car
/kɑː(r)/ (bre, ipa) · [kˈɑr] /kɑːr/ (ame, ipa) · [kˈɑr] /ˈkär dialectal also ˈkȯr, ˈkyär/ (ame, mw)
car — noun
- carsingular
- carsplural
1. a machine with four wheels and an engine that people drive on roads to carry a f
a machine with four wheels and an engine that people drive on roads to carry a few passengers
Tamar washed the car before the family trip to Hualien.
wash the car: everyday care for a vehicle
We rented a small car at the airport after midnight.
A blue car stopped outside the bakery during the storm.
Kenji left his school bag in the back of the car.
Soraya goes to work by car when the buses are late.
- automobile
more formal, especially in technical or legal contexts
- motorcar
an older or more formal word for the same kind of vehicle
- vehicle
a broader term that also includes buses, trucks, and vans
文法句型
by car
drive a car
park the car
in the back of the car
用法筆記
Often appears in everyday patterns such as by car, get in the car, and park the car. In normal conversation, car is much more common than formal alternatives such as automobile.
常見錯誤
2. a train unit made for a particular job, such as serving meals or providing beds
a train unit made for a particular job, such as serving meals or providing beds
We booked beds in the sleeping car for the overnight trip.
sleeping car / dining car: function noun + car
Ritu bought tea in the dining car after sunrise.
Children played cards in the lounge car near the back.
The medical car stayed in the middle of the train.
文法句型
sleeping car
dining car
lounge car
medical car
用法筆記
Usually follows a noun that names the function, such as sleeping, dining, or lounge. Distinguish from sense 3, which refers to an ordinary passenger section rather than a unit with a special purpose.
3. a connected train compartment where passengers ride during the journey
a connected train compartment where passengers ride during the journey
Selim found an empty seat in the last car of the train.
the last car of the train
The quiet car stayed almost silent during the morning trip.
quiet car: passenger car with a rule
Mayumi ran back to her car before the train doors closed.
The front car was less crowded than the middle one.
文法句型
the last car
the front car
sit in car three
quiet car
用法筆記
Often combines with position words such as front, middle, last, or car number. In British English, carriage is more common, while car is a normal choice in North American train contexts.
4. a railway car that carries goods or animals instead of people
a railway car that carries goods or animals instead of people
Workers loaded grain into the freight car before noon.
freight car: rail car for goods
Two horses stood calmly inside the cattle car.
cattle car: rail car for animals
Ignacio checked the numbers painted on the freight car.
At the rail yard, men unloaded boxes from the open car.
- wagon
a common British railway term for a goods car
- freight wagon
specifically names a railway wagon used for cargo
文法句型
freight car
cattle car
open car
load something into a car
用法筆記
Usually appears with words such as freight or cattle. Distinguish from sense 3, which carries passengers, and from sense 2, which names a train section with a special passenger service.
5. the enclosed part of an elevator where people stand while it moves up or down
the enclosed part of an elevator where people stand while it moves up or down
Evelyn held the door while everyone entered the elevator car.
elevator car: the part people stand inside
The car stopped between two floors during the power cut.
the car stopped between floors
A sign inside the car said it could hold ten people.
The repairman tested the car before staff used the lift.
- elevator compartment
a fuller descriptive phrase for the same part
- lift car
a parallel term often used where lift is preferred over elevator
文法句型
elevator car
the car stopped
inside the car
car capacity
用法筆記
Most common in technical, maintenance, and building-safety contexts. In casual conversation, many speakers simply say elevator or lift when the meaning is already clear.