recorder

/rɪˈkɔːdə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /rɪˈkɔːrdər/ (ame, ipa) · /ri-ˈkȯr-dər/ (ame, mw)

recorder — noun

  • recordersingular
  • recordersplural

1. a simple wind instrument made of wood or plastic, with a row of holes on the fro

1.名詞B1
釋義

a simple wind instrument made of wood or plastic, with a row of holes on the front and one at the back, played by blowing into the top end and covering the holes with the fingers to produce different notes — commonly taught in schools

例句

The children played a simple tune on their plastic recorders during music class.

play + the recorder (verb collocation for the instrument)

Mei practiced her recorder every evening until she could play the whole song without mistakes.

practice + the recorder (typical learning context)

同義詞
  • flute

    a different wind instrument played sideways; made of metal, not a beginner instrument

  • whistle

    a simpler tube without finger holes that produces only one or two pitches

文法句型

play + the recorder

用法筆記

In many schools, the recorder is the first instrument children learn to play because it is simple and affordable. A person who plays the recorder is called a recorder player.

2. a judge in a court of law who deals with local or city cases, especially a part-

2.名詞C1
釋義

a judge in a court of law who deals with local or city cases, especially a part-time judicial officer in some areas of the UK and the US

例句

The recorder sentenced the man to eighteen months in prison for theft.

the recorder sentenced (judge's action in court)

Recorder Osei sentenced the burglar to two years at Leeds Crown Court on Monday.

Recorder [Name] + sentenced (title usage with judicial action and location)

同義詞
  • magistrate

    a judge who deals with minor offences in local courts; less senior than a recorder

  • justice

    a more general term for a judge, often used for higher courts

文法句型

the + recorder

Recorder + [Name]

用法筆記

In England and Wales, a recorder is a part-time judge who usually works as a lawyer (barrister or solicitor) on other days. In the US, the term is used in some municipal or city courts. Distinguish this sense from court reporter (a person who types the spoken record of a trial).

常見錯誤

The recorder typed every word of the trial.
The court reporter typed every word of the trial.
💡The judge (recorder) does not type; that job belongs to a court reporter or stenographer.

3. a piece of electronic equipment that captures and stores sound, video, or other

3.名詞B1
釋義

a piece of electronic equipment that captures and stores sound, video, or other data so that it can be played back or examined later

例句

The police checked the security recorder to see who had entered the building overnight.

security recorder (compound noun for surveillance)

Omar used a small voice recorder to capture the lectures for later study sessions.

voice recorder (common type of device)

同義詞
  • recording device

    more formal and generic, often used in technical or legal writing

  • logger

    a device that records data automatically over time (e.g. data logger); more specialised

文法句型

[type] + recorder

用法筆記

The word recorder is often combined with another word to specify the type of device: tape recorder, video recorder, voice recorder, flight data recorder. The simple word recorder alone is most common in technical or security contexts.

常見錯誤

I bought a new recorder for my music.
I bought a new recorder for recording interviews.
💡For the device sense, specify what it records; otherwise the sentence may be confused with the musical instrument.

4. a person whose responsibility is to write down or keep an official account of ev

4.名詞B2
釋義

a person whose responsibility is to write down or keep an official account of events, decisions, or transactions, usually for an organisation or a public body

例句

The court recorder typed every word spoken during the trial for the official file.

court recorder (person who transcribes in legal setting)

As secretary, Raj acted as recorder for all committee meetings throughout the year.

act as recorder (role collocation)

同義詞
  • scribe

    a historical term for someone who copies documents by hand; less common in modern contexts

  • clerk

    a person who keeps records in an office; more general and includes administrative duties

  • secretary

    a person who records minutes at meetings but also manages schedules and correspondence

文法句型

act as + recorder

recorder + for + [group/institution]

用法筆記

This sense overlaps with roles such as secretary, clerk, or registrar, but recorder specifically emphasises the act of writing or recording rather than administrative duties. In some contexts it is a historical or formal title.

常見錯誤

The recorder of the meeting sent out the agenda.
The secretary of the meeting sent out the agenda.
💡A recorder writes down what happens; a secretary also handles correspondence and scheduling.