reservoir

/ˈrezəvwɑː(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈrezərvwɑːr/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈre-zə-ˌvwär -zər- -ˌvwȯr also -ˌvȯi/ (ame, mw)

reservoir — noun

  • reservoirsingular
  • reservoirsplural

1. a body of water, either formed by nature or created by people, that is kept to s

1.名詞B2
釋義

a body of water, either formed by nature or created by people, that is kept to supply fresh water to towns, farms, and other places.

例句

The town gets its drinking water from a large reservoir in the hills.

During the drought, the reservoir behind the dam dropped to half its normal level.

preposition pattern: behind the dam

同義詞
  • lake

    a natural body of water, not necessarily used as a water supply

  • basin

    a natural or man-made hollow that holds water, typically smaller than a reservoir

  • tank

    a fully enclosed container for liquid, usually smaller and man-made

文法句型

reservoir + of + noun

reservoir + behind/in/at + noun phrase

用法筆記

Frequently followed by a prepositional phrase that names the location (behind the dam, in the hills) or the substance stored (of water, of drinking water).

常見錯誤

❌We keep emergency drinking water in a small reservoir on the roof.
✅We keep emergency drinking water in a small tank on the roof.
💡A reservoir is usually a large outdoor body of water, not a household container.

2. a plentiful store of something abstract, such as knowledge, patience, or goodwil

2.名詞B2
釋義

a plentiful store of something abstract, such as knowledge, patience, or goodwill, that is available when needed.

例句

The elderly woman had a deep reservoir of patience gained from years of teaching.

typical pattern: a deep reservoir of [abstract noun]

Padma discovered a reservoir of talent in her students that no one had noticed before.

同義詞
  • store

    more general, less literary; can be concrete or abstract

  • supply

    emphasises that the resource is available for use

  • pool

    suggests a shared resource contributed by multiple people

  • fund

    often implies a financial or countable supply

文法句型

a/their + reservoir + of + abstract noun

用法筆記

The stored resource is nearly always specified by a following of-phrase (e.g. a reservoir of goodwill). Unlike sense 1, this sense is metaphorical — the store is intangible (knowledge, energy, trust) rather than physical water.