baton
/ˈbætɒn/ (bre, ipa) · /bəˈtɑːn/ (ame, ipa) · /bə-ˈtän ba- also ˈba-tᵊn/ (ame, mw) · /ˈbæt.ɒn/ (bre, ipa)
baton — 名詞
1. a slim, light wooden stick that the person leading an orchestra, band, or choir
指揮棒
樂團指揮用來打拍子的細長木棒
a slim, light wooden stick that the person leading an orchestra, band, or choir holds in one hand and waves through the air to set the speed and feeling of the music being played.
Maestro Abreu raised his baton, and the violins began the slow opening melody.
Abreu 大師舉起指揮棒，小提琴開始演奏緩慢的開場旋律。
subject is a conductor; verb 'raise' typical with baton
The young conductor held her baton lightly between her thumb and first finger.
那位年輕的女指揮輕輕用大拇指和食指夾著指揮棒。
collocation: hold + baton
With a quick flick of his baton, Mr. Park signalled the choir to stop singing.
Park 老師輕輕一甩指揮棒，示意合唱團停止唱歌。
Her baton tapped lightly on the music stand to call the players back to attention.
她的指揮棒在譜架上輕敲幾下，把團員的注意力叫回來。
Maestro Nakamura raised her baton, waited for silence, and gave the downbeat for the violins.
Nakamura 大師舉起指揮棒，等到全場安靜後，向小提琴手下了第一拍。
- stick
general word; 'baton' is the specific term for orchestral conducting
用法筆記
Subject is usually a conductor or musical leader; common verbs are 'raise', 'lower', 'wave', and 'tap with'. Distinguish from sense 2: this baton stays in one person's hand throughout the performance.
常見錯誤
2. a short tube or stick used in a running race for teams, where each member of the
接力棒
接力賽中跑者交給下一棒的短棒
a short tube or stick used in a running race for teams, where each member of the team carries it for one section of the course and then hands it to the next teammate.
Theo dropped the baton just before reaching her teammate, and Japan lost the lead.
Theo 在快要碰到隊友前掉了接力棒，日本隊因此失去領先。
verb 'drop' is the classic relay-race collocation
The American team practised passing the baton smoothly for hours every morning.
美國隊每天早上都花好幾個小時練習順利交出接力棒。
collocation: pass the baton
Olu reached back without looking and grabbed the baton from his teammate.
Olu 沒有回頭看，就向後伸手接過隊友手上的接力棒。
The shiny silver baton flew out of her hand and rolled across the track.
那支亮銀色的接力棒從她手中飛出，滾到跑道另一邊去。
Each runner sprinted one hundred metres before handing the baton to the next girl.
每位選手跑完一百公尺後，把接力棒交給下一位女生。
用法筆記
Most often used with the verbs 'pass', 'hand', 'drop', and 'grab'. The phrase 'pass the baton' is also a common idiom (see idioms section) meaning to transfer responsibility to another person.
常見錯誤
3. a long, hollow metal rod, often with weighted ends, that a marching-band leader
花式指揮棒
遊行隊伍的指揮或女領隊旋轉拋接的金屬長棒
a long, hollow metal rod, often with weighted ends, that a marching-band leader or majorette spins quickly between her fingers and tosses high into the air during a parade or show.
The majorette spun her baton above her head as the marching band turned the corner.
在樂隊轉彎時，那位女領隊在頭頂上方旋轉著她的指揮杖。
collocation: spin / twirl + baton
Priya tossed her baton ten feet in the air and caught it without missing a step.
Priya 把花式棒拋到三公尺高，落下時剛好接住，腳步完全沒有亂掉。
phrase: toss + baton in the air
The drum major's baton flashed in the sunlight as the parade crossed Main Street.
遊行隊伍經過 Main Street 時，鼓號隊隊長的指揮杖在陽光下閃閃發亮。
Sofia practised twirling the baton behind her back until her wrists ached.
Sofia 練習在背後旋轉花式棒，練到手腕都痠了。
Tiny silver bulbs at each end of the baton made it easier to spot the spin.
