layout
layout — 名詞
1. how the items within a room, a printed page, a piece of software, or a piece of
佈局
物件或區域的配置方式
how the items within a room, a printed page, a piece of software, or a piece of land are positioned and arranged in relation to each other
Hugo really liked the open layout of the new office, with low partitions between desks.
Hugo 很喜歡新辦公室的開放式佈局，座位之間只用低矮的隔板區隔。
The library has a confusing layout with rooms on different floors.
這間圖書館的格局很亂，房間分散在不同樓層。
compound noun: room layout / office layout / page layout
Before planting anything, Bilal pencilled a rough layout of the garden.
種植之前，Bilal 先用鉛筆粗略畫出花園的配置圖。
The app's clean layout, with large buttons and bright icons, makes it easy for children to use.
這款應用程式版面簡潔，搭配大按鈕和明亮圖示，小孩子也能輕鬆上手。
Trang spent the morning learning the keyboard layout of her new laptop.
Trang 花了一整個早上熟悉新筆電的鍵盤排列方式。
- arrangement
more general; layout emphasises a planned visual or spatial order
- design
broader; layout focuses on physical positioning, design includes colours, style, and materials
- configuration
more technical; common for electronics, software, and machinery
- format
narrower; mostly for documents and digital content
用法筆記
Commonly combined with another noun to specify what is arranged: page layout, keyboard layout, garden layout, office layout, website layout.
常見錯誤
2. the stage or activity of deciding in detail how something will be organised or d
規劃；設計
詳細計畫如何安排的階段
the stage or activity of deciding in detail how something will be organised or designed before it is built, printed, or produced
The architect spent two weeks on the layout plans for the shopping centre before presenting them.
建築師花了兩週規劃購物中心的配置圖，然後才向業主簡報。
Samir handled the layout work for the company's new brochure before it went to print.
Samir 負責公司新目錄的版面編排工作，完成後才付印。
verb + layout: handle / work on / do the layout
The layout phase of the housing development project took longer than expected.
這個住宅開發案的設計規劃階段比預期花了更久的時間。
Lucía walked through the building site during the layout stage.
Lucía 在規劃階段走訪了建築工地。
用法筆記
This sense refers to the process, not the finished result. If you want to talk about the final arrangement itself, use sense 1. Common in architecture, publishing, and project management contexts.
常見錯誤
layout — 動詞
1. to spread or arrange a number of items, such as clothes, papers, tools, or goods
攤開；陳列
將物品攤平展示
to spread or arrange a number of items, such as clothes, papers, tools, or goods, on a flat surface so that they can all be seen clearly
Élise laid the fabric samples out on the table for customers.
Élise 把布料樣品攤在桌上讓顧客挑選。
separable: lay + object + out
Hana laid out the documents on the desk in order of importance.
Hana 依照重要順序把文件排列在桌上。
The market vendor laid out fresh fish and vegetables every morning.
市場攤商每天早上把新鮮魚貨和蔬菜陳列出來。
Samir laid out his photography equipment on the grass before the shoot.
Samir 在拍攝前把攝影器材攤開放在草地上。
- spread out
very similar; often used for maps, cloth, or picnic items
- display
more formal; focuses on showing for others to see or buy
文法句型
lay + object + out
lay out + object
用法筆記
The object can go before or after 'out': 'lay the photos out' and 'lay out the photos' are both correct. When the object is a pronoun, it must go between: 'lay them out', not 'lay out them'.
常見錯誤
2. to spend a particular amount of money, typically a fairly large sum, on somethin
花費；掏出
支付一大筆錢
to spend a particular amount of money, typically a fairly large sum, on something such as a household repair, a purchase, or a service
Chidi laid out nearly three thousand pounds on car repairs last year.
Chidi 去年花了大約三千英鎊修車。
amount of money + on + [item]
The family laid out a small fortune redoing the kitchen.
這家人翻新廚房花了一大筆錢。
Brian refused to lay out that much cash for a used bicycle.
Brian 不願意為一輛二手腳踏車掏出那麼多現金。
The school laid out several thousand dollars on new computers for the lab.
學校花了好幾千美元為實驗室添購新電腦。
- save
opposite action
文法句型
lay out + amount of money + on + something
lay + amount + out + on + something
用法筆記
This sense is informal and often implies the speaker thinks the amount is large. For neutral spending, use 'spend' instead. The preposition 'on' introduces what the money was spent for.
3. to prepare a person who has died for people to come and see before the funeral,
為…入殮
整理遺體供人瞻仰
to prepare a person who has died for people to come and see before the funeral, by washing and dressing the body and placing it in a coffin
The funeral director laid out the body in a simple oak coffin.
葬儀社人員將遺體安置在簡單的橡木棺木中。
passive: be laid out in [coffin]
In some cultures the family members themselves lay out the deceased at home.
