demands
demands — noun
1. strong, firm requests that someone makes when they believe they have the right t
strong, firm requests that someone makes when they believe they have the right to receive something, often expecting an answer or action.
The protesters delivered a list of demands to the mayor's office on Friday.
demands + for / list of demands
Heloísa refused to give in to her brother's constant demands for money.
give in to + demands; demands for [noun]
Workers at the factory have made several demands, including longer breaks and safer machines.
Vikram ignored the kidnappers' demands and called the police instead.
The union's demands that the company raise wages by ten percent were finally accepted.
- offers
what someone gives, rather than what someone insists on receiving
文法句型
demands for [noun]
demands that [clause]
make demands
用法筆記
Frequently appears in fixed patterns: 'meet someone's demands', 'give in to demands', 'make demands on someone'. The 'for'-phrase names what is being asked for; the 'on'-phrase names who is being asked.
常見錯誤
2. the hard tasks, duties, or pressures that a job, role, or situation places on so
the hard tasks, duties, or pressures that a job, role, or situation places on someone, requiring their time and energy.
Selim found the demands of medical school harder than he had imagined.
the demands of + [activity/role]
The demands on a single parent are huge, from cooking meals to helping with homework.
demands on + [person]
Ayana left her old company because the daily demands had left her too tired to enjoy weekends.
Nursing the elderly has both physical and emotional demands that few outsiders see.
The coach warned the new players about the demands of training six days a week.
- pressures
emphasises the strain rather than the specific tasks
- requirements
more neutral; lists what must be done without the strain
- burdens
stronger negative tone; suggests the weight is too heavy
- rewards
the gains a role gives back, balanced against its demands
文法句型
the demands of [noun]
demands on [person]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: here no person is making a request — the difficulty itself arises from the situation. Subject is typically a job, role, or activity ('the demands of teaching'), not a person.
常見錯誤
3. the wishes that buyers have to purchase certain goods or services, together with
the wishes that buyers have to purchase certain goods or services, together with their ability to pay for them at the current price.
Demands for electric cars have grown sharply across European cities in the last five years.
demands for + [product]
When ice cream demands peak in July, the small dairy in Owen's village runs day and night.
demands + peak / seasonal demands
Rodrigo's bakery raised prices once demands for sourdough bread doubled.
The factory cannot meet current demands, so customers are waiting six weeks for delivery.
Travel demands fell across Asia during the months of strict border controls.
- supply
the amount sellers offer; the natural opposite in economic discussion
文法句型
supply and demand
demand for [product]
in high/low demand
用法筆記
In economic writing the term is usually singular and uncountable ('demand for housing'), but the plural 'demands' appears in everyday contexts referring to varied buyer wants across categories. Often paired with 'supply' in the fixed phrase 'supply and demand'.
常見錯誤
4. the state of being looked for or wanted by many people, often because the person
the state of being looked for or wanted by many people, often because the person or thing is good, useful, or rare.
Skilled nurses are in great demand at hospitals all across the country.
be in (great / high) demand
After winning the prize, Xiu found that her paintings were suddenly in high demand.
in high demand
Plumbers who can fix old pipes remain in steady demand in rural areas.
Wedding photographers are in demand every spring weekend in Taipei.
Hugo's translation services are in demand because so few people speak both Portuguese and Korean well.
- popularity
everyday tone; covers fame as well as being sought after
- sought-after
as an adjective; suggests quality or rarity drives the wanting
- neglected
no one looks for or wants this thing
文法句型
be in demand
in high / great demand
用法筆記
Almost always used in the fixed phrase 'in (high/great/steady) demand'. Subject is the thing or person being sought, not the seeker. Distinguish from sense 3: sense 4 names the state of being wanted; sense 3 names the desire itself.
常見錯誤
demands — verb
1. to ask for something in a strong, forceful way, as if the speaker has the right
to ask for something in a strong, forceful way, as if the speaker has the right to get it and will not accept being refused.
