plug

/plʌɡ/ (bre, ipa) · /plʌɡ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈpləg/ (ame, mw)

plug — noun

  • plugsingular
  • plugsplural

1. the part on the end of an electrical lead that you push into a wall socket to gi

1.名詞B1
釋義

the part on the end of an electrical lead that you push into a wall socket to give a machine power.

例句

Mina pulled the plug from the wall before cleaning the toaster.

pull the plug from the wall

The baby monitor has a white plug with three metal pins.

three-pin plug

同義詞
  • power plug

    clearer when the connection is specifically for electricity

  • mains plug

    common in British English for a household electrical plug

  • connector

    broader word that can also include non-electrical joining parts

文法句型

plug for [appliance]

three-pin plug

pull out the plug

用法筆記

Usually the removable piece attached to an appliance or charger lead. Distinguish from sense 2, which names the wall fitting it goes into.

常見錯誤

❌Put the plug in the electricity.
✅Put the plug into the wall socket.
💡the plug goes into a socket, not into 'electricity'.

2. the engine part that makes a spark to light the fuel in a motor.

2.名詞
釋義

the engine part that makes a spark to light the fuel in a motor.

例句

The mechanic changed a dirty plug before the race began.

plug = spark plug

Oil on the plug made the old motor hard to start.

同義詞

文法句型

change a plug

dirty plug

spare plug

用法筆記

This short form works when the engine context is already obvious. In careful writing, 'spark plug' is usually clearer.

常見錯誤

❌The car needs a new electric plug.
✅The car needs a new spark plug.
💡for engines, the full term is usually 'spark plug'.

3. a small object pushed into an opening to block it.

3.名詞B1
釋義

a small object pushed into an opening to block it.

例句

Nora pressed a rubber plug into the hole in the bucket.

rubber plug

A wooden plug stopped rain from dripping through the boat floor.

wooden plug

同義詞
  • stopper

    general everyday word for something that closes an opening

  • cork

    used when the closing piece is made of cork, especially in bottles

  • bung

    more specialized, especially for barrels or large containers

文法句型

plug a hole

rubber plug

wooden plug

用法筆記

Often made of rubber, wood, cork, or plastic, and used to close a hole in a container or surface. Distinguish from sense 6, which is specifically the stopper for a sink or bath.

常見錯誤

❌He closed the bucket with a cover plug.
✅He closed the hole with a plug.
💡a plug blocks an opening, not the whole top of a container.

4. the stopper used to keep water in a bath or a sink.

4.名詞B1
釋義

the stopper used to keep water in a bath or a sink.

例句

Ella pulled the plug, and the bath water rushed away.

pull the plug

Soap was stuck under the plug in the kitchen sink.

sink plug

同義詞

文法句型

pull the plug

bath plug

sink plug

用法筆記

Most often used with sinks and baths, especially with verbs like 'pull', 'remove', and 'put back'. Distinguish from sense 5, which can block many different kinds of openings.

常見錯誤

❌Open the plug so the water can go.
✅Pull the plug so the water can go out.
💡English usually uses 'pull' or 'remove' with this object.

5. a short public mention meant to make people notice and like a product, event, or

5.名詞
釋義

a short public mention meant to make people notice and like a product, event, or person.

例句

The host gave our cafe a plug on the morning radio show.

give something a plug

One newspaper plug filled the bakery with new customers.

同義詞
  • promotion

    broader word for trying to increase interest or sales

  • publicity

    broader and more neutral; it does not always mean one short mention

  • endorsement

    stronger because it suggests clear support or approval

  • mention

    neutral basic word; it does not itself imply promotion

反義詞
  • criticism

    negative public comments that hurt interest instead of helping it

文法句型

give something a plug

get a plug on [radio/show]

slip in a plug for [thing]

用法筆記

Often follows verbs such as 'give', 'get', or 'slip in'. It usually means a brief bit of promotion inside a show, article, or conversation, not a full advertisement campaign.

常見錯誤

❌The singer gave the new album an advertisement on stage.
✅The singer gave the new album a plug on stage.
💡a plug is a short promotional mention, not a full advertisement.

6. a wall socket for electricity, especially in British English.

