thorough
thorough — 形容詞
1. done with very close attention to every part or step, making sure nothing is lef
徹底的
仔細全面且不遺漏細節
done with very close attention to every part or step, making sure nothing is left out or forgotten.
The head teacher gave the school's safety records a thorough check before the inspection.
校長在督導來訪前，徹底檢查了學校的安全紀錄。
collocation: thorough check / thorough inspection
Nikhil interviewed every stallholder for his thorough report on the market's history.
Nikhil 訪問了每位攤販，為市集的歷史寫了一份詳盡的報告。
A thorough cleaning of the kitchen meant scrubbing the oven and wiping every shelf.
徹底清潔廚房意味著要刷洗烤箱、擦拭每一層架子。
The mechanic did a thorough inspection of the car's engine, brakes, and tyres.
技師徹底檢查了汽車的引擎、煞車和輪胎。
Élise asked such thorough questions that she uncovered facts nobody else had found.
Élise 問的問題非常深入，連別人都沒發現的事實都被她問出來了。
- meticulous
even greater attention to tiny details, often with a suggestion of fussiness
- painstaking
emphasises the effort and care put into the work
- exhaustive
implies nothing has been left out; often used for lists, research, or searches
- systematic
highlights an organised, step-by-step method rather than just carefulness
- slapdash
done carelessly or too quickly
- superficial
only looking at the surface, not the details
文法句型
be thorough (in/with something)
a thorough + noun
用法筆記
Frequently paired with nouns that describe work, study, or investigation — a thorough search, a thorough review, thorough research. In predicative position (after 'be'), it often takes 'in' or 'with': 'You should be more thorough in your preparation.'
常見錯誤
2. used before an abstract noun to emphasise that something is total or extreme in
十足的
強調完全或極端的程度
used before an abstract noun to emphasise that something is total or extreme in degree, especially when it is negative or undesirable — for example, a thorough mess, a thorough nuisance, or a thorough disgrace.
The project became a thorough mess after the team lost its main data files.
團隊遺失了主要的資料檔案後，整個計畫變成了一場徹底的混亂。
intensifier: a thorough mess (negative noun)
After losing his wallet and missing the last train, Amir called the evening a thorough disaster.
弄丟錢包又錯過最後一班火車後，Amir 說這個晚上簡直是一場徹底的災難。
Andrés called the delay a thorough nuisance that had ruined his weekend plans.
Andrés 說這場延誤完全是個麻煩，毀了他週末的計畫。
The street party was a thorough success, with neighbours dancing until late in the evening.
這場街頭派對圓滿成功，鄰居們跳舞跳到深夜。
- partial
only part of something, not the whole degree
文法句型
a thorough + noun (abstract)
用法筆記
This sense is almost always attributive (before a noun) and cannot be used predicatively: you can say 'a thorough disgrace' but NOT ✗ 'the disgrace was thorough' with this meaning. The nouns it modifies are usually abstract (mess, nuisance, pleasure, success, disgrace, waste). When used with a positive noun (pleasure, success), it carries a slightly old-fashioned or emphatic tone.
常見錯誤
thorough — 副詞
1. a now-obsolete spelling variant of the adverb 'through', meaning from one side o
穿過（古）
through 的古舊副詞用法
a now-obsolete spelling variant of the adverb 'through', meaning from one side or end to the other.
A medieval pilgrim walked thorough the muddy lanes of Canterbury, pausing at every shrine along the route.
一位中世紀朝聖者 walked thorough the muddy lanes of Canterbury（步行穿過坎特伯雷泥濘的小巷），沿途在每座聖壇前停留。
archaic spelling variant of 'through'
The royal messenger rode thorough the night without stopping until he reached the castle gates.
王室信使 rode thorough the night（騎馬穿過黑夜）沒有停歇，直到抵達城堡大門。
A fifteenth-century diary describes walking thorough the crowded market square.
一份十五世紀的日記描述著 walking thorough the crowded market square（穿過擁擠的市集廣場）。
A seventeenth-century traveller recorded that he had ridden thorough the valley without stopping.
一位十七世紀的旅人記載，他騎馬穿過山谷而沒有停歇（古副詞用法）。
用法筆記
This is no longer part of modern English. Learners should use 'through' instead. You will encounter this form only in historical or literary texts from earlier centuries.
thorough — 介系詞
1. a now-obsolete spelling variant of the preposition 'through', indicating movemen
經由（古）
through 的古舊介詞用法
a now-obsolete spelling variant of the preposition 'through', indicating movement from one side to the other or passage within a space.
A young apprentice ran thorough the narrow streets of London, clutching a letter for the master tailor.
一位年輕學徒 ran thorough the narrow streets of London（跑過倫敦狹窄的街道），手中緊握著一封要交給裁縫師傅的信。
archaic preposition equivalent to modern 'through'
A 1600s travel diary records the journey 'thorough the great forest of Arden'.
一份 1600 年代的旅行日記記載了「thorough the great forest of Arden」（穿越亞登大森林）的旅程。
The old letter describes a ship sailing thorough the English Channel in heavy fog.
那封古老信件描述了一艘船在濃霧中 sailing thorough the English Channel（航行穿越英吉利海峽）的情景。
A 1620 charter describes a right of way leading thorough the churchyard to the river.
一份 1620 年的特許狀記載了一條穿過教堂庭院通往河邊的道路通行權（古介詞用法）。
用法筆記
This form is not used in modern English. Always write 'through' for the preposition. The spelling 'thorough' survives today only as an adjective.