Amihan demands an apology whenever her younger brother breaks one of her toys.
demand + noun (apology / explanation)
The angry customer demands that the manager refund his money right away.
demand + that-clause (subjunctive)
Striking workers demand a pay rise of at least five percent before they will return.
Hyun demands to see the chef every time his soup arrives cold.
Lawyers for the family demand full access to the hospital records.
- request
polite and tentative; the opposite tone of 'demand'
文法句型
demand + noun
demand + that-clause
demand + to-infinitive
用法筆記
After 'demand that', the verb in the clause stays in the bare form ('that he leave', not 'that he leaves') — this is the mandative subjunctive. Stronger than 'ask'; speakers expect compliance rather than a polite reply.
常見錯誤
2. to need something such as effort, time, or skill in order to be done well, becau
to need something such as effort, time, or skill in order to be done well, because the task itself is hard or important.
Climbing this mountain demands strong legs and a good pair of boots.
[task] demands + [resource]
Caring for a newborn baby demands patience that even Léa did not expect.
This recipe demands two hours of careful stirring over a low flame.
Diplomatic talks of this kind demand patience and the ability to listen.
Building a strong bridge demands skill, careful planning, and the right materials.
文法句型
[task] demands [effort/skill/time]
用法筆記
Subject is the task or activity, not a person — distinguishes this sense from sense 1 (where a person makes the demand). Often used with abstract objects: 'demand patience', 'demand time', 'demand skill'.
常見錯誤
3. to ask someone strongly to tell you something, often when the speaker is angry,
to ask someone strongly to tell you something, often when the speaker is angry, suspicious, or in a position of authority.
'Where were you last night?' Yael demanded as Ari walked through the door.
'[direct speech]' + demanded
Reporters demanded to know why the bridge had not been repaired for so many years.
demand + to know + wh-clause
The judge demanded an explanation for the missing documents from the lawyer.
Nala's mother demanded to be told the truth about the broken vase.
Evelyn demanded to know what the strangers were doing in her father's garden.
- interrogate
much stronger; formal or police register
- press
as in 'pressed him for an answer'; persistent rather than angry
- ask sharply
everyday paraphrase of the sharp tone
- wonder
private, quiet, not addressed to anyone
文法句型
demand + wh-clause
demand to know
'X?' he demanded
用法筆記
Use this sense when the headword introduces a question or request for information. Often appears as 'demand to know' or 'demand an explanation'. Direct-speech reporting tag ('she demanded') signals stronger tone than 'she asked'.
常見錯誤
4. to officially order someone, especially through legal or official channels, to c
to officially order someone, especially through legal or official channels, to come to a particular place such as a court.
The court demanded Sirin's presence as a witness in the trial on Monday morning.
demand + someone's presence
The tribunal demanded Hamza's appearance before the city council to explain the missing funds.
demand + [person's] appearance
The general demanded that all officers present themselves at headquarters by sunrise.
The investigating judge demanded the company's records be brought to her office.
- dismiss
officially send someone away rather than call them in
文法句型
demand someone's presence
demand that [person] appear
用法筆記
Formal and largely confined to legal, military, or official contexts. Sense 1 is the broad insistence; sense 4 narrows to an official summons backed by authority. In modern English the verb 'summon' is more common in this slot.
常見錯誤
demands — idiom
1. the hard tasks or pressures that come with a particular activity, role, or way o
the hard tasks or pressures that come with a particular activity, role, or way of life, used as a fixed plural in the form 'the demands of X'.
Christopher gave up the violin because the demands of practice were eating his weekends.
the demands of + [activity]
The demands of running a small farm leave Gabriel little time for hobbies.
Ravindra struggled with the demands of his first year as a junior doctor.
Élise often forgets meals when the demands of teaching pile up at the end of term.
- the rigours of
more formal; same shape ('the rigours of training')
- the pressures of
near-synonym; emphasises the strain
文法句型
the demands of [activity/role]
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun sense 2: this idiom-like fixed phrase is almost always written 'the demands of [X]' with a definite article and a following 'of'-phrase. Noun sense 2 covers the broader pattern (which also accepts 'demands on someone').