlying chord changes.
爵士樂手經常即興表演他們的獨奏，從和弦進行中當場建構出全新的旋律。
Tariq ad-libbed an answer when the reporter asked a question he had not expected at the press conference.
記者問了一個 Tariq 完全沒料到的問題，他在記者會上當場即興回答。
- improvise
more general; can apply to any creative or practical situation
- wing it
informal; suggests doing something without preparation in a casual way
- make it up as you go
idiomatic and conversational; longer phrase
文法句型
ad-lib + noun phrase
ad-lib (no object)
用法筆記
Frequently used in performance contexts (comedy, music, theatre, public speaking). The object is typically something spoken or performed: a speech, a line, a joke, a solo, an answer.
常見錯誤
ad-lib — 形容詞
1. created, spoken, or performed at that very moment, with no rehearsal or advance
即興的
未經事先準備的
created, spoken, or performed at that very moment, with no rehearsal or advance writing of any kind.
The comedian's ad-lib remark about the broken air conditioner drew the loudest laugh of the evening.
那位喜劇演員隨口說出的一句即興評論，引來了整晚最響亮的笑聲。
attributive use: ad-lib + noun (remark/speech/dialogue)
Henrik gave an ad-lib speech at the ceremony after the main speaker missed his connecting flight.
主講人錯過了班機，Henrik 在典禮上發表了一場即興的演講。
The ad-lib dialogue between the two actors felt far more natural than the carefully scripted version.
兩位演員之間的即興對話，感覺比精心編寫的台詞自然得多。
Aunt Rosa's ad-lib toast brought tears to half the guests at the family reunion dinner.
Rosa 阿姨在家族團聚晚餐上的即興祝酒，讓一半的賓客都流下了眼淚。
Luca's ad-lib introduction of the band was so charming that the audience clapped before a single song.
Luca 對樂團的即興介紹魅力十足，觀眾在第一首歌還沒唱之前就開始鼓掌。
- impromptu
very close in meaning; also suggests spontaneity
- extemporaneous
more formal; often used in public speaking
- unrehearsed
emphasises the lack of practice rather than planning
- offhand
suggests a casual or even careless tone
用法筆記
Used before a noun (attributive position) to describe something that was not written or planned in advance. Unlike the adverb sense, which modifies the verb, this sense modifies the noun directly: an ad-lib speech, an ad-lib remark, ad-lib dialogue.