6.名詞
釋義

a wall socket for electricity, especially in British English.

例句

There is a plug beside the sofa, so charge your phone there.

plug = wall socket in British English

The hair dryer would not reach the plug near the mirror.

同義詞
  • socket

    the most common everyday word for this meaning

  • outlet

    more common in American English

  • wall socket

    fuller term that avoids ambiguity with sense 1

文法句型

plug by the bed

plug near the mirror

bedside plug

用法筆記

British English sometimes shortens 'plug socket' to 'plug'. Distinguish from sense 1, the piece you insert, and sense 7, which is a wall insert for screws.

常見錯誤

❌The charger is near a plug, but I cannot put it in.
✅The charger is near a plug, but I cannot put the plug in.
💡this sense names the socket itself, so the thing you insert must still be stated.

7. the metal-ended piece on a cable that fits into another device so the cable can

7.名詞
釋義

the metal-ended piece on a cable that fits into another device so the cable can carry power or sound.

例句

Push the guitar plug firmly into the speaker before the show.

plug into another device

One plug on the game cable was bent after the move.

plug on a cable

同義詞
  • connector

    general word for a joining part on a cable

  • jack plug

    used especially for audio leads

  • lead end

    descriptive phrase rather than a fixed technical term

文法句型

plug into the speaker

plug on a cable

clean the plug

用法筆記

Often used for audio, video, or charging leads joining one device to another, not mainly for the wall power connection in sense 1.

常見錯誤

❌The cable has a socket at the end.
✅The cable has a plug at the end.
💡the end sticking out from the wire is the plug; the hole it goes into is the socket.

8. a short plastic or wooden sleeve set in a drilled wall hole to grip a screw.

8.名詞
釋義

a short plastic or wooden sleeve set in a drilled wall hole to grip a screw.

例句

Dad tapped a plug into the wall before fixing the shelf.

plug into the wall before a screw

The worker drilled two holes and pushed plugs into the brick.

同義詞
  • wall anchor

    the clearest general term for this hardware part

  • anchor

    shorter hardware term; the wall context is often understood

  • dowel

    used in some varieties for a similar piece fixed in a wall

文法句型

put a plug into the wall

a screw and plug

drill a hole for a plug

用法筆記

Usually appears with walls, drills, and screws. Distinguish from sense 5, which closes a hole, and sense 6, which is the stopper for a sink or bath.

常見錯誤

❌Put the screw straight into the wall without a plug.
✅Put a plug in the wall first, then add the screw.
💡this sense names the insert that helps the screw hold.

9. a tiny plant growing in a small block of soil, sold before it is planted out.

9.名詞
釋義

a tiny plant growing in a small block of soil, sold before it is planted out.

例句

The market sold tomato plugs beside bags of garden soil.

tomato plugs

Mina planted lettuce plugs in long rows after the rain.

同義詞
  • seedling

    the broad everyday word for a very young plant

  • starter plant

    explains that the plant is ready to be grown on

  • transplant

    stresses that it will be moved to another place for full growth

反義詞
  • seed

    an earlier stage before the young plant has started growing

文法句型

tomato plugs

a tray of plugs

plant out plugs

用法筆記

Common in gardening shops and seed catalogs, often with plant names or trays. It means a starter plant, not the empty cell or the soil by itself.

常見錯誤

❌I bought tomato seeds and six tomato plugs.
✅I bought six tomato plugs.
💡a plug is already a young plant, not a seed.

10. a tight little mass of soft material rolled together to block a small opening.

10.名詞
釋義

a tight little mass of soft material rolled together to block a small opening.

例句

The nurse packed a cotton plug into Ben's nose to stop the bleeding.

soft wad packed into an opening

Grandpa used a paper plug to stop dust entering the pipe.

同義詞
  • wad

    the closest general word for a small packed piece of soft material

  • packing

    often used when material is stuffed into a gap or hole

  • stopper

    broader word; it can also be a hard object, not only soft material

文法句型

a cotton plug

put a plug in [opening]

remove the plug

用法筆記

The material is usually soft, such as cotton, wool, paper, or gauze. Distinguish from senses 5 to 7, where the plug is a shaped solid object.

plug — verb