estate
/ɪˈsteɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪˈsteɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /i-ˈstāt/ (ame, mw)
estate — noun
- estatesingular
- estatesplural
1. a large piece of countryside land with a big house that belongs to a single fami
a large piece of countryside land with a big house that belongs to a single family or organization and is typically used for farming or keeping animals
The Kwame family has owned this country estate for more than two hundred years.
collocation: country estate / own an estate
Tourists can visit the estate every Sunday and walk through the gardens for free.
After the elderly owner died, the entire estate was sold to a hotel company.
The estate produces its own wine from grapes grown in the surrounding fields.
- property
a more general term for land and buildings of any size
- manor
a large house with land, especially one with a historical connection to a local area
- plantation
a large farm in a tropical or subtropical region, growing cash crops
用法筆記
In British English, this sense usually means a large house with surrounding farmland (a country estate). In American English, ranch or plantation are more common for working farms.
常見錯誤
2. all the money, property, belongings, and debts that a person leaves behind when
all the money, property, belongings, and debts that a person leaves behind when they die
After her father passed away, Gita discovered his estate was worth nearly three million dollars.
The family lawyer read the will to everyone who had a claim on the estate.
collocation: estate + will / claim on the estate
Dividing the estate among the four children led to a long and painful legal battle.
The musician left his entire estate to a charity that supports young artists.
- inheritance
focuses on what someone receives (the heir's perspective), not what someone leaves (the deceased's perspective)
- assets
broader term for anything of value owned, not limited to death context
用法筆記
An estate includes not just physical property but also money, investments, and unpaid debts. The legal process of distributing an estate is called probate.
常見錯誤
3. a collection of homes, factories, or other structures constructed together as pa
a collection of homes, factories, or other structures constructed together as part of a single planned development
The city council built a new housing estate on the north side of town for low-income families.
collocation: housing estate
Liang and his family moved into a modern estate with its own shops, a park, and a primary school.
The old industrial estate now houses technology companies instead of factories.
All the houses on this estate were built in the same style, with red brick roofs.
- development
the American English equivalent for a planned residential area
- complex
a group of buildings used for a specific purpose, such as apartments or offices
用法筆記
This sense is common in British English. In American English, the equivalent terms are housing project (for public housing) or development.
常見錯誤
4. a type of car whose back section provides extra room for luggage or large items,
a type of car whose back section provides extra room for luggage or large items, accessed through a separate door at the rear
Rania chose an estate because she needed room for her two dogs and all the camping gear.
British: estate car
The carpenter loaded sheets of wood into the back of his estate without folding the seats.
Estate cars are less popular nowadays because many people prefer SUVs.
Andrew loaded his surfboard into the back of his estate and drove to the coast.
- station wagon
the American English name for the same type of car
- shooting brake
a historical term now used mainly for luxury estate-style cars
用法筆記
This term is used mainly in British English. In American English, the same type of vehicle is called a station wagon.
常見錯誤
5. a particular condition or stage in someone's life or in the development of somet
a particular condition or stage in someone's life or in the development of something
Gabriela worried about the estate of her grandmother's mind after the old lady began forgetting familiar faces.
formal: estate of [someone's] + abstract noun (mind, health, mood)
Femi called the hospital daily, anxious about the estate of his brother's recovery after surgery.
formal: estate of [someone's] recovery
Eliska noticed a change in the estate of her friend's mood after the job interview went badly.
The duke worried about the estate of his son's health after the long illness.
用法筆記
This sense is largely literary or formal. It survives mainly in fixed phrases such as the human estate and the estate of holy matrimony. It should not be used in everyday conversation.
常見錯誤
6. one of the traditional divisions of society based on rank, power, or occupation,
one of the traditional divisions of society based on rank, power, or occupation, especially in historical Europe
In medieval times, the three estates were the clergy, the nobility, and the common people.
historical: the three estates
The press is sometimes called the fourth estate because of its power to influence politics.
fixed phrase: the fourth estate
Each estate had different legal rights and responsibilities under the old system of government.
Cyrus wrote a history essay about the political power of the third estate before the French Revolution.
用法筆記
This sense appears almost exclusively in historical discussions or in the fixed phrase the fourth estate. In modern sociology, class or social class are the standard terms.
常見錯誤
estate — adjective
- estatepositive
- more estatecomparative
- most estatesuperlative
1. describing an item that comes from a single estate or winery, such as wine produ
describing an item that comes from a single estate or winery, such as wine produced and bottled on one vineyard, or an item such as jewellery or furniture that was previously owned and is considered to be of good quality
The restaurant serves only estate wines from small family vineyards.
collocation: estate wine
Apinya bought an estate diamond necklace at the auction for half its retail price.
collocation: estate jewellery
Estate furniture from the 1920s often has better craftsmanship than modern pieces.
Marco found an estate tea set in perfect condition at the antique market.
文法句型
estate + noun
用法筆記
This adjective has two distinct interpretations depending on the noun. For wine (estate wine), it means the grapes were grown, produced, and bottled by a single named estate or winery — it does not mean 'second-hand.' For jewellery, furniture, silver, or other personal goods (estate jewellery, estate furniture), it means the item was previously owned, often acquired from a deceased person's collection. This adjective only appears before a noun (attributive position).