ad hoc
ad hoc — adjective
1. set up or done to deal with one situation as it comes up, rather than being plan
set up or done to deal with one situation as it comes up, rather than being planned ahead of time as part of a regular system.
The school formed an ad hoc group of parents to plan the autumn fair.
an ad hoc + noun: a one-off body created for a single task
Decisions about the budget were made on an ad hoc basis, with no fixed rules.
collocation: on an ad hoc basis
Diego set up an ad hoc meeting the moment the supplier cancelled the order.
The town's flood response was handled ad hoc, without any earlier preparation.
Yara dislikes ad hoc fixes and prefers a clear plan for every project.
- improvised
stresses making do in the moment; ad hoc stresses 'for this one case'
- impromptu
more about being done without notice; ad hoc is more about purpose and scope
- one-off
informal; highlights that it happens only once
- planned
decided in advance as part of a system
- systematic
done by a fixed, repeatable method
文法句型
an ad hoc + noun
set up / done ad hoc
用法筆記
Frequently sits directly before a noun (an ad hoc committee, an ad hoc rule) or in the fixed phrase 'on an ad hoc basis'. It can also work as an adverb meaning 'as the need arises'. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense stresses 'for this single situation', not 'roughly improvised'.
常見錯誤
2. made from whatever things happen to be on hand at the time, instead of from prop
made from whatever things happen to be on hand at the time, instead of from proper or chosen materials.
The hikers built an ad hoc shelter out of branches and an old plastic sheet.
an ad hoc + noun: built from whatever was nearby
Sana cooked an ad hoc dinner from the few vegetables left in the fridge.
The band played on an ad hoc stage made of wooden boxes and spare doors.
Volunteers ran an ad hoc clinic in the school hall after the earthquake.
- makeshift
closest match; a poor temporary version made from what is available
- improvised
stresses inventing on the spot rather than the materials used
- purpose-built
made properly for its job, not from scraps
文法句型
an ad hoc + noun
用法筆記
Object is usually a physical thing thrown together (shelter, stage, clinic, meal). Distinguish from sense 1: here the focus is on the rough, make-do construction, not simply on dealing with one case.