pit
pit — 名詞
1. a deep, often wide hole that has been dug into the ground or that has formed nat
坑；坑洞
在地面上挖出的深洞
a deep, often wide hole that has been dug into the ground or that has formed naturally below the surrounding surface.
The workers dug a deep pit at the bottom of the garden to bury old tree roots.
工人在花園盡頭挖了一個深坑，用來埋掉舊的樹根。
dig + a pit + (in location)
Maya almost stepped into a muddy pit hidden under the fallen leaves.
Maya 差點踩進一個被落葉蓋住的泥坑裡。
fall / step into a pit
Around the campfire, the children roasted marshmallows over a shallow pit lined with stones.
在營火旁，孩子們在一個鋪了石頭的淺坑上烤棉花糖。
Heavy rain had washed soil into the pit, turning it into a brown pool.
大雨把泥土沖進坑裡，使它變成了一灘褐色的水。
The old farmhouse had a small storage pit dug under the kitchen floor.
那間老農舍的廚房地板下挖了一個小儲物坑。
- mound
raised heap of earth, the opposite shape
文法句型
a pit + (in/of) + something
用法筆記
Often takes a descriptive adjective of size or shape (deep, shallow, wide, gaping) and pairs with verbs of action (dig, fall into, climb out of). Frequently appears in compounds like fire pit, storage pit, gravel pit.
常見錯誤
2. a place, usually underground, where coal or other minerals are removed from the
礦坑；煤礦
從地下挖出煤或礦物的場所
a place, usually underground, where coal or other minerals are removed from the earth, together with the buildings and machines used for that work.
Marcus's grandfather worked in a coal pit in Yorkshire for nearly forty years.
Marcus 的祖父在 Yorkshire 的一個煤礦坑工作了將近四十年。
work in + a (coal) pit
After the strike, three local pits were closed and the village lost most of its jobs.
罷工結束後，當地三座礦坑關閉，村裡大部分的工作也跟著沒了。
pit + closed / shut
Many young men went down the pit at sixteen to support their families.
許多年輕男子十六歲就下礦坑工作，賺錢養家。
Safety lamps helped miners spot dangerous gas in the deep tin pits of Cornwall.
安全燈幫助礦工在 Cornwall 那些深深的錫礦坑裡發現危險的氣體。
文法句型
work in / down a pit
用法筆記
Mainly British. Common in 'go down the pit' (= work as a miner) and in compounds like coal pit, tin pit, gravel pit. American English usually prefers 'mine' for the underground sense and keeps 'pit' for open-surface workings.
3. the marked space beside a race track where cars stop briefly so that mechanics c
維修區
賽車場上加油與換胎的區域
the marked space beside a race track where cars stop briefly so that mechanics can refuel them, change tyres, and make small repairs.
Hamilton drove into the pits on lap twenty to change all four tyres.
Hamilton 在第二十圈駛進維修區，一次換掉四個輪胎。
drive / go into the pits
The mechanics waited in the pit with fresh tyres and a fuel hose ready.
技師們在維修區裡待命，新的輪胎和油管都已經準備好了。
wait / work in the pit
A slow stop in the pits cost the Ferrari driver his lead in the final laps.
在維修區停得太慢，讓 Ferrari 的車手在最後幾圈失去了領先位置。
Television cameras showed the team crew running back to the pit wall after a chaotic stop.
電視鏡頭拍到車隊人員在一次混亂的進站之後，跑回維修區的圍牆邊。
文法句型
go into / come out of the pits
用法筆記
Typically plural ('the pits') when referring to the whole working area, singular for a particular team's slot. Appears in many fixed compounds: pit lane, pit wall, pit crew, pit stop. The compound 'pit stop' has also extended into everyday speech to mean any short break on a long journey (for fuel, food, or the toilet).
4. the single hard seed in the centre of fruits such as peaches, plums, cherries, a
果核
桃、李、櫻桃等水果中央的硬種子
the single hard seed in the centre of fruits such as peaches, plums, cherries, and avocados; in British English this is usually called the 'stone'.
Lina bit into the cherry too quickly and almost cracked a tooth on the pit.
