earmarked
earmarked — verb
- earmarkedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- earmarkeds3rd person singular
- earmarkeding-ing form
- earmarkededpast simple
1. to decide officially that a particular amount of money, time, or other resource
to decide officially that a particular amount of money, time, or other resource will be used only for a specific project or need.
The city council earmarked three million dollars to build a new public library.
be earmarked for [project]
Dr. Okonkwo earmarked two hours each morning for writing his research paper.
Half of the emergency fund was earmarked by the committee for flood relief.
What portion of the budget has the government earmarked for education this year?
The foundation earmarks ten percent of its yearly income for cancer research.
- allocate
more general; earmark suggests the purpose is fixed and restricted
- designate
emphasises the formal naming of a purpose
- appropriate
legal or technical term for officially setting aside funds; more formal than earmark
- set aside
less formal; can apply to physical items or time, not just money
- divert
to move resources away from their intended use
文法句型
earmark [something] for [purpose]
be earmarked for [purpose]
用法筆記
This verb is commonly used in the passive voice (be earmarked for...), especially in formal discussion of budgets, planning, and policy decisions.
常見錯誤
earmarked — noun
1. a cut, notch, or tag made in the ear of a farm animal to show who owns it.
a cut, notch, or tag made in the ear of a farm animal to show who owns it.
Each calf in the herd received a distinct earmark at the spring branding.
The farmer checked the earmark on the stray sheep to find its owner.
Without an earmark, it is hard to tell which ranch the cattle belong to.
The earmark on the goat's left ear was shaped like a small triangle.
- brand
a permanent mark burned onto the skin rather than cut into the ear
- ear tag
a modern plastic or metal tag clipped onto the ear, rather than a cut
- livestock tag
any visible marker of animal ownership, including ear tags and brands
2. a quality or feature that is typical of a person, group, or thing and clearly di
a quality or feature that is typical of a person, group, or thing and clearly distinguishes them from others.
A love of spicy food is an earmark of the local cuisine in that region.
[quality] is an earmark of [place/group]
The director's bold use of colour has become an earmark of her filmmaking style.
In many rural villages, a strong sense of community duty remains an earmark of daily life.
One earmark of the company's culture is its insistence on face-to-face meetings.
- hallmark
very similar; hallmark emphasises a sign of quality or authenticity
- trademark
suggests a feature so characteristic it functions like a personal brand
- distinguishing feature
more literal and less figurative than earmark
- badge
emphasises an openly displayed sign of identity or membership
文法句型
[quality] is an earmark of [group/thing]
3. an amount of money set aside in a government budget for a specific local project
an amount of money set aside in a government budget for a specific local project, often added to a bill by a politician to benefit their own district.
The senator added an earmark for a new highway in her district to the spending bill.
add an earmark for [project]
Critics of the practice argue that earmarks waste taxpayer money on unnecessary projects.
The earmark for the bridge project was removed during the budget debate.
Each year, members of Congress compete to secure earmarks for their home states.
Supporters say earmarks allow local communities to fund projects that the national government might ignore.
- pork barrel
more negative in connotation; refers to wasteful or politically motivated earmarks
- budget allocation
a neutral, general term for any assigned money in a budget
- appropriation
the official legal act of setting money aside in a formal budget
- directed spending
a modern, more neutral term for the same practice
文法句型
add an earmark
earmark for [project]
用法筆記
This sense is most common in discussion of US federal spending decisions. The term often carries a negative or controversial tone, suggesting political favouritism. Outside the US, similar provisions are called 'directed funds' or 'budget allocations'.