pole
/pəʊl/ (bre, ipa) · [pˈol] /pəʊl/ (ame, ipa) · [pˈol] /ˈpōl/ (ame, mw)
pole — noun
- polesingular
- polesplural
1. a tall narrow bar set upright to support something or show a position.
a tall narrow bar set upright to support something or show a position.
Workers planted a steel pole beside the new road sign.
steel pole beside a road sign
A bamboo pole held the bean plants above the wet soil.
pole held climbing plants
The school flag hung from a tall pole near the gate.
Heavy snow bent the wooden pole carrying wires across the field.
文法句型
a wooden pole
a pole for [support/use]
on a pole
用法筆記
Often names something set upright in the ground or fixed in place. Common nouns after it include 'flag', 'wire', 'tent', and 'bean plants', depending on what the pole supports.
常見錯誤
2. one of a pair of short sticks you carry in your hands to help you keep steady wh
one of a pair of short sticks you carry in your hands to help you keep steady while walking.
Mina adjusted her walking poles before climbing the steep path.
often plural: walking poles
Ken pressed each pole into the snow for support on the hill.
The guide lent Rosa a pole for the rocky trail.
With both poles, Dad kept his balance on the muddy slope.
- walking stick
usually one stick rather than a pair
- trekking pole
common term for hiking equipment
- hiking pole
everyday outdoor-use label
文法句型
walking poles
use a pole for support
with both poles
用法筆記
Most often used in the plural because people normally use one in each hand. Distinguish from sense 1, which is about a long support or upright object rather than equipment for walking.
常見錯誤
3. one of the upright markers placed at set distances around a race track.
one of the upright markers placed at set distances around a race track.
The horse pulled ahead as it passed the third distance pole.
at the third pole
Jockey Lee waited until the last pole on the track, then moved outside.
before the last pole
Rain made the white poles hard to see from the far turn.
Officials repainted the half-mile pole before spring racing opened.
- marker
general word; less specific to racing
- post
another physical marker word, though not always a race-distance marker
- distance marker
clearer modern paraphrase rather than a fixed race term
文法句型
at the third pole
pass the final pole
用法筆記
Used in racing to mark distance around the course, especially in horse racing. It is usually counted by order, as in 'the third pole' or 'the final pole'.
4. the point at either end of Earth's axis, as in the North Pole or South Pole.
the point at either end of Earth's axis, as in the North Pole or South Pole.
Few people live near the North Pole all year round.
fixed name: the North Pole
Scientists drilled ice near the South Pole last summer.
fixed name: the South Pole
A classroom globe shows both poles at opposite ends.
Near each pole, winter darkness can last for many weeks.
- polar end
technical paraphrase, not the usual everyday term
- polar point
describes the location but is less standard as a name
- equator
the line halfway between the two poles
文法句型
the North Pole
the South Pole
near the pole
用法筆記
Usually appears in the fixed names 'the North Pole' and 'the South Pole'. Distinguish from senses 5 and 6, which are technical ends of a magnet or battery rather than places on Earth.
常見錯誤
5. the north or south side of a magnet, with the strongest magnetic effect.
the north or south side of a magnet, with the strongest magnetic effect.
The north pole of the magnet snapped to the fridge door.
north pole of a magnet
Two south poles pushed each other away on the science table.
two south poles repel
Ms Chen marked the north and south poles on each magnet.
The toy magnet still had one pole strong enough to pull nails.
- magnetic pole
the standard full term in science
- north end
informal when the north side is meant
- south end
informal when the south side is meant
- opposite pole
the other magnetic end, which attracts rather than matches it
文法句型
north pole of a magnet
south pole of a magnet
用法筆記
Usually appears with 'north' or 'south' and with nouns such as 'magnet' or 'magnetic field'. Distinguish from sense 6, where a battery uses positive and negative poles instead.
常見錯誤
6. either point on a battery where a wire is attached so electricity can enter or l
either point on a battery where a wire is attached so electricity can enter or leave.
Luis clipped the red wire to the positive pole first.
positive pole
The lamp failed because one pole on the battery was dirty.
Check both poles before putting the batteries into the toy.
A small spark jumped when the metal touched the negative pole.
