allocation

/ˌæləˈkeɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌæləˈkeɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌa-lə-ˈkā-shən/ (ame, mw)

allocation — noun

1. the formal action by which a larger pool of money, time, staff, or other resourc

1.名詞C2
釋義

the formal action by which a larger pool of money, time, staff, or other resources is divided up and assigned to specific people, projects, or purposes — for example, deciding how a school budget is split between subjects.

例句

The allocation of research funds to the four universities took several months of careful negotiation.

allocation of [resource] to [recipient]

Mr. Chen criticized the allocation of seats on the committee, calling it deeply unfair.

同義詞
  • distribution

    broader; can be physical handing-out, not just official assignment

  • apportionment

    more formal and legal; emphasizes proportional shares

  • assignment

    covers tasks and people, not only resources

反義詞

文法句型

allocation of [resource]

allocation of [resource] to [recipient]

用法筆記

Subject of allocation is usually an authority (government, manager, committee). Distinguish from sense 2 (CIB-counted): sense 1 is the act, sense 2 is the share itself. Often followed by 'of + resource' and optionally 'to + recipient'.

常見錯誤

❌I made an allocation to buy a new laptop.
✅I set aside money to buy a new laptop.
💡'allocation' refers to formal distribution by an institution, not personal spending choices.
❌The allocation was 500 dollars.' (when meaning the act)
✅The allocation took two weeks to complete.
💡when describing the action, pair with verbs like 'took', 'involved', 'began'.

2. a particular share — often a sum of money, a number of hours, or a quantity of s

2.名詞C2
釋義

a particular share — often a sum of money, a number of hours, or a quantity of space — that has been officially set aside for one person, group, or job.

例句

Each department received its annual allocation on the first Monday of April.

possessive + allocation

Linnea used her entire travel allocation visiting clients across three countries.

compound: travel allocation

同義詞
  • share

    more general and informal; any portion, not necessarily official

  • quota

    implies a fixed limit or target, often imposed

  • ration

    restricted amount, especially during shortages

文法句型

[possessive] allocation

an allocation of [amount/thing]

用法筆記

Frequently appears with possessives (my/her/our/the team's allocation) since each share belongs to a specific recipient. Distinguish from sense 1 (ACT OF DIVIDING): sense 2 is countable and refers to the resulting amount, not the action.

常見錯誤

❌My allocation of homework was difficult.
✅The homework I was given was difficult.
💡'allocation' fits resources (money, time, space), not assigned tasks like homework.
❌She spent more than her allocation.' (no qualifier) is fine, but ❌ 'She spent more than allocation.
✅She spent more than her allocation.
💡countable, so use a determiner.