deposit
deposit — noun
1. a thin layer of a substance that forms on a surface, typically when a liquid or
a thin layer of a substance that forms on a surface, typically when a liquid or gas leaves the solid material behind
After the flood, a muddy deposit covered the entire kitchen floor.
countable noun: 'a muddy deposit'
The dentist scraped hard calcium deposits from the backs of Sofia's teeth.
Tea leaves left a brown deposit at the bottom of the ceramic cup.
Hard water leaves white mineral deposits on taps and shower heads.
River water carries sand and silt, which form thick deposits where the current slows down.
文法句型
[plural] deposits of [substance]
a deposit of [substance]
用法筆記
Often used in the plural when describing visible accumulations over a broad area (mineral deposits, calcium deposits).
常見錯誤
2. a natural accumulation of a valuable material such as coal, oil, gas, or metal o
a natural accumulation of a valuable material such as coal, oil, gas, or metal ore that has formed underground over a very long period
The region contains large coal deposits that have been mined for over a century.
collocation: large [resource] deposits
Geologists discovered new oil deposits beneath the ocean floor near the coast of Vietnam.
Rich iron ore deposits in Western Australia supply steel mills around the world.
The country's diamond deposits made it one of the wealthiest nations in southern Africa.
Natural gas deposits were found deep under the mountains of northern Thailand.
- reserve
focuses on quantity available for extraction; more economic than geological in tone (proven oil reserves)
- accumulation
neutral term; less specific to natural resources (accumulation of sediment, accumulation of ore)
- vein
narrower; specifically a long, thin deposit of a mineral running through rock (a vein of gold)
文法句型
deposits of [resource]
[resource] deposits
用法筆記
Subject of verbs like 'discover', 'find', 'contain'. Frequently modified by the resource type: gold deposits, iron deposits, copper deposits.
常見錯誤
3. an amount of money that you put into a bank account, or the act of putting it th
an amount of money that you put into a bank account, or the act of putting it there
Amir made a cash deposit of five hundred dollars into his savings account.
make a deposit of [amount]
All deposits over ten thousand dollars must be reported to the central bank.
The bank offers a higher interest rate on fixed-term deposits of one year or longer.
Sofia checked her online banking this morning to confirm the deposit had gone through.
You can make a direct deposit at the ATM using an envelope or the cash slot.
- withdrawal
money taken out of a bank account
文法句型
make a deposit
deposit of [amount]
用法筆記
Can be countable (a deposit of $200) or uncountable (deposit slips are next to the counter). 'Direct deposit' is the automatic transfer of wages into an account.
常見錯誤
4. a first payment that you make when you agree to buy something expensive, with th
a first payment that you make when you agree to buy something expensive, with the rest of the money to be paid later
We are saving hard for a deposit on our first apartment.
deposit on [item being bought]
The car dealer asked for a ten percent deposit before delivering the new vehicle.
Elena put down a deposit of two thousand dollars to reserve the wedding venue.
Without enough savings for a deposit, Mei-Lin could not get a mortgage to buy the house.
The seller requires a non-refundable deposit of fifteen percent to secure the order.
- down payment
more common in American English; interchangeable with 'deposit' for house or car purchases
- final payment
the last part of the money paid to complete a purchase
- balance
the remaining amount still owed after the deposit
文法句型
deposit on [item]
put down a deposit
pay a deposit
用法筆記
When buying a home, 'deposit' usually refers to the down payment that forms part of the total price. In some countries this is called a 'down payment' or 'initial payment'.
常見錯誤
5. an amount of money that you pay when you rent something such as a flat, car, or
an amount of money that you pay when you rent something such as a flat, car, or tool, and that is given back to you later if you return the item in good condition
The landlord returned the full deposit after Wei cleaned the apartment from top to bottom.
Tenants in this city usually pay a security deposit equal to one month's rent.
security deposit
Fatima had to leave her deposit behind because of the damage to the wooden floor.
The rental agreement says the deposit will be refunded within two weeks after you move out.
Arun received his full deposit back after the inspection of the studio flat.
- security deposit
full term for rental deposits; emphasises the guarantee function
- bond
common term in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK for a rental deposit
文法句型
deposit on [rental item]
security deposit
refundable deposit
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun sense 4 (DOWN PAYMENT): a down payment is part of the item's purchase price; a security deposit is refundable and guarantees against damage or unpaid bills.
