covenant
covenant — 名詞
1. a legal document signed by several parties that lists the actions each side agre
契約；盟約
雙方或多方簽署的正式書面協議
a legal document signed by several parties that lists the actions each side agrees to take or to avoid
The landlord and tenant signed a covenant that banned subletting the apartment.
房東和房客簽訂了一份禁止轉租公寓的契約。
covenant restricting property use
Both nations agreed to a covenant that protected the entire border region from military activity.
兩國同意了一項保護整個邊境地區不受軍事活動影響的盟約。
covenant between nations
Asher's lawyer read the covenant aloud before he signed the property deed.
Asher 的律師在他在產權文件上簽字前，大聲宣讀了契約內容。
A restrictive covenant forbids any business activity inside this residential neighbourhood.
一項限制性契約禁止在該住宅區內從事任何商業活動。
文法句型
a/the covenant between [parties]
a covenant to [verb]
用法筆記
In property law, a covenant often appears in a deed and can be "restrictive" (forbidding certain uses) or "positive" (requiring an action such as maintaining a fence).
常見錯誤
2. a written promise in which you agree to give a charity, church, or similar organ
捐款協議
定期定額向慈善機構捐款的書面承諾
a written promise in which you agree to give a charity, church, or similar organisation a set amount of money every month or year
Olivia signed a covenant with the children's hospital to give fifty pounds each month.
Olivia 與兒童醫院簽署了一份捐款協議，每月捐贈五十英鎊。
covenant with a charity — regular monthly amount
By signing a deed of covenant, Guo let the animal shelter claim back the tax on each monthly donation.
郭先生簽署了一份捐款協議書，動物收容所因此能為他每月的捐款申請退稅。
deed of covenant — tax reclaim mechanism
Under the terms of the covenant, Andrew agreed to pay two hundred dollars every quarter.
根據捐款協議的條款，Andrew 同意每季支付兩百美元。
The church uses the money from each covenant to run its community food bank.
教會利用每份捐款協議所得的款項來營運其社區食物銀行。
- pledge
less formal and not necessarily a legal document
- standing order
refers to the bank instruction, not the promise itself
文法句型
a covenant to pay [amount] to [organisation]
a deed of covenant
用法筆記
This sense is primarily British. In the UK, a "deed of covenant" was historically used to make charitable giving tax-efficient. The term is less common in American English, where "pledge" or "donor agreement" is more typical.
常見錯誤
3. in the Bible, a sacred bond that God establishes with humanity, containing God's
聖約
聖經中神與人之間的約定
in the Bible, a sacred bond that God establishes with humanity, containing God's promises and calling for faithful conduct in return
In the Book of Genesis, God made a covenant with Noah after the great flood.
在《創世記》中，上帝在大洪水後與諾亞立了聖約。
biblical covenant between God and Noah
The rainbow is a sign of the covenant between God and every living creature.
彩虹是上帝與所有生物之間聖約的記號。
rainbow as sign of the covenant
Rin studied the covenant that God established with Abraham in the Old Testament.
Rin 研讀了舊約聖經中上帝與亞伯拉罕所立的聖約。
Christians refer to the New Covenant that came through the life and teaching of Jesus.
基督徒稱之為透過耶穌的生平與教導而建立的新約。
文法句型
the covenant with [person]
the [old/new] covenant
用法筆記
Christians distinguish between the "Old Covenant" (the agreement with Israel through Moses and the Law) and the "New Covenant" (established through Jesus Christ). Unlike sense 1, this sense does not imply a written legal document.
常見錯誤
covenant — 動詞
1. to make a serious, legally binding promise, often in writing, to do something or
立約；承諾
透過簽署正式文件作出法律約束力的承諾
to make a serious, legally binding promise, often in writing, to do something or to follow specific rules
The homeowners covenanted not to build any structure taller than two storeys.
屋主們立約承諾不建造任何超過兩層樓的建築物。
covenant + not to-infinitive (restrictive)
Both parties covenanted to resolve future disagreements through private mediation.
雙方立約同意透過私下調解來解決未來的一切分歧。
covenant + to-infinitive for future action
The company covenanted that it would keep the surrounding woodland free of development.
該公司立約保證不會在周圍林地進行任何開發。
As members of the cooperative, they covenanted to share all farming equipment equally.
作為合作社的成員，他們立約承諾平等共享所有農機設備。
文法句型
covenant + to-infinitive
covenant + that-clause
be covenanted + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Typically used in formal or legal writing. The passive structure ("it was covenanted that…") is common in older legal documents. Unlike "promise," covenanting implies a written, legally enforceable commitment.
常見錯誤
2. to sign a legal document agreeing to give a fixed sum of money at regular interv
簽署捐款協議
簽署定期定額捐款的法律文件
to sign a legal document agreeing to give a fixed sum of money at regular intervals to a charitable organisation or similar body
Valentina covenanted to give a hundred dollars each year to the local library.
Valentina 簽署了捐款協議，每年向當地圖書館捐贈一百美元。
covenant + to-infinitive + annual amount + recipient
The organisation covenanted to pay the school a fixed sum every term for five years.
該組織簽署協議，每學期向學校支付固定金額，為期五年。
Many supporters covenanted regular gifts to the refugee assistance programme.
許多支持者簽署了捐款協議，定期向難民援助計劃捐贈。
Through a simple form, Lakan covenanted to donate fifty pounds every month.
透過一張簡單的表格，Lakan 簽署了每月捐贈五十英鎊的捐款協議。
- pledge
the common modern term; less formal and does not imply a legal document
文法句型
covenant + to-infinitive + amount
covenant + amount + to [organisation]
用法筆記
Chiefly British English. In modern UK practice, the term has largely been replaced by "Gift Aid" for tax-efficient giving, but "covenant" still appears in formal charity documentation.