connections
connections — noun
1. a relationship, association, or link that joins two or more people, things, even
a relationship, association, or link that joins two or more people, things, events, or ideas — for example, a connection between smoking and lung cancer, or a family connection between two people who share ancestors.
Scientists have found a clear connection between air pollution and lung disease.
connection + between + [cause] + and + [effect]
Tao's family connection with the Wang family goes back three generations.
family connection + with
The police are investigating a possible connection between the two burglaries.
Camila felt an instant connection with the other students in her art class.
- link
more direct and concrete; a link is often stronger or more physical than a connection
- tie
suggests a personal or emotional bond, often plural (ties)
- relationship
broader than connection; can describe ongoing interaction, not just a single link
- disconnection
the state of being separate or unrelated
文法句型
connection + between + noun + and + noun
connection + with + noun
用法筆記
Often used with 'between' when linking two separate things, or 'with' when referring to a relationship one thing has to another. The plural form 'connections' is common when describing multiple links at once.
常見錯誤
2. the act or process of joining two things together so that they can work, communi
the act or process of joining two things together so that they can work, communicate, or interact — for example, plugging a cable into a device to link it to a network, or linking two software systems so they can exchange data.
The connection of the new printer to the office network took under five minutes.
connection + of + [device] + to + [network]
A loose connection in the cable caused the screen to flicker.
The connection of the two railway lines will make travel across the valley much faster.
You need a stable internet connection to join the video call with your team.
- disconnection
the act of separating or cutting off
文法句型
connection + of + [thing 1] + to + [thing 2]
用法筆記
In technology contexts, 'connection' (uncountable) refers to the quality or state of being linked (e.g. 'good connection'), while 'a connection' (countable) describes a specific instance of linking two systems together. This sense focuses on the act or process of joining, not on the travel routes or communication infrastructure themselves.
常見錯誤
3. a train, bus, plane, phone line, internet link, or other service that allows a t
a train, bus, plane, phone line, internet link, or other service that allows a traveller to continue a journey or enables communication across distances — for example, a train connection between two cities, or a phone connection that links callers in different countries.
Her flight arrived late, so she missed her connection to Seoul.
miss + [one's] connection
The train connection between Taipei and Kaohsiung is fast and runs every thirty minutes.
train connection + between + [place 1] + and + [place 2]
A poor phone connection made it difficult for Layla to hear her mother's voice.
Anh's bus connection from the airport to the hotel was cancelled without warning.
文法句型
[transport/communication] + connection + to + [place]
用法筆記
When used for travel, 'connection' always refers to a second or later leg of a journey, not the first. For communication equipment, it can describe both the physical wire or cable (e.g. 'phone connection') and the quality of the signal.
常見錯誤
4. people you know who have influence, power, information, or useful positions that
people you know who have influence, power, information, or useful positions that can help you in your work, social life, or personal goals — for example, a friend who works at a company where you want a job, or a relative who knows important people in government.
Raj got the job through his father's business connections in the banking industry.
business connections + in + [industry]
Mila used her connections at the university to arrange an internship for her younger sister.
use [one's] connections
Having good connections in the film industry can open many doors for young actors.
The lawyer's political connections helped speed up the approval process for her client's building permit.
文法句型
[possessive] + connections
connections + in + [field/industry]
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural ('connections') for this meaning. A single useful person would be called 'a contact' rather than 'a connection'. The phrase 'through one's connections' is a fixed expression implying that the help was obtained because of who you know, not what you know.
常見錯誤
5. a person who sells illegal drugs and is known to people who use them — usually d
a person who sells illegal drugs and is known to people who use them — usually describes someone who supplies drugs regularly rather than in a single transaction.
The police arrested the dealer who had been the main heroin connection in the neighborhood.
Detectives tracked down the connection who supplied counterfeit pills to several nightclubs.
During the trial, witnesses described how they contacted their connection to buy cocaine.
The gang's drug connection operated from a warehouse on the edge of town.
用法筆記
This sense belongs to informal slang and would not be used in formal or academic writing. It typically appears in news reports about crime, in detective stories, or in conversations about the illegal drug trade. The singular form is common ('a connection') despite Sense 4 usually being plural.