deposition

/ˌdepəˈzɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌdepəˈzɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌde-pə-ˈzi-shən ˌdē-pə-/ (ame, mw)

deposition — 名詞

1. a document that records the answers a person gives under oath when lawyers quest

1.名詞C1
釋義

證詞筆錄

庭外宣誓後所作的書面證詞

a document that records the answers a person gives under oath when lawyers question them about a legal case, prepared outside of court and later offered as proof at a trial.

例句

The lawyer took Ishaan's deposition in a quiet room near the courthouse.

律師在法院附近一間安靜的房間裡對伊尚進行了證詞筆錄。

take someone's deposition

During the deposition, Elena was asked about the emails she had received from the company.

在證詞筆錄過程中，艾蓮娜被問到關於她收到公司電子郵件的相關問題。

同義詞
  • testimony

    broader term for any evidence given under oath, whether in or out of court

  • affidavit

    a written statement made under oath but usually not involving live questioning by a lawyer

  • statement

    general term; a statement may or may not be sworn under oath

文法句型

make / give a deposition

deposition + about + noun

take a deposition (from someone)

用法筆記

Frequently used with the verbs 'take', 'give', and 'make'. A deposition is taken outside of court by one side's lawyer, but the witness answers under oath just as they would in a courtroom. The written document produced is also called a deposition.

常見錯誤

❌The lawyer made a deposition from the witness.
✅The lawyer took a deposition from the witness.
💡the standard verb for the lawyer's action is 'take', not 'make'.
❌The deposition was said in court.
✅The deposition was read in court.' or 'The deposition was presented in court.
💡depositions are written documents, not speeches.

2. the natural process in which loose materials such as sand, soil, or minerals set

2.名詞C1
釋義

沉積作用

泥沙礦物自然堆積成層的過程

the natural process in which loose materials such as sand, soil, or minerals settle out of water or wind and slowly build up in layers, or the layer of material that forms in this way.

例句

Over millions of years, the deposition of sediment created thick layers of sandstone.

經過數百萬年，沉積物的堆積形成了厚厚的砂岩層。

deposition of + sediment/soil

The geologist studied the river delta to understand how sediment deposition shapes the coastline.

地質學家研究河流三角洲，以了解沉積作用如何塑造海岸線。

同義詞
  • sedimentation

    nearly identical; more technical, used specifically for particles settling in liquid

  • accumulation

    broader term; does not imply a natural, layer-forming process

  • settling

    simple term for particles falling to the bottom of a liquid

反義詞
  • erosion

    the process of wearing away material rather than building it up

文法句型

deposition of + noun (sediment/soil/minerals)

sediment / soil / mineral deposition

用法筆記

Common in geology and earth science contexts. Often paired with 'erosion' as the opposing process: erosion wears material away, deposition builds it up. When the focus is on the resulting layer, the word can be countable (e.g., 'a thin deposition of clay').

常見錯誤

❌The deposition of the river caused flooding.
✅The deposition of sediment in the river caused flooding.
💡the river itself is not deposited; the sediment carried by the river is.
❌Deposition is when rocks break down.
✅Deposition is when materials settle and build up.
💡breaking down is 'erosion' or 'weathering', not deposition.

3. the act of a substance, object, or material being put or left in a particular pl

3.名詞C1
釋義

沉澱；堆積

物質慢慢留在某處的過程或殘留物

the act of a substance, object, or material being put or left in a particular place — for example, wax building up inside a pipe, or dust settling on a surface — or the substance that is left behind in this way.

例句

The deposition of wax inside the old pipes caused the water to flow more slowly.

舊水管內壁的蠟質沉澱導致水流變得緩慢。

deposition of + common substance

Each rainstorm added to the deposition of mud along the driveway near the garage.

每次暴雨都讓車庫旁車道上的淤泥越積越多。

同義詞
  • build-up

    informal; describes the same gradual accumulation process

  • accumulation

    neutral and broad; less technical than 'deposition'

  • deposit

    the everyday noun; 'deposition' is more formal or scientific

反義詞
  • removal

    taking away what has built up

  • clearance

    the act of clearing a surface or space of unwanted material

文法句型

deposition of + noun (dust/wax/calcium)

the deposition + on + surface

用法筆記

Broader than the geology sense (sense 2). This sense covers any situation where matter gradually builds up — in household appliances, on surfaces, or in industrial equipment. Unlike sense 2, it does not specifically imply a natural landscape process.

常見錯誤

❌The deposition of money in the bank.
✅The deposit of money in the bank.
💡use 'deposit' (noun) for money; 'deposition' is for physical substances or legal statements.
❌There was a thick deposition of snow.
✅There was a thick deposit of snow.
💡'deposit' is more natural for snow; 'deposition' sounds technical.

4. the act of forcing a ruler, leader, or other important person to leave their pos

4.名詞C1
釋義

廢黜；罷免

強制領導人下台的過程

the act of forcing a ruler, leader, or other important person to leave their position of power, usually through political or legal action rather than through a normal election or retirement.

例句

The general's deposition was followed by months of political uncertainty in the capital.

將軍被廢黜後，首都經歷了數月的政治局勢不穩定。

someone's deposition

After the king's deposition, a council of elders took charge of running the country.

國王被廢黜之後，一個長者會議接管了國家的治理。

deposition of + a leader

同義詞
  • ouster

    informal American English; common in news headlines

  • overthrow

    stronger; suggests violent or rebellious action

  • removal

    neutral and general; less formal than 'deposition'

  • dethronement

    specifically for a monarch; literary tone

反義詞
  • coronation

    the formal ceremony of placing a monarch in power

  • inauguration

    the formal start of a political leader's term of office

文法句型

the deposition of + noun (king/president/dictator)

someone's deposition

用法筆記

Formal register, typical of political news and historical writing. The related verb is 'depose' (e.g., 'the army deposed the president'). Distinguish from sense 1 (legal statement), where the verb is 'depose' used differently — in law, 'to depose' means to give sworn testimony.

常見錯誤

❌The deposition of the senator was caused by a scandal.
✅The senator was removed from office because of a scandal.
💡'deposition' implies being forced out of a high position by political or military action, not simply resigning or being fired.
❌The CEO's deposition surprised everyone.
✅The CEO's removal surprised everyone.
💡'deposition' is for political leaders or monarchs, not for business executives.