brownout
/ˈbraʊnaʊt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈbraʊnaʊt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbrau̇-ˌnau̇t/ (ame, mw)
brownout — noun
- brownoutsingular
- brownoutsplural
1. a period when the amount of electricity supplied to a particular area is lowered
a period when the amount of electricity supplied to a particular area is lowered, usually because too many people or machines are using power at the same time
During the heatwave, the city experienced several brownouts as air conditioners ran around the clock.
collocation: experience a brownout
The factory installed backup generators to keep production running during frequent brownouts.
Unlike a blackout, a brownout leaves the lights dim rather than completely dark.
The old power grid could not handle peak demand, causing rolling brownouts across the region.
Residents were asked to turn off unnecessary appliances to help prevent a brownout.
- power cut
implies a complete interruption (blackout), not a reduction
- load shedding
a planned, deliberate brownout to prevent grid failure; more formal and found mainly in South Africa and India
- voltage drop
technical term for the reduced electrical pressure that causes a brownout
- blackout
complete loss of power, not just a reduction
文法句型
brownout + in/at + [location]
experience/suffer + a brownout
用法筆記
Frequently plural (brownouts). A brownout differs from a blackout in that power is reduced but not completely cut off.
常見錯誤
2. a temporary drop in internet speed, or the short-term removal of certain online
a temporary drop in internet speed, or the short-term removal of certain online features, that happens when too many users share limited bandwidth
The streaming service announced a brownout during peak hours to keep the platform from crashing.
collocation: announce a brownout
Video calls became impossible during the internet brownout, so the office switched to voice messages.
The online game warned players about a brownout that would reduce graphics quality for an hour.
Zoom experienced a brownout when millions of students logged on at the same time for classes.
- bandwidth throttling
the intentional slowing of internet speed by a provider; more technical than 'brownout'
- service degradation
formal term for reduced performance; broader, not limited to internet
文法句型
brownout + of + [service]
announce/experience + a brownout
用法筆記
The newest of the four senses, found mainly in technology and telecommunications contexts. Commonly paired with 'internet', 'bandwidth', or the name of an online platform.
3. a short period when the amount of energy, enthusiasm, or activity in a person or
a short period when the amount of energy, enthusiasm, or activity in a person or group drops noticeably below the usual level
After three hours of intense discussion, a brownout of energy hit everyone in the room.
pattern: brownout of + energy/enthusiasm/creativity
After twelve hours of back-to-back meetings, the marketing team suffered a brownout and struggled to finish the last presentation.
collocation: suffer a brownout
Around two in the afternoon, the entire design department experienced a brownout and productivity ground to a halt.
The night-shift nurses suffered a brownout around four in the morning and relied on caffeine to get through the last hour.
- surge
a sudden increase in energy or activity
文法句型
brownout + of + [noun]
hit/suffer + a brownout
用法筆記
Figurative extension of the electrical sense. Used with an 'of'-phrase to specify what has dropped (energy, enthusiasm, creativity, motivation, activity). Usually singular.
4. a condition in which brown dust or sand fills the air near the ground and greatl
a condition in which brown dust or sand fills the air near the ground and greatly reduces how far a person can see, especially affecting pilots trying to land
The helicopter pilot aborted the landing when a brownout suddenly hid the landing zone from view.
domain: aviation safety context
Desert regions are prone to brownouts that can turn midday into a dusty twilight.
A severe brownout made driving on the dirt road too dangerous, so the convoy stopped.
A brownout near the airstrip forced the cargo plane to circle until the dust settled.
- sandstorm
a wider weather event with blowing sand across a large area; stronger and more prolonged than a brownout
- dust storm
strong winds carrying dust over a region; larger in scale
- dust haze
a lighter dust condition; less severe than a brownout
文法句型
severe + brownout
brownout + conditions
用法筆記
Most common in aviation and military contexts, where brownout is a well-known hazard for helicopter and light aircraft operations in dry, dusty environments.