funds
funds — noun
1. money that a person, group, or government can use to pay for something now.
money that a person, group, or government can use to pay for something now.
The clinic did not have enough funds to replace its broken ambulance.
have enough funds to do something
After the storm, the town raised funds to rebuild the wooden bridge.
raise funds for repair work
Our student club keeps emergency funds for sudden travel or repair costs.
Public funds should not be used for the mayor's private celebrations.
- debt
money owed rather than money available to use
文法句型
have the funds
raise funds for something
public funds
用法筆記
Usually plural in this meaning. It refers to money that is ready for use, not to one named pot of money for a special purpose.
常見錯誤
2. amounts of money kept or collected for a particular use, program, or group.
amounts of money kept or collected for a particular use, program, or group.
The university froze several research funds after the donor changed her will.
research funds
Workers can move their retirement funds to another company at the end.
retirement funds
Local parents started two book funds for children in the village school.
The hospital combined its training funds into one larger education account.
- reserves
suggests money kept back for future needs, often without a public program attached
- endowments
usually larger and more permanent, especially for schools or charities
- grant money
focuses on money given out, not the full pot that holds it
文法句型
funds for something
research funds
retirement funds
用法筆記
This sense refers to named pots of money with a clear purpose, such as retirement funds or relief funds. Distinguish it from sense 1, which means money available in general.
常見錯誤
3. money or property used as capital to earn more income or business growth.
money or property used as capital to earn more income or business growth.
The family moved its funds from farmland into a chain of hardware stores.
move funds into something
Foreign funds helped the small factory buy newer machines before winter.
The brokers directed more funds into green technology during the second quarter.
Estate funds were invested in shipping and insurance for steady returns.
- liabilities
debts and obligations rather than wealth used to earn more
文法句型
move funds into something
direct funds to something
用法筆記
More formal than sense 1. It is often used in reports about investment, trade, or business expansion rather than everyday household spending.
常見錯誤
4. investment companies or accounts that pool many people's money and buy assets fo
investment companies or accounts that pool many people's money and buy assets for them.
Many younger workers put part of each paycheck into index funds.
index funds
Her adviser recommended low-cost funds that spread risk across many companies.
low-cost funds
The pension board sold two bond funds before interest rates rose.
Small investors often choose funds instead of buying shares one by one.
- portfolios
broader because a portfolio is any collection of investments, not necessarily a pooled product
- ETFs
a specific traded type of fund rather than a general label
- investment trusts
a more specific type used especially in British finance
文法句型
put money into funds
sell funds
index funds
用法筆記
This sense names the investment products themselves, not the money available to spend. Distinguish it from sense 2, which is about money set aside for a purpose, and sense 3, which is about capital in general.
常見錯誤
5. money or other assets kept under a trust for a person, charity, or stated purpos
money or other assets kept under a trust for a person, charity, or stated purpose.
The court ordered the lawyer to release the child's funds immediately.
release funds
Her uncle left funds in trust for the twins until they turned eighteen.
funds in trust
The charity can use the funds only in ways named in the trust.
Auditors checked whether the manager had mixed trust funds with company cash.
- trust property
a close legal term covering all property held under the trust
- estate assets
broader because estate assets are not always placed in trust
文法句型
hold funds in trust
release funds to someone
trust funds
用法筆記
Often appears with trust, trustee, beneficiary, or release. Unlike sense 4, the focus here is legal control and protection, not investment choice.
常見錯誤
6. a store of something useful that a person or group can draw on when needed.
a store of something useful that a person or group can draw on when needed.
Even after the delay, the guide had enough funds of patience for every tourist.
funds of patience
The teacher drew on deep funds of local history during the walking tour.
funds of + abstract resource
By midnight, the rescue team had almost no funds of energy left.
Her notebook shows rich funds of ideas for the village festival.
- shortage
a lack of something that is needed
文法句型
funds of patience
funds of knowledge
funds of energy
用法筆記
This is a formal or literary use, usually with abstract nouns such as patience, knowledge, energy, or ideas. It is not the normal way to talk about cash in a bank.
常見錯誤
funds — verb
1. to pay for a project, service, or activity by supplying the needed money.
to pay for a project, service, or activity by supplying the needed money.
A local bakery funded the school trip after ticket sales failed.
fund + project
The city funded new warning lights along the mountain road.
Most of the clinic's vaccine work is funded by overseas charities.
Leo funded his short film by teaching guitar lessons every weekend.
- defund
to stop providing money for something
文法句型
fund something
be funded by someone
用法筆記
The object is the thing being paid for, such as a project, trip, or service. Passive forms are common when the source of the money is important.
常見錯誤
2. to put money into a separate fund or reserve and keep building it up.
to put money into a separate fund or reserve and keep building it up.
Each month, the restaurant funded its emergency reserve with a small cash deposit.
fund + reserve
Grandmother funded a college account for each grandchild from her rent.
fund + account
The parish funded a burial fund before the winter flu season.
After the bonus arrived, Tariq funded his holiday account for next spring.
文法句型
fund a reserve
fund an account
fund a pension plan
用法筆記
Here the object is the reserve or account receiving the money. If the object is the activity itself, such as a road project or school trip, use sense 1 instead.
常見錯誤
3. to replace short-term debt with debt that is repaid much later or has no fixed e
to replace short-term debt with debt that is repaid much later or has no fixed end.
The treasury funded the wartime loans into bonds payable over thirty years.
fund loans into bonds
Bankers advised the town to fund its floating debt before rates climbed.
fund debt
The ministry funded the deficit with a long bond instead of fresh taxes.
After the crisis, the company funded short notes into permanent debt.
- refinance
broader because it can include changing rates or lenders, not only extending debt
- consolidate
focuses on combining debts, which may or may not involve this exact long-term structure
- redeem
to pay off debt instead of pushing it further into the future
文法句型
fund debt
fund loans into bonds
用法筆記
This is a specialized finance term about changing the structure of debt. It does not mean simply paying for something; for that everyday meaning, use sense 1.