locals
locals — adjective
1. connected with one town, area, or nearby community rather than a whole country o
connected with one town, area, or nearby community rather than a whole country or the wider world
The local paper printed photos of the flooded market square.
local + newspaper/media
Rina buys fruit from a local shop near her apartment.
The council closed the local bridge for safety checks.
Many local families joined the beach clean-up on Saturday.
- national
connected with the whole country, not one area
- international
involving more than one country
文法句型
local + noun
用法筆記
Usually comes before nouns like 'paper', 'school', 'shop', 'council', and 'election'. Distinguish from 'national' or 'international', which refer to a wider area.
常見錯誤
2. affecting only one small body region instead of the whole system
affecting only one small body region instead of the whole system
The dentist used a local anesthetic before removing the tooth.
local anesthetic
Doctors think the rash is a local skin reaction.
Ice can reduce local swelling around the injured ankle.
The cream treats local pain without affecting the rest of the body.
- topical
used especially for treatment applied to one part of the body
- limited
general word for not spreading widely
- restricted
formal; stresses being kept within one area
文法句型
local + medical noun
用法筆記
Most often used in medical contexts before nouns like 'anesthetic', 'infection', 'pain', and 'swelling'. Distinguish from general or whole-body effects.
常見錯誤
locals — noun
1. someone who belongs to a place because they live there
someone who belongs to a place because they live there
The locals showed us the safest path down the cliff.
the locals
When the festival ends, the locals get their quiet streets back.
A local gave Mei a map of the old town.
Tourists filled the square, but the locals stayed at home.
- resident
more formal and neutral
- local person
plain phrase used when you want extra clarity
- townspeople
used when the place is a town rather than a wider area
文法句型
the locals
a local + place
用法筆記
Very often used in the plural to contrast people who live in a place with visitors. The place is usually clear from the situation rather than stated directly after the noun.
常見錯誤
2. the pub close to your home that you usually go to
the pub close to your home that you usually go to
After work, Ben met his cousins at the local.
at the local
Everyone in the village knows the new owner of our local.
Nora suggested a quick drink at her local before dinner.
The old local closed after the landlord sold the building.
- neighborhood pub
clearer and less informal
- regular pub
stresses the place you go to often
- public house
formal full form of 'pub'
- wine bar
a different type of drinking place, not necessarily near home
文法句型
the local
my/our local
用法筆記
Mainly British and informal. It almost always appears with 'the', 'my', 'your', 'our', or another determiner because speakers mean a familiar neighborhood pub.
常見錯誤
3. a public transport service that stops almost everywhere along the route instead
a public transport service that stops almost everywhere along the route instead of skipping many stations
We took the local because the express skipped our station.
the local vs the express
Fatima missed the fast train and boarded the next local.
The local stops at every small town along the coast.
Commuters packed the morning local after the subway delay.
- stopping train
British term that makes the meaning very explicit
- all-stops service
transport term for a route that stops everywhere
- express
a faster service with fewer stops
文法句型
take/catch the local
the local to [place]
用法筆記
Often contrasted with 'express' or another faster service. In many contexts, listeners understand it to mean a train, but it can also refer to a bus.
常見錯誤
4. the branch of a union that represents workers in one area
the branch of a union that represents workers in one area
The teachers voted to form a new local in Taipei.
form a new local
Each local sends two delegates to the union conference.
each local + union event
The steelworkers' local backed the strike by a large margin.
Members asked their local for help after the layoffs.
- head office
the central organization rather than one area branch
文法句型
the workers' local
a local of [union]
用法筆記
Used in union language, especially in North America, for a town- or region-based branch. Distinguish from sense 1, which is about people from a place rather than an organization unit.