lifeblood

/ˈlaɪfblʌd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈlaɪfblʌd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈlīf-ˈbləd -ˌbləd/ (ame, mw)

lifeblood — noun

1. the thing that provides the energy and strength needed for an organisation, syst

1.名詞B2
釋義

the thing that provides the energy and strength needed for an organisation, system, or activity to survive and grow successfully

例句

Small businesses are the lifeblood of the local economy, creating most of the jobs in the area.

lifeblood of [something]: the essential element for survival

Tourism is the lifeblood of the island, and without visitors the whole community would struggle.

lifeblood of [place]: what keeps a place thriving

同義詞
  • backbone

    emphasises structural support rather than sustaining energy

  • heart

    more emotional, focuses on the central emotional core

  • engine

    suggests the driving force that powers growth

用法筆記

Almost always used in the pattern 'the lifeblood of [something]' to describe what sustains an organisation, industry, or community.

常見錯誤

❌Hard work is the lifeline of the company.
✅Hard work is the lifeblood of the company.
💡'lifeline' means a way to escape danger; 'lifeblood' means the essential sustaining force.

2. a person's blood, regarded as the essential substance that keeps them alive — us

2.名詞B2
釋義

a person's blood, regarded as the essential substance that keeps them alive — used especially in dramatic or emotional descriptions

例句

The warrior watched helplessly as his lifeblood drained onto the battlefield sand.

dramatic context: lifeblood as actual blood

The doctor spoke calmly about how a single donation can become the lifeblood of a patient in urgent need.

同義詞
  • blood

    the ordinary, non-literary term for the same substance

  • vital fluid

    more technical or clinical in tone

用法筆記

This literal sense is rare in everyday speech; it appears mainly in literature, poetry, and dramatic narration. The phrase is always uncountable.