Lina 咬櫻桃太快，差點被果核咬斷牙齒。
bite on / crack a tooth on the pit
Carlos cut around the avocado and lifted out the smooth brown pit with a spoon.
Carlos 沿著酪梨切了一圈，再用湯匙把光滑的褐色果核挖出來。
remove / lift out + the pit
Please don't swallow the peach pit — give it to me on this little plate.
請不要把桃子的果核吞下去——把它吐到這個小盤子裡給我。
After the picnic, a small pile of olive pits sat on a paper napkin between them.
野餐結束後，他們之間的紙巾上堆著一小撮橄欖核。
文法句型
the pit of + fruit
用法筆記
American English term; British English speakers use 'stone' for the same thing (peach stone, cherry stone). The verb 'pit' (sense verb/2) is built on this noun.
常見錯誤
5. the lowered space in a theatre, just below the front of the stage, where the mus
樂池
舞台前下方供樂團演奏的位置
the lowered space in a theatre, just below the front of the stage, where the musicians sit and play during an opera, ballet, or musical.
From the front row, Sophie could see the conductor waving his baton in the pit.
從第一排座位，Sophie 可以看到指揮在樂池裡揮動指揮棒。
in the (orchestra) pit
Twenty musicians squeezed into the narrow pit below the stage of the old opera house.
二十位樂手擠進那座老歌劇院舞台下方狹窄的樂池裡。
musicians + in / below + pit
Soft clarinet music drifted up from the pit while the dancers walked into position.
舞者走到定位時，輕柔的單簧管聲從樂池裡飄了上來。
After the final song, the cast bowed and pointed down to thank the players in the pit.
演出最後一首歌之後，演員們鞠躬並指向樓下，向樂池裡的樂手致謝。
- orchestra pit
the full and clearer term for the same space
- stage
the raised area where the actors or dancers perform, just above the pit
文法句型
in / from the pit
用法筆記
Almost always called the 'orchestra pit' in full when there is any chance of confusion. In older British theatres 'the pit' could also mean the cheap seats on the ground floor — that historical use is rare today.
6. a room or building that is so messy, dirty, or untidy that it feels unpleasant t
髒亂窩；豬窩
形容髒亂到不舒服的房間
a room or building that is so messy, dirty, or untidy that it feels unpleasant to be in — used as an exaggeration.
Your bedroom is a pit, Daniel — I can't even see the carpet anymore.
Daniel，你的房間根本是個髒亂窩，連地毯都看不到了。
predicative: be a pit
After the party, the kitchen looked like a pit, with empty bottles on every surface.
派對結束後，廚房看起來像個豬窩，每個檯面上都是空瓶子。
look / become like a pit
Mum says she won't drive me anywhere until I clean up this pit of a room.
媽媽說在我把這個髒亂的房間整理好之前，她哪裡都不會載我去。
The student flat was a real pit by the end of exam week.
考試週結束時，那間學生公寓真的是個髒亂窩。
文法句型
a (real) pit
用法筆記
Informal and exaggerated; usually used by parents, flatmates, or about one's own space. Common pattern: 'this pit of a + room/kitchen/flat'. Distinguish from sense 7 (something low-quality in general): sense 6 is specifically about physical mess.
7. (in the phrase 'the pits') someone or something so bad, boring, or disappointing
爛透了
形容某事或某物極差、令人失望
(in the phrase 'the pits') someone or something so bad, boring, or disappointing that nothing seems worse.
Working night shifts over Christmas is honestly the pits.
聖誕節期間還要上夜班，老實說真的爛透了。
be + the pits (subject = activity)
Lina said the new café was the pits — cold coffee and rude staff.
Lina 說那家新咖啡店糟透了——咖啡是冷的，店員又沒禮貌。
be the pits + reason
Lina said losing her train tickets at the gate was the pits of her whole vacation.
Lina 說在閘口弄丟火車票，是她整趟假期裡最糟的一刻。
Marcus thought their hotel was the pits and asked for a refund the next morning.
