amiss
/əˈmɪs/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈmɪs/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈmis/ (ame, mw)
amiss — 形容詞
- amisspositive
- more amisscomparative
- most amisssuperlative
1. If something is amiss, there is a problem with it — it is not the way it should
不對勁；有問題
情況不對勁或出了差錯
If something is amiss, there is a problem with it — it is not the way it should be, not working correctly, or not fitting the situation.
Theo sensed something was amiss when he saw the front door standing wide open.
Theo 看到大門敞開著，立刻感到事情不對勁。
collocation: something is amiss
Dr. Okafor checked every instrument twice but found nothing amiss in the laboratory.
Okafor 醫生把每臺儀器都檢查了兩遍，但實驗室裡一切正常。
collocation: nothing amiss
The children fell silent all at once, and Fatima knew immediately that something was amiss.
孩子們突然全都安靜下來，Fatima 立刻知道有什麼不對勁。
Jamal's bank statement listed a large withdrawal he had never made — clearly something was amiss.
Jamal 的銀行對帳單上出現了一筆他從未動用過的大額提款——顯然有問題。
Everything looked tidy from the doorway, but once inside Priyanka saw several things were amiss.
從門口看一切都整齊，但 Priyanka 一走進去便發現好幾處不對勁。
文法句型
something is amiss
nothing is amiss
there is something amiss
用法筆記
Almost always used after a linking verb (be, seem, feel, look). Never placed before a noun — you cannot say 'an amiss situation.' Common in the pattern 'something/nothing is amiss.'
常見錯誤
2. If you say that something would not go amiss, you mean it would be useful, pleas
不會嫌多；受歡迎
某事物會很有用或受歡迎
If you say that something would not go amiss, you mean it would be useful, pleasant, or helpful in the present situation.
A hot cup of tea would not go amiss after trudging through the rain for an hour.
在雨中跋涉了一個小時後，來杯熱茶絕對不會嫌多。
phrase pattern: would not go amiss
Elena felt a simple thank-you from the manager would not have gone amiss.
Elena 覺得主管一句簡單的謝謝也不會嫌多。
After shifting heavy boxes all morning, a cold drink and a short break would not go amiss.
搬了一上午的重箱子，來杯冷飲、休息一下，再受歡迎不過了。
A little extra practice before the final match would not go amiss, Kwame told the team.
Kwame 對隊員們說，決賽前多練一會兒絕對不會嫌多。
More honesty in the official report would not have gone amiss, the investigator remarked.
調查員表示，官方報告裡多一些坦誠也不會嫌多。
- welcome
more direct and common; can stand alone as an adjective
- handy
more informal; suggests practical usefulness in the moment
- appreciated
focuses on the feeling of gratitude rather than usefulness
文法句型
something would not go amiss
something might not go amiss
用法筆記
Always appears as 'not go amiss,' almost always with 'would' or 'might.' You never say 'it went amiss' to mean useful — the negative is essential.
常見錯誤
3. If you take something amiss, you feel hurt or offended by what someone said or d
見怪；介意
因別人的言行而感到被冒犯
If you take something amiss, you feel hurt or offended by what someone said or did, especially when that person may not have meant any harm.
Sven took it amiss when his new colleague made a joke about his accent.
Sven 因為新同事拿他的口音開玩笑而很介意。
phrase pattern: take it amiss
Please do not take this amiss, but I think you may have misread the instructions.
請別見怪，但我想你可能看錯了說明。
Amara took the remark amiss, though her friend had spoken without any ill intent.
Amara 對那句話很介意，儘管朋友並無惡意。
The elderly gentleman took it amiss that nobody had offered him a seat on the bus.
那位老先生很介意公車上沒有人讓座給他。
Hana gave frank advice with a warm smile, hoping her words would not be taken amiss.
Hana 帶著溫暖的笑容給了坦率的建議，希望對方不要見怪。
- take offence
the most common and direct equivalent in modern English
- resent
stronger; implies a lasting feeling of bitterness or injustice
- feel slighted
suggests feeling disrespected or not valued, often in social situations
文法句型
take something amiss
take it amiss
be taken amiss
用法筆記
Always takes the form 'take (something) amiss.' The object can be 'it,' 'the remark,' 'the comment,' or the actual words that caused offence. Sometimes used in the passive: 'be taken amiss.'
