lax

IPA/læks/
KK[lˈæks]IPA/læks/

lax — 形容詞

  • laxpositive
  • laxercomparative
  • laxestsuperlative

1. not strict or careful enough when it comes to following rules, meeting standards

1.形容詞B2
釋義

寬鬆；散漫

對規則、標準要求不嚴格

not strict or careful enough when it comes to following rules, meeting standards, or doing what is expected of you

例句

The school was criticised for its lax attitude toward uniform rules.

這所學校因為對制服規定態度寬鬆而受到批評。

collocation: lax attitude toward [rules/standards]

Some parents worry that the camp has lax safety checks that put children at risk.

有些家長擔心這個營隊的安全檢查很鬆散，可能讓孩子處於危險中。

同義詞
  • lenient

    often implies a deliberate choice to be gentle with someone, whereas lax suggests carelessness or failure

  • slack

    more informal; emphasises not doing enough effort or work

  • negligent

    stronger — suggests failing in a duty or responsibility, with possible serious consequences

反義詞
  • strict

    enforcing rules firmly and consistently

  • rigorous

    very thorough and strict in applying standards

用法筆記

Commonly used with nouns such as attitude, standards, rules, controls, and measures. The opposite of lax in this sense is strict.

常見錯誤

❌The teacher was very lax about cheating and always caught students.
✅The teacher was very strict about cheating and always caught students.
💡lax means not strict, so a lax teacher would NOT catch students.

2. too weak or gentle to be effective — used about rules, punishments, measures, or

2.形容詞B2
釋義

不嚴厲；軟弱

處罰或措施強度不足

too weak or gentle to be effective — used about rules, punishments, measures, or actions that lack sufficient force or strength

例句

The fine for using a phone while driving was too lax to stop the habit.

開車時使用手機的罰款太輕，不足以遏止這個習慣。

pattern: too lax + infinitive

Ari argued that the school's response to bullying was too lax to change anyone's behaviour.

Ari 認為學校對霸凌行為的反應太軟弱，無法改變任何人的行為。

同義詞
  • lenient

    more common for punishments or sentences given by a judge or authority

  • weak

    more direct and informal; suggests the measure has little power to achieve its goal

  • permissive

    focuses on allowing too much freedom rather than on insufficient force

反義詞
  • severe

    very strict and harsh in applying rules or punishment

  • tough

    informal; firmly enforced with strong consequences

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1 (NOT STRICT): sense 1 describes a person or organisation's general attitude or approach to rules and standards (e.g., a lax manager, lax enforcement). Sense 2 describes the specific measure, rule, or penalty itself being too weak to be effective (e.g., a lax fine, a lax sentence). The two are complementary but distinct — a person's attitude (sense 1) determines whether the rules they impose are weak (sense 2). Common with nouns: sentence, regulations, measures, controls, fine.

常見錯誤

❌The prison has lax punishments — prisoners get three meals a day.
✅The prison has lax security
💡prisoners can easily escape.' — For punishments, use lenient or light; lax more naturally applies to rules and controls.

3. not pulled or stretched tight; hanging or lying loosely rather than firmly in pl

3.形容詞B1
釋義

鬆弛的

沒有拉緊、鬆垮的

not pulled or stretched tight; hanging or lying loosely rather than firmly in place

例句

The rope was too lax, so the wind pushed the boat away from the dock.

繩子太鬆了，所以風把船吹離了碼頭。

collocation: lax rope / lax wire

Nora tightened the guitar strings because they felt lax and the notes sounded flat.

Nora 把吉他弦調緊了，因為弦感覺太鬆，彈出來的聲音悶悶的。

同義詞
  • loose

    the everyday word for not tight; lax is less common in casual speech

  • slack

    specifically about rope or cable that has no tension — not pulled tight

  • sagging

    describes something that has dropped or bent downwards from its own weight

反義詞
  • tight

    pulled or stretched firmly so there is no looseness

  • taut

    stretched or pulled tight, not slack

用法筆記

The opposite of this sense is tight or taut. Commonly describes ropes, strings, cables, fabric, skin, and muscles.

常見錯誤

❌The shirt was too lax on me, so I bought a smaller size.
✅The shirt was too loose on me, so I bought a smaller size.
💡Use loose for clothing that is baggy; lax is for stretched materials that have lost tension.

4. describing a vowel sound that is pronounced without tensing the muscles in the m

4.形容詞C2
釋義

鬆元音的

發音時口腔肌肉放鬆的

describing a vowel sound that is pronounced without tensing the muscles in the mouth — for example, the short /ɪ/ sound in "bit" as distinct from the tense /iː/ sound in "beat"

例句

The vowel in "foot" is a lax sound, while the vowel in "food" is produced with more tension.

"foot" 當中的母音是鬆元音，而 "food" 當中的母音發音時肌肉比較緊。

contrast: lax vs tense vowels

Selim found it hard to hear the difference between the lax vowel in "ship" and the tense one in "sheep".

Selim 發現他很難聽出 "ship" 的鬆元音和 "sheep" 的緊元音之間的差別。

反義詞
  • tense

    produced with more muscular tension in the mouth and throat

用法筆記

This technical term belongs to phonetics and phonology. It contrasts with tense. The distinction matters mainly to language teachers, linguists, and advanced learners studying English pronunciation.

常見錯誤

❌The /æ/ in "cat" is a lax vowel.
✅The /æ/ in "cat" can vary; typically /æ/ is classified as tense in standard American English.
💡Classification of lax vs. tense varies between language varieties; check your reference system.

lax — 名詞