delegate
delegate — noun
1. A person whom a group chooses to speak and vote on its behalf at a formal event
A person whom a group chooses to speak and vote on its behalf at a formal event such as a meeting or convention.
Each country sent two delegates to the climate summit in Geneva.
sent + delegates + to [event]
The union delegates voted against the proposed contract changes.
Niran was chosen as a delegate for the student council meeting.
Delegates from thirty schools attended the youth leadership forum.
- representative
The most general term; a delegate is always a representative, but a representative may not have been formally elected or sent to a specific event.
- envoy
More formal and often diplomatic; an envoy is sent on a specific mission with higher authority than a typical delegate.
- deputy
A deputy stands in for a superior and has permanent substitute authority, whereas a delegate's role is usually temporary and event-specific.
用法筆記
Frequently appears in political, union, and committee contexts. The delegate speaks and votes on behalf of those who selected them.
常見錯誤
2. A participant at a large formal gathering such as a conference, sent by an organ
A participant at a large formal gathering such as a conference, sent by an organisation to observe, learn, or contribute to discussions.
The conference had over five hundred delegates from Asia and Europe.
number + delegates from [region]
Felipe met several other delegates during the lunch break between sessions.
Each delegate received a badge and a programme at the registration desk.
The keynote speaker answered questions from delegates after the talk.
- attendee
A broader term for anyone present at an event; an attendee may have come on their own, while a delegate is sent by a group.
- participant
Focuses on active involvement; a participant joins discussions or activities, whereas a delegate may simply observe.
- representative
Emphasises the link to the sending organisation; a conference delegate is almost always a representative of a company, country, or institution.
用法筆記
Common in conference brochures, event planning, and political conventions. In this sense the focus is on attendance rather than the act of being elected.
常見錯誤
delegate — verb
1. To hand over a specific task, duty, or decision-making power to another person,
To hand over a specific task, duty, or decision-making power to another person, freeing yourself from having to carry it out directly.
The manager delegated the weekly reports to her assistant.
delegate + [task] + to + [person]
The project manager delegated the client onboarding documents to Ravindra before Wednesday's deadline.
delegate + [task/document] + to + [person] + time deadline
The director delegated Min to handle the client negotiations.
Christopher decided to delegate responsibility for the event to the marketing team.
- assign
Neutral and general; assigning does not necessarily imply shifting authority or responsibility, whereas delegating does.
- entrust
Stronger emphasis on trust and confidence in the person receiving the task; delegating can be purely practical.
- hand over
Informal phrasal verb; closer to delegating but can also mean physically passing something.
- keep
To retain a task rather than handing it to someone else.
- micromanage
To control every tiny detail instead of trusting others with delegated duties.
文法句型
delegate + [task/ responsibility/ authority] + to + [person]
delegate + [person] + to + infinitive
用法筆記
The task itself is the direct object in the most common pattern: 'delegate + job/duty/authority + to + person'. When the person is the direct object ('delegate + person + to + infinitive'), the focus shifts to whom you give the assignment. Frequently used in management and workplace contexts.
常見錯誤
2. To formally select a person to go to a meeting or event and speak or cast votes
To formally select a person to go to a meeting or event and speak or cast votes on behalf of the group doing the selecting.
The committee delegated Bilal to present their proposal at the board meeting.
delegate + [person] + to + infinitive
Samir was delegated to represent the company at the trade fair in Osaka.
passive: be delegated to + infinitive
The members delegated Rachid to vote on their behalf at the annual meeting.
Each team delegated one person to join the planning committee.
- appoint
Broader and more official; you can appoint someone to a position (e.g. manager), but delegating is specifically about sending them as a representative.
- designate
More formal; often used in written instructions or official documents.
- authorise
Focuses on giving permission or power to act; delegating additionally involves the idea of representation.
文法句型
delegate + [person] + to + infinitive
be delegated to + infinitive
用法筆記
In this sense the person is the direct object, unlike verb sense 1 where the task is the direct object. Distinguish from sense 1 by asking: are we giving a task or choosing a spokesperson?