在某些文化中，家人會在家中親自為逝者整理遺容。
The funeral staff laid out the soldier in his dress uniform for the memorial service.
葬儀人員為那位士兵穿上軍禮服，安置好遺體以供追悼儀式瞻仰。
The village elder showed the family how to lay out the body according to their customs.
村裡的長輩教家人如何按照傳統習俗為逝者整理遺容。
- prepare the body
more formal; avoids the phrasal verb
- dress the deceased
narrower; focuses only on clothing
文法句型
lay + body + out
lay out + body
用法筆記
A fairly specialised sense, found mainly in funeral-industry contexts, historical texts, and news reports about death customs. The passive form 'was laid out in' is very common.
4. to hit someone with enough force to make them fall to the ground and become unco
擊倒；打昏
把人打倒在地
to hit someone with enough force to make them fall to the ground and become unconscious or unable to get up
A single punch laid the thief out cold on the pavement.
一拳就把小偷打昏在人行道上。
idiomatic extension: lay [someone] out cold
The windsurfer was laid out by the boom when the sail swung around.
風帆選手的帆桿猛然甩過來，把他打倒在地。
In the local tournament, the young boxer laid out the defending champion with a single punch.
在地方錦標賽中，那名年輕拳手一拳就打倒了衛冕冠軍。
The boxer laid out his opponent in the third round with a powerful hook.
那名拳擊手在第三回合以一記強力鉤拳擊倒了對手。
- knock out
very similar; 'lay out' emphasises the fall to the ground
- knock down
less strong; doesn't imply unconsciousness
- pick up
help someone to stand after a fall
文法句型
lay + object + out
lay out + object
用法筆記
Common in action scenes in books, films, and informal storytelling. The phrase 'lay someone out cold' emphasises that the person is completely unconscious. More common in American English than British.
5. to explain or write down a plan, strategy, set of ideas, or series of steps in a
擬定；闡述
清楚列出計畫或論點
to explain or write down a plan, strategy, set of ideas, or series of steps in a clear, organised way, so that the full picture can be understood
The CEO laid out a three-year strategy for the company's growth.
執行長擬定了一項為期三年的公司成長策略。
lay out + strategy / plan / vision
Yael laid out her career goals step by step in a notebook.
Yael 在筆記本裡一步一步列出自己的職涯目標。
Trang's report laid out the arguments for switching to solar power.
Trang 的報告詳細闡述了改用太陽能的各項論點。
The government document lays out new rules for recycling plastic waste.
政府文件列明了回收塑膠廢棄物的新規定。
文法句型
lay out + plan/strategy/goals
用法筆記
The subject is often a person, a report, a document, or an organisation. The object is typically abstract: a plan, vision, argument, proposal, or set of rules. This sense does NOT take a that-clause.
常見錯誤
6. to arrange or design the physical parts of something — such as furniture in a ro
佈置；排版
按計畫安排物品位置
to arrange or design the physical parts of something — such as furniture in a room, text and images on a page, or elements on a screen — according to a plan
Lucía laid out the furniture to make the room feel much larger.
Lucía 重新擺放家具，讓房間感覺寬敞許多。
separable: lay + object + out
Bilal laid out the magazine pages before sending them to the printer.
Bilal 排好雜誌版面之後才送印。
The chef laid out the ingredients in neat rows along the counter.
廚師沿著流理臺將食材整齊排好。
A graphic designer laid out the wedding invitations with carefully balanced text and floral borders.
一位平面設計師仔細編排婚禮邀請卡的版面，讓文字和花邊達到平衡。
- scatter
arrange without order
文法句型
lay out + object
lay + object + out
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 5: sense 6 deals with physical or visual objects (furniture, pages, ingredients), while sense 5 deals with abstract plans (strategies, goals, arguments). When the object is concrete, choose sense 6.
7. to draw or mark lines on a piece of metal, wood, or other material to show exact
劃線標示
在工件上標示加工位置
to draw or mark lines on a piece of metal, wood, or other material to show exactly where it should be cut, drilled, shaped, or filed during the manufacturing process
Chidi laid out the steel plate with precise measurements before drilling.
Chidi 在鋼板上精確劃線之後才開始鑽孔。
The apprentice watched as the machinist laid out the pipe for cutting.
學徒在一旁看著師傅在管材上劃線標示切割位置。
technical domain: lay out [material] for [operation]
Brian laid out the steel bracket carefully so the holes would line up exactly.
Brian 仔細在鋼製支架上劃線標示，確保鑽孔位置能精準對齊。
The technician laid out the aluminium sheet before taking it to the lathe.
技師在把鋁板送上車床之前先劃線標示好加工位置。
- mark out
more common across trades; 'lay out' is more specific to machining
文法句型
lay out + metal/workpiece
lay + workpiece + out
用法筆記
This is a technical sense used in metalworking, woodworking, and mechanical engineering. In a general English class or everyday conversation, you are very unlikely to need this meaning.