engine

engine — 名詞

1. a machine that burns fuel such as petrol, diesel, or coal to produce the power t

1.名詞B1
釋義

引擎

將燃料能量轉換為動力的機器

a machine that burns fuel such as petrol, diesel, or coal to produce the power that makes a vehicle move or a machine operate

例句

Tendai turned the key and the car's engine started with a low rumble.

Tendai 轉動鑰匙，汽車引擎發出低沉的聲音啟動了。

start + engine collocation

Before the flight, Christopher checked both engines on the small passenger plane.

飛行前，Christopher 檢查了小客機的兩具引擎。

check + engine before departure

同義詞
  • motor

    Often used for electrical machines (fan motor, washing machine motor). For cars, 'motor' is informal British English for 'car' itself, not the engine.

  • power plant

    A very formal or technical term for the engine of a ship or large vehicle.

文法句型

countable noun

often modified by a type adjective (diesel / petrol / steam / jet)

用法筆記

Modified by the type of fuel or technology — petrol engine, diesel engine, jet engine, steam engine. The verb 'start' and 'turn off' are the most common actions paired with this sense.

常見錯誤

❌The motor of my car is broken.
✅The engine of my car is broken.
💡In everyday English, most road vehicles have engines (fuel-burning). 'Motor' usually refers to an electrical device.

2. the vehicle at the front of a train that pulls the carriages or wagons along the

2.名詞B1
釋義

火車頭

牽引火車車廂的機車

the vehicle at the front of a train that pulls the carriages or wagons along the railway track

例句

The steam engine at the railway museum still runs every Sunday for visitors.

鐵道博物館的那輛蒸汽火車頭每週日仍會行駛，供遊客參觀。

steam engine = locomotive

Noor watched the old diesel engine pull twenty heavy wagons up the steep hill.

Noor 看著那輛老舊的柴油火車頭拉著二十節貨車廂爬上陡坡。

同義詞
  • locomotive

    More formal and technical. 'Locomotive' is preferred in official railway writing, while 'engine' is common in everyday British conversation.

文法句型

countable noun

often preceded by 'steam' or 'train'

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1 — an engine (sense 2) is the whole vehicle that pulls a train, not just a power source inside another vehicle. Common in British railway contexts; 'locomotive' is the more formal term.

常見錯誤

❌I saw an old engine driving on the highway.
✅I saw an old steam engine at the railway station.
💡This sense only refers to trains on railway tracks, not road vehicles.

3. something that strongly drives or pushes a process, economic activity, or develo

3.名詞B2
釋義

動力

推動經濟或發展的核心力量

something that strongly drives or pushes a process, economic activity, or development forward — for example, an industry that creates jobs, or an idea that transforms society

例句

Tourism is the main engine of economic growth on the tropical island.

觀光業是這座熱帶島嶼經濟成長的主要動力。

engine of [economic] growth

Hui believes that small businesses are the engine of innovation in the city.

Hui 認為小型企業是城市創新的動力來源。

同義詞
  • driver

    More informal and slightly weaker. 'The main driver of change' means an important factor, while 'the engine of change' suggests the primary source of power.

  • motor

    Used in similar metaphorical phrases (the motor of the economy), but less common than 'engine' in this sense.

  • catalyst

    A catalyst speeds up a change without being the main power source. 'Engine' implies being the central power itself.

反義詞
  • brake

    Metaphorically, something that slows progress — 'bureaucracy acted as a brake on development.'

文法句型

engine of + abstract noun (growth / change / development)

用法筆記

Almost always followed by 'of' — engine of growth, engine of change, engine of prosperity. The noun after 'of' names the area being powered. This sense is metaphorical and never refers to a physical machine.

常見錯誤

❌Tourism is a strong engine for economic growth.
✅Tourism is an engine of economic growth.
💡The correct preposition after this sense is 'of', not 'for'.
❌Education is the engine to create opportunities.
✅Education is the engine that creates opportunities.
💡Use a 'that'-clause, not a 'to'-infinitive.

engine — 動詞