- terminal
the most common technical word in electronics
- contact
can mean the metal point that touches another part
- connection point
plain-language explanation rather than a fixed technical term
- opposite pole
the other battery end with the opposite charge
文法句型
positive pole
negative pole
connect a wire to [pole]
用法筆記
Most often appears with 'positive' or 'negative' in electrical contexts. Distinguish from sense 5, where the matching words are 'north' and 'south' because the object is a magnet, not a battery.
常見錯誤
7. in geometry, either of two opposite points on a ball shape tied to a circle on i
in geometry, either of two opposite points on a ball shape tied to a circle on its surface.
On the globe, Ms Chen drew a blue ring and marked the pole above it.
circle on a sphere and its pole
When the ring was drawn around the globe, two poles appeared above and below it.
typical pattern: two poles
In the diagram, the pole sat above the small circle on the ball.
Each circle on the ball has two poles, one above and one below.
- spherical pole
full technical term for this geometry sense
- pole point
used in some maths explanations for the same idea
文法句型
the pole of a circle
two poles on a sphere
用法筆記
Technical geometry vocabulary. It is usually explained together with a named circle on a sphere, not used for everyday physical poles.
8. in mathematics, a fixed point used as the starting point for measuring other poi
in mathematics, a fixed point used as the starting point for measuring other points.
On the polar graph, every distance was measured from the pole.
polar graph: measured from the pole
Professor Lin used the grid center as the pole on the polar chart.
grid center used as the pole
On the math chart, the point lay two units from the pole.
In polar coordinates, the robot's path started at the pole.
- origin
the usual term in coordinate systems, especially graphs
- reference point
broader and less technical
- fixed point
general term; not limited to polar systems
文法句型
measure from the pole
the pole in polar coordinates
用法筆記
Most often seen in geometry or graphing contexts. Distinguish from sense 7: this sense is a chosen reference point, not one of two opposite points on a sphere.
9. one of two far ends in a pair of ideas, feelings, or qualities that are complete
one of two far ends in a pair of ideas, feelings, or qualities that are completely different from each other.
On school uniforms, the two parents stood at opposite poles.
fixed phrase: at opposite poles
Mina loves city life, but her brother stands at the opposite pole.
opposite pole
At the town meeting, speakers pulled the debate toward the poles of safety and freedom.
At dinner, Maya and her father were at opposite poles about buying a new car.
文法句型
at opposite poles
the other pole
用法筆記
Usually plural when two extremes are being compared. Distinguish from the physical and scientific senses, where the word names an actual point or object.
常見錯誤
10. the front starting spot in a motor race, given to the driver with the fastest la
the front starting spot in a motor race, given to the driver with the fastest lap before the race.
Rossi won pole after the fastest lap on Saturday afternoon.
sports pattern: win pole
The blue car started from pole and led the first corner.
sports pattern: start from pole
Rain helped Aya take pole when the track became slippery.
Fans cheered as Kim secured pole for the Silverstone race.
- pole position
the full formal term
- front-row start
broader, since it can include positions other than pole
- back of the grid
a poor starting position far from the front
文法句型
win pole
take pole
start from pole
用法筆記
Common in motorsport reporting as a short form of 'pole position'. It usually follows verbs like 'win', 'take', or 'start from'.
常見錯誤
11. an old measuring unit equal to 16.5 feet, or the area of a square with sides of
an old measuring unit equal to 16.5 feet, or the area of a square with sides of that length.
The old map says the field is forty poles long.
measurement pattern: [number] poles long
A clerk measured the sheep field in poles and acres.
historical land measure
The survey book listed the garden as six square poles.
The surveyor marked off one pole along the hedge before turning.
文法句型
forty poles long
square poles
用法筆記
Mostly found in old land records or historical writing. Distinguish from the everyday sense of a long stick in noun sense 1.
常見錯誤
12. someone from Poland, or a person whose family background is Polish.
someone from Poland, or a person whose family background is Polish.
Anna married a Pole she met while studying in Warsaw.
grammar pattern: a Pole
The museum guide is a Pole who moved to Taipei in 2018.
Evan's grandmother was a Pole, but he grew up in Canada.
At the food fair, one Pole taught us a folk dance.
- Polish person
clear descriptive phrase in neutral use
- Polish national
more formal, often used in official contexts
文法句型
a Pole
Poles living abroad
用法筆記
Write it with a capital letter. The adjective is 'Polish', but the noun for the person is 'Pole'.