常見錯誤
amiss — 副詞
1. In a mistaken or incorrect manner; doing something the wrong way by accident or
錯誤地；弄錯
以錯誤或不正確的方式
In a mistaken or incorrect manner; doing something the wrong way by accident or poor judgement.
Theo soon realised he had read the hiking map amiss and was heading north instead of south.
Theo 很快發現自己看錯了登山地圖，正朝北走而非向南。
adverb modifying verb: read amiss
Nurse Adebayo judged the patient's rash amiss — it was shingles, not a simple allergy.
護理師 Adebayo 判斷錯了病人的疹子——那是帶狀皰疹，不是普通的過敏。
Diego entered the figures amiss, and the monthly accounts failed to balance.
Diego 把數字登錄錯了，月帳怎麼都對不上。
Nadia worried she had understood the doctor's instructions amiss and called to double-check.
Nadia 擔心自己弄錯了醫生的指示，於是打電話再次確認。
The old grandfather clock had been set amiss and chimed two hours too early.
那座老落地鐘被調錯了時間，提早了兩個小時報時。
- wrongly
more common and natural in modern everyday English
- incorrectly
neutral and direct; often used for factual errors
- mistakenly
emphasises that the error came from a wrong belief or assumption
- correctly
in the right way, without mistakes
用法筆記
Formal and now somewhat old-fashioned. In everyday speech, most people would use 'wrongly' or 'incorrectly' instead.
常見錯誤
2. Away from the intended path, target, or expected course — used for things that p
偏離；出岔子
偏離正確或預期的路徑
Away from the intended path, target, or expected course — used for things that physically stray or for plans that go wrong.
The archer's first arrow flew amiss and lodged in the trunk of a nearby oak.
弓箭手的第一箭射偏了，插進了旁邊一棵橡樹的樹幹裡。
adverb of direction: fly amiss
Rebecca kicked the football hard, but it went amiss and rolled into the flower bed.
Rebecca 用力踢出足球，但球偏了方向，滾進了花壇裡。
The letter had gone amiss in the post and never reached its intended recipient.
那封信在郵寄途中寄丟了，始終沒有送到收件人手裡。
Yara's well-laid plans went amiss when the funding was pulled at the last moment.
資金在最後一刻被抽走，Yara 精心安排的計劃全出了岔子。
Chidi aimed at the wicket, but the ball went amiss and scattered a pile of leaves.
Chidi 瞄準了門柱，但球偏了方向，打散了一堆落葉。
- astray
very close in meaning; 'go astray' is the more common modern phrase
- off target
more concrete and physical; used for things that miss a literal mark
- awry
used more often for plans or events than for physical objects
- true
in the correct direction; 'the arrow flew true'
用法筆記
Literary or old-fashioned in modern English. Distinguish from adjective sense 2 ('not go amiss' = be welcome): here 'go amiss' without 'not' means 'go astray' or 'go wrong.'
常見錯誤
3. In a faulty or imperfect way — used when a machine, device, or process functions
有瑕疵；不順
運作上有缺陷或不完美
In a faulty or imperfect way — used when a machine, device, or process functions but not quite as it should.
The old printer was working amiss, leaving faint grey streaks across every page.
那臺舊印表機運作不順，每頁都留下淡淡的灰色條紋。
collocation: working amiss
Ingrid's voice came out amiss on the recording — thin, crackly, and barely audible.
錄音裡 Ingrid 的聲音聽起來不太對——又細又沙啞，幾乎聽不清楚。
The factory machine ran amiss all morning, turning out lids that did not quite fit.
工廠那臺機器整個上午都運作不順，做出來的蓋子都不太合。
Mei-Lin noticed the stitching on the left cuff had been done amiss and asked for a replacement.
Mei-Lin 發現左袖口的縫線有瑕疵，要求換一件。
Something in the boat engine was running amiss, judging by the low rattling sound.
船引擎裡什麼東西似乎運作不順，聽那低沉的嘎嘎聲就知道了。
- faultily
more technical-sounding; stresses that there is a specific defect
- imperfectly
neutral; simply means not without flaws
- badly
more general and informal; covers a wide range of poor performance
用法筆記
Often used with verbs like 'work,' 'run,' or 'go' to describe faulty operation. In modern speech, 'not working properly' or 'acting up' is far more common.