altern
altern — 形容詞
- alternpositive
- more alterncomparative
- most alternsuperlative
1. used to describe people, groups, or periods that follow one another in a fixed t
輪流；交替
按固定次序輪番進行的
used to describe people, groups, or periods that follow one another in a fixed turn-by-turn order.
Layla and Christopher worked altern shifts at the clinic that winter.
Layla 和 Christopher 那年冬天在診所輪流值班。
altern + plural noun for people taking turns
The two choirs sang altern verses, each group answering the other.
兩個合唱團輪流唱詩節，彼此互相應答。
altern + plural noun showing back-and-forth sequence
At the old mill, altern teams worked the pumps through the night.
在老磨坊裡，兩組人整夜輪流操作抽水機。
The monks kept altern days of silence and public prayer that winter.
那年冬天，修士們輪流安排靜默日和公開祈禱日。
In the play, altern dancers crossed the hall from opposite doors.
在那齣戲裡，舞者們從相對的門輪流穿過大廳。
- alternate
the normal modern word for people, groups, or periods that take turns
- alternating
common when the switching pattern continues in repeated sequence
- constant
stays the same instead of changing by turns
文法句型
altern + plural noun
altern + period noun
用法筆記
Archaic and now mostly seen in literary, historical, or highly formal writing. In present-day English, speakers usually choose alternate or alternating instead.