Marcus 覺得他們訂的那間飯店糟透了，隔天早上就去要求退款。
- the best
direct opposite, also informal
文法句型
be the pits
用法筆記
Always plural and always with 'the': 'is/are the pits'. Informal and somewhat dated in British English; still common in American conversation. Distinguish from sense 6 (a place that is physically dirty): sense 7 is a general 'worst' judgement, not about mess.
常見錯誤
pit — 動詞
1. to place two people, teams, ideas, or forces in a contest so that they have to c
使對抗
讓兩方互相比賽或對立
to place two people, teams, ideas, or forces in a contest so that they have to compete with or fight each other.
The semi-final pits last year's champion against a young player from Brazil.
準決賽讓去年的冠軍對上一位來自 Brazil 的年輕選手。
pit X against Y (active)
The new policy pits small farmers against large supermarket chains for the same shoppers.
新政策讓小農們得和大型超市連鎖店爭取同一批顧客。
pit + group + against + group
Sophie was pitted against her older brother in the chess tournament's first round.
Sophie 在西洋棋比賽的第一輪就被排到對上她哥哥。
The film pits human courage against a storm that destroys whole towns in minutes.
這部電影讓人類的勇氣與一場能在數分鐘內摧毀整座城鎮的風暴正面對決。
Reporters love a debate that pits two strong personalities against each other on live television.
記者們很愛在電視直播上讓兩個強勢人物正面交鋒的辯論。
- match
neutral; suggests a fair pairing rather than open conflict
- set against
very close in meaning; slightly more general
- oppose
more formal; subject is usually a person taking a side
文法句型
pit + someone/something + against + someone/something
用法筆記
Almost always followed by 'against'. Often used in passive ('be pitted against'). Subjects are typically organisers, situations, or events — not the competitors themselves. Common in sports reports, politics, and reviews of films and books.
常見錯誤
2. to take the hard seed out of a piece of fruit such as a cherry, plum, olive, or
去核
把水果中央的硬核取出
to take the hard seed out of a piece of fruit such as a cherry, plum, olive, or peach so that the soft flesh can be eaten or cooked.
Carlos pitted two cups of cherries before adding them to the pie filling.
Carlos 把兩杯櫻桃去核之後才加進派的內餡裡。
pit + quantity + fruit
A small kitchen tool can pit olives quickly without crushing the soft flesh.
用一個小廚房工具就能快速把橄欖去核，又不會壓爛果肉。
tool / device + pit + fruit
Please rinse and pit the plums before you put them in the freezer bag.
請先把李子洗乾淨並去核，再放進冷凍袋裡。
The recipe says to halve and pit six ripe peaches, then grill them cut-side down.
食譜說要把六顆熟桃對切並去核，再切面朝下烤。
文法句型
pit + fruit
用法筆記
Mainly American; British recipes usually say 'stone the cherries / remove the stones'. Object is always a stone fruit or olives — not apples or grapes. Built on the noun sense 4 ('fruit stone').
常見錯誤
3. to leave many small holes or shallow scars on a surface, or (of a surface) to de
使坑坑洞洞
在表面留下許多小洞或小疤
to leave many small holes or shallow scars on a surface, or (of a surface) to develop such marks over time, usually because of damage, disease, or wear.
Years of acid rain had pitted the stone faces of the cathedral statues.
多年的酸雨在大教堂石像的臉上留下了無數小坑。
active transitive: pit + surface
The old road was pitted with deep potholes after the long winter.
經過漫長的冬天後，那條老路上佈滿了深深的坑洞。
passive: be pitted with + noun
Marcus's cheeks were lightly pitted from the chickenpox he had as a child.
Marcus 的臉頰上留有小時候出水痘留下的淡淡疤痕。
Cheap copper pots can pit quickly if you leave acidic sauces sitting in them overnight.
便宜的銅鍋如果整晚放著酸性醬汁，很快就會出現小坑。
- smooth
as a verb, the opposite action — to make a surface even
文法句型
pit + surface
be pitted with + something
surface + pits
用法筆記
Most often in the passive ('be pitted with') describing a damaged surface — roads, walls, metal, or skin. The intransitive use ('this metal pits easily') belongs to technical writing about materials. Distinguish from verb sense 1 (set against): sense 3 always involves a physical surface, never a contest.