dole

dole — 名詞

1. a regular payment from the government that people receive when they have no job

1.名詞B1
釋義

失業救濟

政府發給失業者的定期補助

a regular payment from the government that people receive when they have no job and are looking for work

例句

After the factory closed, Ziad went on the dole while looking for a new job.

工廠關閉後，Ziad 靠領失業救濟金過活，同時找新工作。

collocation: go on the dole

The government raised the dole by two hundred dollars a month last year.

去年政府將失業救濟金每月調高了兩百美元。

同義詞
  • unemployment benefit

    more formal and neutral; used internationally in official contexts

  • welfare

    broader term covering various government assistance; more common in American English

  • jobseeker's allowance

    official UK government term that replaced 'unemployment benefit' in the 1990s

文法句型

the dole

on the dole

claim the dole

用法筆記

Almost always preceded by the definite article ('the dole'). This term is common in British, Australian, and New Zealand English; American English prefers 'unemployment benefits' or 'unemployment insurance.'

常見錯誤

❌He has been on dole for six months.
✅He has been on the dole for six months.
💡'the dole' always requires the definite article.
❌They receive dole from the state.
✅They receive the dole from the state.
💡same rule: the article is mandatory.

2. a small amount of food, money, or other useful items given to people who are ver

2.名詞B2
釋義

施捨物

少量分配給貧困者的食物或物品

a small amount of food, money, or other useful items given to people who are very poor, usually on a regular basis as an act of charity

例句

The church handed out a weekly dole of bread and milk to families in need.

教會每週向貧困家庭分發一批麵包和牛奶作為救濟物資。

pattern: a weekly dole of + noun

After the earthquake, the relief group distributed a daily dole of rice and clean water.

地震後，救援組織每天分發定量的米和乾淨飲用水。

同義詞
  • handout

    more informal and sometimes carries a negative tone

  • alms

    very formal or religious in tone; now rare outside historical contexts

  • charity

    broader term; can refer to the act or the organisation, not just the items

文法句型

a dole of [item]

用法筆記

This sense is somewhat old-fashioned in modern English. It typically appears with 'of' to specify the items being given (e.g., 'a dole of rice'). The phrase 'on the dole' belongs to sense 1 (unemployment payment), not this sense.

常見錯誤

❌The charity gave dole of food.
✅The charity gave a dole of food.
💡this sense is countable and needs an article.
❌She is on the dole' (intending charitable aid).
✅Reserve 'on the dole' for sense 1 (government unemployment payment).

dole — 動詞