enlistment
/ɪnˈlɪstmənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈlɪstmənt/ (ame, ipa) · /ə̇nˈlis(t)mənt en-/ (ame, mw)
enlistment — noun
- enlistmentsingular
- enlistmentsplural
1. the act of signing up to serve in the army, navy, or air force, or the process o
the act of signing up to serve in the army, navy, or air force, or the process of bringing someone new into those services
Keita's enlistment in the navy surprised his family, who expected him to become a teacher.
enlistment in + [branch of military]
The enlistment office processed over two hundred new recruits in a single morning.
enlistment office — common institutional collocation
After months of thinking, Amara walked into the enlistment centre and signed the paperwork.
The army lowered its enlistment age from eighteen to seventeen during the war.
During peacetime, Rafael picked up enlistment forms three times but never filled them out.
- recruitment
broader term — covers the whole process of seeking and attracting candidates, not just the act of joining
- enrollment
more general — used for schools, courses, and programmes, not just the military
- induction
refers to the formal ceremony or process of bringing someone into a group, not the signing-up itself
- discharge
the act of being officially released from military service
文法句型
enlistment in + [branch of armed forces]
用法筆記
Subject can be the person joining (voluntary enlistment) or the institution doing the recruiting. Frequently paired with a specific branch name: enlistment in the navy, army, air force, etc.
2. the act of asking someone to give their help, support, or participation in a tas
the act of asking someone to give their help, support, or participation in a task, project, or cause
Dimitri's enlistment of several local volunteers helped the charity finish the build on time.
enlistment of + people
The project succeeded through the enlistment of experts from three different universities.
enlistment of + experts — formal register
Fatima handled the enlistment of sponsors for the annual school fundraising gala.
Without the enlistment of community support, the clean-up effort would have failed.
The manager's enlistment of a legal advisor proved crucial during the contract talks.
- engagement
slightly broader — can mean hiring or involving someone, not necessarily for help on a specific task
- mobilisation
more about organising people for collective action, often on a larger scale
文法句型
enlistment of + [person/group/support]
用法筆記
This sense is formal and often appears in written contexts — reports, proposals, and news articles. The object of 'enlistment' is almost always a person or a group whose help is being sought, not a thing.
常見錯誤
3. a fixed period of time that a person serves in the armed forces, usually as part
a fixed period of time that a person serves in the armed forces, usually as part of a contract or agreement
Hakim completed a five-year enlistment in the army before returning to civilian life.
enlistment + duration — describing a term of service
Ingrid's enlistment was due to end in June, but she chose to stay on.
Soldiers often count down the final months of their enlistment with relief.
Viktor's enlistment ended quietly on a Tuesday, with no ceremony or farewell.
Mei-Lin extended her enlistment by eighteen months to finish her training programme.
文法句型
[number]-year enlistment
complete + enlistment
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense refers to the duration of service, not the act of joining. You can talk about 'extending' or 'completing' an enlistment only in this sense. Frequently preceded by a length of time: a two-year enlistment, a five-year enlistment.