four-wheel drive
four-wheel drive — noun
1. a vehicle's ability to send engine power to every wheel at the same time, rather
a vehicle's ability to send engine power to every wheel at the same time, rather than to only two, allowing the driver to travel safely over rough ground, deep mud, or icy roads
The truck's four-wheel drive helped Min drive up the muddy hill without getting stuck.
collocation: drive up a muddy hill with four-wheel drive
When Sirin turned on the four-wheel drive, the car climbed easily over the snowy pass.
turn on the four-wheel drive when climbing steep terrain
Chen's jeep used four-wheel drive to cross the icy road near Hualien after heavy snow.
Nikhil switched on the four-wheel drive when the road turned into a rough, rocky trail.
- 4WD
common abbreviation, identical meaning
- four-by-four
less formal, can also refer to the vehicle itself
- all-wheel drive
similar concept but different — AWD runs continuously and is mainly for on-road use
- two-wheel drive
standard system where power reaches only two wheels
文法句型
have/get/engage + four-wheel drive
the + four-wheel drive + verb
用法筆記
Often abbreviated as 4WD. Four-wheel drive is different from all-wheel drive (AWD): 4WD is designed for off-road use and is usually switched on manually, while AWD operates automatically on paved roads.
常見錯誤
2. a car or truck whose design includes a four-wheel drive system, enabling it to m
a car or truck whose design includes a four-wheel drive system, enabling it to move across rough ground or slippery roads where standard vehicles would get stuck
Maeve bought a second-hand four-wheel drive for her camping trips in the mountains.
collocation: buy a second-hand four-wheel drive
Cyrus parked his four-wheel drive outside the wooden cabin and began unloading the equipment.
Jessica's four-wheel drive handled the desert sand much better than the small rental car.
Felix is a tour guide and drives a four-wheel drive through the park daily.
- 4x4
very common synonym, especially in UK English; pronounced 'four by four'
- off-road vehicle
broader category, not all off-road vehicles have four-wheel drive
- SUV
overlapping but not identical — many SUVs are two-wheel drive
文法句型
a/an + four-wheel drive
possessive + four-wheel drive
用法筆記
Also called a 4x4 ('four by four'). In everyday conversation, people often say 'a four-wheel drive' (with the article) to refer to the vehicle itself, not just the system.
常見錯誤
four-wheel drive — adjective
1. used before a noun to describe a vehicle whose engine sends power to every wheel
used before a noun to describe a vehicle whose engine sends power to every wheel, giving it better grip on loose ground, mud, or snow
Rodrigo drove his four-wheel drive jeep across the riverbed during the dry season.
collocation: four-wheel drive jeep
Soraya rented a four-wheel drive vehicle for the family holiday in the countryside.
collocation: rent a four-wheel drive vehicle
The rescue team used four-wheel drive trucks to reach the village cut off by snow.
Ava found that a four-wheel drive car gave her confidence when driving on slippery roads.
- four-by-four
can also be used as a modifier, e.g. 'a four-by-four vehicle'
- two-wheel-drive
describes a vehicle where power goes to only two wheels
文法句型
four-wheel drive + noun
用法筆記
Always used before a noun (attributive position). You cannot say 'this car is four-wheel drive' in everyday English — use the noun form instead ('this car has four-wheel drive' or 'this car is a four-wheel drive').