badges
badges — noun
- badgessingular
- badgesesplural
1. A small flat object pinned onto your clothing or carried with you to show other
A small flat object pinned onto your clothing or carried with you to show other people who you are, what your role is, or that you belong to a particular group or organization.
All visitors to the factory must wear a name badge so staff can see who they are.
collocation: name badge / wear a badge
Sofia pinned her conference badge to her jacket before entering the meeting hall.
The security guard checked Tomás's identification badge before letting him into the building.
Hao collected his employee badge from the front desk on his first day at the office.
Each member of the tour group was given a yellow badge with the company logo printed on it.
用法筆記
The most frequent sense in everyday English. Common in workplace and event settings where access control or identity display is needed.
2. A round, flat object with a pin on the back, fastened to your clothing to expres
A round, flat object with a pin on the back, fastened to your clothing to express support for a particular person, group, idea, or political cause.
Roya wore a badge on her bag that said 'Save the Rainforest' in bright green letters.
collocation: wore a badge showing support for a cause
Students sold round badges at the fair to raise money for the local animal shelter.
Caleb pinned a campaign badge to his shirt showing support for the new library project.
The volunteers handed out badges with the candidate's name printed below her photo.
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 — in this sense the badge expresses an opinion or preference rather than proving who you are.
3. A cloth patch bearing a design, words, or symbol, sewn onto a uniform or garment
A cloth patch bearing a design, words, or symbol, sewn onto a uniform or garment to indicate a person's rank, organizational membership, or an acquired skill.
Astrid sewed a star-shaped badge onto her scout uniform after passing the cooking test.
passive pattern: sewed a badge onto [garment]
The soldier's uniform had badges on the sleeve showing his rank and unit name.
Nikhil earned his swimming badge at summer camp by completing a ten-lap race.
Each girl guide badge represents a different skill, such as first aid or reading a map.
用法筆記
Subject is typically a uniformed group (scouts, military, police, sports teams). Unlike sense 1, this badge is sewn on rather than pinned or clipped.
4. A small metal object carried by police officers and detectives as proof that the
A small metal object carried by police officers and detectives as proof that they are authorized to do their job and have the power to enforce the law.
The detective showed Shirin her badge before asking any questions about the accident.
collocation: show one's badge
Tomás asked the stranger who knocked on his door to show his police badge as proof of identity.
A sheriff's badge is usually made of metal and has a star or shield shape on it.
Officers must carry their badge at all times while on duty, even when wearing plain clothes.
- shield
informal American term, named after the shape of many police badges
用法筆記
Almost always refers to law enforcement. In films and crime stories, flashing or showing one's badge is a common action.
5. Something that people view as representing a particular quality, achievement, or
Something that people view as representing a particular quality, achievement, or status — for example, a scar that marks survival of a difficult event, or an award that symbolizes years of effort.
For the villagers, the rebuilt school became a badge of hope after the earthquake.
collocation: badge of [quality/achievement]
In that family, hard work was a badge of honor passed down through the generations.
collocation: badge of honor
Sofia wore her grandmother's ring as a badge of belonging to a long line of strong women.
Finishing the difficult mountain trail gave Roya a badge of courage that she spoke about for years.
用法筆記
This figurative sense is most common in fixed expressions such as badge of honor, badge of courage, and badge of shame. The thing described is not a physical badge.
常見錯誤
badges — verb
- badgespresent simple I / you / we / they
- badgeses3rd person singular
- badgesing-ing form
- badgesedpast simple
1. To attach a badge, label, or identifying mark to an object or piece of clothing,
To attach a badge, label, or identifying mark to an object or piece of clothing, usually for the purpose of showing ownership, origin, or other information.
Each piece of museum furniture was badged with a small metal tag showing its age.
passive + with: be badged with [label]
The company badged all its products with a red logo before shipping them to stores.
Library books are badged with a barcode sticker on the back cover for easy checkout.
The farmer badged each sheep with a coloured tag in the left ear for identification.
文法句型
badge + object + with + [mark/logo/tag]
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive voice. The object is typically marked with a physical tag, label, or barcode rather than a wearable badge.
2. To present a badge to someone as official recognition that they have achieved a
To present a badge to someone as official recognition that they have achieved a particular level of skill or have become a member of an organization.
The scout leader badged the new members after they completed their first overnight hike.
active: badged + person
New guides are badged in a simple ceremony where their parents pin the emblem onto their uniform.
passive: are badged
The club badged thirty volunteers at the annual awards dinner last Saturday evening.
After passing the exam, each student was badged as a certified first-aid helper at school.
文法句型
badge + person (as + role/member)
用法筆記
Most commonly found in scouting, guiding, and uniformed youth organizations. The person receives a physical badge as proof of their achievement.
3. To describe or categorize someone or something using a particular word or phrase
To describe or categorize someone or something using a particular word or phrase, often in a way that influences how other people think about them.
The government's new plan was badged as a reform package, but critics called it a tax increase.
passive + as: be badged as [label]
Journalists badged the event as the most important trade meeting of the decade.
The project was badged as experimental, which gave the team more freedom to try new ideas.
Some parents worry that schools too quickly badge certain children as troublemakers.
- label
more common and neutral; can be positive or negative
- brand
stronger connotation; often suggests a fixed public image
- categorize
more neutral and formal; focuses on classification
文法句型
badge + object + as + [description]
用法筆記
This sense is used in formal or journalistic contexts. It does not involve a physical badge — the description itself is the 'badge'. Almost always takes the pattern badge + object + as + noun phrase.