crew

/kruː/ (bre, ipa) · /kruː/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkrü/ (ame, mw)

crew — noun

  • crewsingular
  • crewsplural

1. all the people employed to run a ship, aircraft, train, or other vehicle, from t

1.名詞B1
釋義

all the people employed to run a ship, aircraft, train, or other vehicle, from the captain or pilot down to the general workers.

例句

The flight crew on the Tokyo route always checks the emergency equipment before takeoff.

collocation: flight crew / cabin crew / ground crew

Tendai worked as part of the ground crew at Nairobi Airport for two years.

同義詞
  • team

    broader; any group cooperating toward a shared goal, not limited to vehicles

  • staff

    used for employees in offices, schools, or service settings, not for vehicle operators

  • personnel

    more formal; refers to employees in any organization, including but not limited to vehicles

文法句型

crew of + noun

the + crew + of + noun (vehicle)

用法筆記

Frequently used as a collective noun. In British English, both singular and plural verb forms are used ("the crew is" / "the crew are"). Individual members are referred to as "crew members" or "members of the crew."

常見錯誤

He is a crew on the ship.
He is a crew member on the ship.
💡Crew is a collective noun; one person is a 'crew member,' not 'a crew.'

2. the members of a ship or aircraft crew who carry out the practical work but are

2.名詞B2
釋義

the members of a ship or aircraft crew who carry out the practical work but are not in charge as officers.

例句

Unlike the officers, the crew slept in crowded quarters near the engine room.

contrast: crew vs. officers

After passing the exam, Otis moved from the crew to the officer's rank.

同義詞
  • hands

    historical nautical term for ship workers below officer rank; informal and somewhat old-fashioned

  • ratings

    British Navy term for non-officer crew members; very specific to military contexts

反義詞
  • officers

    the people in command positions on a ship or aircraft

文法句型

the + crew

crew + (verb) + without officers

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense explicitly excludes the officers in charge. The distinction is mainly found in traditional maritime and military contexts. In everyday modern usage, sense 1 (all onboard workers) is far more common.

3. an athletic activity in which teams use long oars to push a narrow boat through

3.名詞B2
釋義

an athletic activity in which teams use long oars to push a narrow boat through water, or the team that takes part in such races.

例句

The university crew trained every morning at six o'clock on the river.

Ziad joined the crew in his first year and became the team's strongest rower.

collocation: join the crew (rowing team)

同義詞
  • rowing team

    more explicit and general; understood in both British and American English

  • eight

    specific to a boat with eight rowers and a coxswain; narrower than 'crew'

文法句型

the + crew (as a team)

crew (as a sport, uncountable)

用法筆記

In this sense, 'crew' can be uncountable referring to the sport itself ('She does crew') or countable referring to the team ('two crews competed'). The sport is also called 'rowing' in British English, while 'crew' is the preferred term in American college contexts.

crew — verb