棒子兩端裝著小小的銀色球頭，讓觀眾更容易看清楚旋轉的動作。
用法筆記
Object of 'twirl', 'spin', 'toss', or 'flourish'. Usually appears with parade, marching-band, or majorette contexts; out of those settings, sense 2 (relay) or sense 1 (conductor) is more likely.
4. a heavy wooden or rubber stick that a police officer carries on a belt and uses
警棍
警察隨身攜帶的硬棒，用來自衛或鎮壓
a heavy wooden or rubber stick that a police officer carries on a belt and uses to defend themselves or to hit and control people during a fight or protest.
The officer pulled his baton from his belt and shouted at the crowd to step back.
那名警員從腰帶抽出警棍，對群眾大喊要他們退後。
collocation: pull / draw + baton
Riot police charged forward with shields raised and batons in their hands.
鎮暴警察舉起盾牌、手持警棍向前推進。
common in protest / riot reporting
Sergeant Davis swung his baton against the locked metal door to break it open.
Davis 警官用警棍猛敲那扇上鎖的鐵門，把它打開。
Witnesses said the protester was struck on the shoulder with a heavy black baton.
目擊者表示，那名抗議者的肩膀被一根又黑又重的警棍打到。
The new recruits trained with rubber batons before being given real ones.
新進警員先用橡膠警棍訓練，之後才會配發真正的警棍。
- truncheon
British equivalent, slightly more formal
- nightstick
American, mainly for police
- club
general word for any heavy short stick used as a weapon
用法筆記
Often appears in news reports about protests, riots, or arrests. American English also uses 'nightstick' or 'club'; British English may use 'truncheon'. In modern policing, 'extendable baton' refers to a metal version that opens with a flick.
常見錯誤
5. a short, decorated rod that an officer or official holds during ceremonies as a
權杖
象徵官階或權力的禮儀短杖
a short, decorated rod that an officer or official holds during ceremonies as a public sign of the rank or authority that has been given to them.
Field Marshal Chen received a gold baton from the queen at the palace ceremony.
Chen 元帥在皇宮的典禮上從女王手中接下了一根金色權杖。
ceremonial / military register
The general carried an ivory baton tipped with silver as a sign of his new rank.
那位將軍手持一根頂端鑲銀的象牙權杖，作為新軍階的象徵。
On the wall hung the old governor's baton, dusty but still beautifully carved.
牆上掛著前任總督的權杖，雖然有點積灰，但雕工依然精美。
The mayor raised her ceremonial baton to begin the opening parade of the city festival.
市長舉起儀式用的權杖，宣布城市節慶的開幕遊行正式開始。
用法筆記
Almost always paired with a modifier such as 'ceremonial', 'gold', 'ivory', or with a rank like 'field marshal's'. Distinct from sense 4 (which is a working weapon) — this baton is purely symbolic and is rarely, if ever, used to strike anyone.
baton — 動詞
1. (of police) to strike a person or object hard with a wooden or rubber stick that
用警棍打
警察用警棍敲打人或物
(of police) to strike a person or object hard with a wooden or rubber stick that officers carry as part of their equipment.
Riot officers batoned several protesters who refused to leave the city square.
鎮暴警察用警棍打了好幾名拒絕離開廣場的抗議者。
transitive: baton + [people]
The reporter said she had been batoned across the back while filming the rally.
那位記者表示，她在拍攝集會時被警棍打到背部。
passive: be batoned
Officers batoned the locked gate again and again until the bolt finally snapped.
警員一次又一次用警棍敲那扇上鎖的大門，門栓最後終於斷掉。
Two students claimed that police had batoned them on the legs during the march.
兩名學生說，遊行時警察用警棍打他們的腿。
文法句型
baton + somebody/something
用法筆記
Almost always has police or security forces as the subject. Frequently appears in the passive in news writing ('was batoned', 'were batoned'). Less common than the phrase 'hit with a baton', which sounds more natural in everyday speech.