earmark
earmark — 動詞
1. to choose that some money, time, or other resource is set aside for a particular
預留；撥用
把資源或款項留作特定用途
to choose that some money, time, or other resource is set aside for a particular use, someone's benefit, or a planned goal
The city council voted to earmark three million dollars for public library renovations.
市議會投票通過撥款三百萬美元用於公共圖書館翻修。
pattern: earmark + amount + for + purpose
Devika's research grant was earmarked for after-school science programmes in low-income areas.
Devika 的研究補助金被指定用於低收入社區的課後科學課程。
passive: be earmarked for [purpose]
The university has earmarked a portion of its endowment for new student housing.
該大學已撥出一部分捐贈基金用於新建學生宿舍。
Owen decided to earmark part of his monthly salary for a travel fund.
Owen 決定從每月薪資中撥出一部分作為旅遊基金。
Funds earmarked for coastal erosion projects were cut by the new administration.
原指定用於海岸侵蝕防治計畫的經費被新政府刪減了。
- allocate
more neutral; earmark adds a sense of pre-planned reservation
- designate
more formal; often used for official appointments or naming
- reserve
emphasises keeping something aside, not necessarily for a pre-determined purpose
- appropriate
very formal; used almost exclusively in government or legal contexts to mean setting aside funds through an official act
- divert
to redirect earmarked resources away from their intended purpose
文法句型
earmark + noun + for + purpose
be earmarked + for + noun/gerund
用法筆記
Often used in the passive voice (be earmarked for). The preposition 'for' introduces the purpose. The subject is typically an institution, government, or organisation, though individuals can also earmark personal resources such as time or income.
常見錯誤
earmark — 名詞
1. a visible cut, notch, or similar marking placed in a farm animal's ear to show w
耳標
牲畜耳朵上用來辨識的記號
a visible cut, notch, or similar marking placed in a farm animal's ear to show who owns it
The farmer checked the earmark on each lamb before the autumn sale.
農夫在秋季拍賣前檢查了每隻羊羔的耳標。
A clean cut in the right ear served as the ranch's official earmark for generations.
右耳上一道乾淨的切口，世代以來都是這座牧場的正式耳標。
historical use: ownership identifier on livestock
The earmark on the goat matched the symbol registered with the county livestock office.
那頭山羊的耳標與郡牲畜辦公室登記的符號相符。
The ranch's oldest cattle still carried the original earmark from the 1950s.
牧場最老的牛群身上仍留著 1950 年代的原始耳標。
- ear tag
a modern physical tag attached to the ear, more common than a cut mark today
用法筆記
This is the original literal meaning of the word. In modern farming, ear tags or microchips have largely replaced traditional cut marks, but the term is still used for any form of legal identification on a farm animal's ear.
常見錯誤
2. a quality or feature that clearly shows what or who someone or something is, ser
特徵；標誌
顯示某人或某物特色的記號
a quality or feature that clearly shows what or who someone or something is, serving as a noticeable sign of their character or origin
Élise's habit of double-checking every invoice was an earmark of her fifteen years in accounting.
Élise 每張發票都會複查兩次的習慣，是她十五年會計生涯的標誌。
pattern: an earmark of [experience / profession]
The writer's vivid descriptions of city life are an earmark of her early novels.
這位作家對城市生活的生動描寫是她早期小說的標誌。
His insistence on punctuality at every meeting was an earmark of his military training.
他每次會議都堅持守時，這是他軍事訓練的標誌。
Clean and simple design has long been an earmark of Scandinavian furniture.
簡潔乾淨的設計一直是北歐家具的特徵。
- hallmark
very similar; hallmark suggests a stamp of quality or authenticity
- trademark
emphasises a distinctive, almost personal, feature
- characteristic
more neutral and common; less formal than earmark
文法句型
an earmark of + noun phrase
用法筆記
Almost always used in the pattern 'an earmark of + noun phrase'. This sense is somewhat literary or formal in tone. It is more static than 'characteristic' — it describes a defining feature rather than a typical behaviour.
常見錯誤
3. a sum of money that a US Congress member adds to a piece of legislation, intende
專項撥款
國會議員為地方特定項目編列的經費
a sum of money that a US Congress member adds to a piece of legislation, intended to fund a particular local project such as a bridge, research lab, or community facility
Senator Brandon added an earmark for a new research lab at the state university.
Brandon 參議員在法案中加入了一筆專項撥款，用於州立大學新建一座研究實驗室。
pattern: add an earmark for [specific project]
Lawmakers who defend earmarks say they help local communities get needed funding.
為專項撥款辯護的議員表示，這些經費有助地方社區獲得所需的資金。
This year's budget contains several earmarks for road improvements across the state.
今年的預算中包含了數筆用於改善全州道路的專項撥款。
Senator Defne faced criticism after adding an earmark for a highway project that the state transportation board had not requested.
Defne 參議員因在法案中加入一條州運輸委員會從未要求的高速公路專項撥款而受到批評。
- pork-barrel spending
carries a negative connotation of wasteful or politically motivated spending
- specific-purpose grant
more neutral; used more broadly outside the US
文法句型
add / include / contain an earmark
earmark for a project
用法筆記
This sense is specific to US federal legislation. In Taiwan or other political systems, the equivalent concept may be referred to differently (e.g., 'pork-barrel spending' in general US usage, or 'specific-purpose grants' in other countries).