常見錯誤
6. a building, room, or area where things are stored for safekeeping, often for lon
a building, room, or area where things are stored for safekeeping, often for long periods
The old warehouse served as a deposit for antique furniture rescued from demolished buildings.
a deposit for [items]
The library's basement acts as a deposit for rare books and old university documents.
Police found a secret deposit of stolen paintings behind a false wall in the gallery.
The museum built a climate-controlled deposit for its most valuable sculptures and artifacts.
Farmers once used the cave as a dry deposit for grain during the long winter months.
- depository
synonym but more common; a place where things are deposited (a book depository)
- warehouse
a large building for storing goods, especially commercially
- repository
formal; for stored items of importance or knowledge (a repository of historical records)
文法句型
a deposit for [items]
用法筆記
Formal or specialist use. In everyday conversation, 'storage room', 'warehouse', or 'depository' is more common than 'deposit' for a place.
常見錯誤
7. the act or process of putting something in a particular place, especially in an
the act or process of putting something in a particular place, especially in an official or careful way
The deposit of the legal documents must be completed before Friday's deadline.
the deposit of [documents]
Proper records are kept for every deposit of funds into the company account.
The deposit of industrial waste in the river is strictly forbidden by environmental law.
After the deposit of the time capsule, the mayor placed a bronze plaque on the wall above it.
The bank charges a small handling fee for each deposit of coins and paper notes.
- removal
the act of taking something away from where it was
文法句型
the deposit of [something]
for deposit
用法筆記
Frequently used in formal, legal, or procedural contexts. For everyday situations, 'putting', 'placing', or 'leaving' is more natural.
deposit — verb
1. to put or leave something in a particular place, often so that it stays there
to put or leave something in a particular place, often so that it stays there
The floodwaters deposited a thick layer of mud across the entire ground floor.
passive: 'were deposited'
Mei-Lin deposited her keys and wallet on the kitchen table as soon as she arrived home.
deposit + [prepositional phrase of place]
The delivery driver deposited the heavy package on the front porch before the rain started.
Sediment from the mountain stream deposits fine sand along the riverbank every spring.
Hana deposited her heavy rucksack by the door and sat down to catch her breath.
文法句型
deposit [something] + preposition
be deposited [preposition]
用法筆記
For natural processes, the subject is often water, wind, or a river. For people, it is slightly more formal than 'put' or 'leave' and often implies careful or deliberate placement.
常見錯誤
2. to put money or a cheque into a bank account so that it is kept safe and can be
to put money or a cheque into a bank account so that it is kept safe and can be used later
Diego deposits his pay check into his checking account every Friday afternoon.
deposit + check into + account
Kenji deposited the cash at the bank branch on Main Street before it closed.
You can deposit a cheque using your phone by taking a clear picture of both sides.
Nadia deposited five hundred dollars into her son's college savings fund last week.
Many companies now deposit salaries directly into employees' bank accounts each month.
- withdraw
to take money out of a bank account
文法句型
deposit [money] in/into [account]
deposit [check/cash]
用法筆記
The object must be something of monetary value (cash, a cheque, money). Do not use this sense for non-financial objects (keys, bags, children).
常見錯誤
3. to pay a first part of the total price for something such as a house, holiday, o
to pay a first part of the total price for something such as a house, holiday, or rental item, as a way of showing that you definitely intend to buy or rent it
The Watanabe family deposited the booking fee to reserve the hotel rooms for the wedding.
Olumide deposited ten percent of the house price with the estate agent this morning.
deposit [percentage] of [price]
You will need to deposit a refundable amount before you can take the rental car from the airport.
To secure the apartment, Fatima deposited the first month's rent plus a separate security amount.
Arun deposited two hundred dollars at the ticket office to hold the seats for next week's concert.
- put down
phrasal verb; very common in everyday speech (put down a deposit)
- pay a deposit on
more explicit, usually followed by 'on' (pay a deposit on a car)
文法句型
deposit [amount] + [preposition] + [item/service]
用法筆記
The deposit paid under this sense may be part of the total cost (a down payment) or a refundable guarantee (a security deposit). The context makes the type clear.