inlet
/ˈɪnlet/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɪnlet/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈin-ˌlet -lət/ (ame, mw)
inlet — noun
- inletsingular
- inletsplural
1. a long, narrow stretch of water that reaches inland from an ocean, sea, or lake,
a long, narrow stretch of water that reaches inland from an ocean, sea, or lake, or that lies between islands
Javier rowed his small boat into a quiet inlet to shelter from the storm.
A wooden footbridge crosses the inlet where it narrows to just a few metres wide.
The fishing village sits at the mouth of a narrow inlet opening into the bay.
Kayakers paddled through the calm inlet to reach the open waters of the lake.
Aisha pointed to a small inlet on the map where her family fished every summer.
- bay
a broader, more open curve of the coastline; inlets tend to be narrower and more enclosed
- cove
a small, sheltered bay; smaller and more rounded than an inlet
- fjord
a long, deep inlet carved by a glacier, typically found in Scandinavia; more specific than inlet
- creek
in some regions, especially Australia and the US, used for a narrow tidal inlet; regional usage
常見錯誤
2. a pipe, opening, or tube in an engine or piece of equipment that allows a fluid,
a pipe, opening, or tube in an engine or piece of equipment that allows a fluid, gas, or air to flow into it
Kofi checked the water inlet on the washing machine before starting the cycle.
collocation: water inlet
The engine's air inlet was clogged with dust, which caused the motor to overheat.
Cold air enters the system through a metal inlet at the back of the unit.
Takashi replaced the fuel inlet pipe after noticing a small crack in the metal.
Diya turned off the pump and cleaned the inlet to remove the leaves blocking it.
- intake
the most common synonym for the mechanical sense; an intake often implies an active drawing-in mechanism, while an inlet can be a passive opening
- opening
more general; any gap or hole, not necessarily designed for the entry of fluids
- vent
usually for air or gas to pass both in and out; less specific for one-directional flow
- outlet
the opening through which fluid or gas leaves a system
用法筆記
Common in technical contexts about engines, pumps, and plumbing. Frequently appears in compound nouns such as water inlet, air inlet, fuel inlet, and inlet pipe.