develop

/dɪˈveləp/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈveləp/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈve-ləp dē-/ (ame, mw)

develop — 動詞

  • developpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • developshe / she / it
  • developedpast simple
  • developing-ing form

1. to become bigger, stronger, or more advanced over time, or to deliberately help

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

發展；成長

變得更大、更強或更先進

to become bigger, stronger, or more advanced over time, or to deliberately help something grow or improve in this way

例句

Over the summer, the tiny seedling developed into a sturdy young cherry tree.

整個夏天，那株小幼苗長成了一棵強壯的櫻桃樹。

develop + into + noun phrase

Kenji developed his Mandarin skills by practicing with native speakers every day.

Kenji 每天跟母語人士練習，中文能力進步很快。

develop + noun (skill, ability)

同義詞
  • grow

    more general, about size increase; 'develop' adds complexity and advancement

  • mature

    focuses on reaching a final, fully-developed state; more formal

  • evolve

    suggests gradual change over a long period, often with improvement; slightly more formal

  • progress

    emphasizes forward movement toward a goal; can be intransitive only

反義詞
  • shrink

    opposite of getting bigger

  • decline

    opposite of becoming more advanced; suggests going backward

  • deteriorate

    opposite of improving; becoming worse instead of better

文法句型

develop + into + noun

develop + noun (skills, ability, muscle)

develop from + noun

常見錯誤

❌She developed taller after turning fourteen.
✅She grew taller after turning fourteen.
💡'grow' is used for physical height; 'develop' describes becoming more advanced or complex.
❌The plant developed very fast in the sun.' (when the speaker means physical growth)
✅The plant grew very fast in the sun.' ✅ 'The plant developed a strong root system in the sun.
💡use 'grow' for simple physical increase; use 'develop' for a more complex change involving new parts or abilities.

2. to create a new product, system, method, or idea through deliberate effort, usua

2.動詞及物B1
釋義

開發；研發

創造新產品、系統或方法

to create a new product, system, method, or idea through deliberate effort, usually over a period of time

例句

A team of engineers in Seattle developed a battery that charges in under five minutes.

西雅圖的一組工程師開發出一種能在五分鐘內充飽的電池。

develop + (new) product

After three years of testing, the lab developed a working prototype of the device.

經過三年的測試，實驗室終於開發出該裝置的工作原型。

同義詞
  • create

    broader, can be used for art and simpler things; 'develop' implies more process and testing

  • invent

    specifically about making something entirely new for the first time

  • design

    focuses on planning the look and function; 'develop' includes building and testing

  • produce

    focuses on making in quantity; less about the creative process

反義詞
  • destroy

    opposite of bringing into existence

  • dismantle

    taking apart what was developed

文法句型

develop + noun (product, system, method)

develop + noun + for + noun

develop + noun + to-infinitive

用法筆記

The object is typically something complex or innovative — software, a drug, a system, a strategy. For simpler everyday creations, 'make' or 'create' is more natural.

常見錯誤

❌I developed a sandwich for lunch.
✅I made a sandwich for lunch.
💡'develop' suggests a complex or innovative process; use 'make' for everyday tasks.

3. to gradually begin to happen or become noticeable, especially a situation, feeli

3.動詞不及物B2
釋義

形成；產生

逐漸開始發生或變得明顯

to gradually begin to happen or become noticeable, especially a situation, feeling, or problem that was not there before

例句

A serious disagreement developed between the two departments over the budget cuts.

兩個部門之間因為預算刪減而出現了嚴重的分歧。

disagreement / problem / situation + develop

As the storm moved closer, a sense of panic developed among the coastal villagers.

隨著暴風雨逼近，沿海村民之間開始瀰漫著恐慌的氣氛。

同義詞
  • arise

    can be more sudden; 'develop' is more gradual

  • emerge

    suggests becoming visible after being hidden; similar tone

  • occur

    neutral, fact-based; less emphasis on process

  • form

    focuses on shape or structure coming together

反義詞
  • disappear

    opposite of coming into existence

  • vanish

    sudden disappearance, opposite of gradual emergence

文法句型

noun + develop

develop + between + noun

develop + among + noun

develop + from + noun

常見錯誤

❌A problem developed suddenly, like a lightning strike.
✅A problem developed gradually over several weeks.
💡'develop' in this sense suggests a gradual process, not an instant event; use 'arose' or 'occurred' for sudden emergence.

4. to begin to suffer from a disease, medical condition, or unwanted physical or me

4.動詞及物B1
釋義

罹患；出現

開始生病或出現不適症狀

to begin to suffer from a disease, medical condition, or unwanted physical or mental problem

例句

Eve developed a bad cough after walking home in the cold winter rain.

Eve 在寒冬的雨中走回家後，開始咳得很厲害。

develop + illness / symptom

The patient developed a red skin rash after taking the new medication for two days.

那位病人在服用新藥兩天後，皮膚出現紅色的疹子。

同義詞
  • contract

    more formal, mostly used for serious diseases; less common in everyday speech

  • catch

    informal, for contagious illnesses like colds and flu

  • get

    general and informal; works for most health problems

  • come down with

    informal phrasal verb, for mild illnesses

反義詞
  • recover from

    opposite process — getting better instead of becoming ill

  • shake off

    informal, getting rid of a minor illness

文法句型

develop + noun (illness, condition, symptom)

develop + into + noun (more serious condition)

用法筆記

Common with medical conditions (develop cancer, develop allergies, develop depression). For minor temporary illnesses like a cold, 'catch' or 'get' is more frequent in everyday speech.

常見錯誤

❌He developed a cold yesterday.
✅He caught a cold yesterday.
💡'develop' usually describes conditions that appear gradually over time, not instantly.

5. to put up buildings such as homes, stores, or factories across an area of ground

5.動詞及物B2
釋義

開發土地

在土地上蓋房子、商店等，改變土地使用方式

to put up buildings such as homes, stores, or factories across an area of ground, transforming how that land looks and what it is used for

例句

The city council plans to develop the old railway yard into a park with apartments.

市議會計畫將舊鐵路調車場開發成一個附有公寓的公園。

develop + (land) into + (new use)

A construction company bought the farmland and developed it into a large shopping center.

一家建築公司買下那塊農地，將其開發成大型購物中心。

同義詞
  • build on

    simpler and more concrete; focuses on the act of construction

  • construct

    more technical, about putting up physical structures

  • build up

    phrasal verb, suggests making an area more urban or dense

反義詞
  • preserve

    keeping land in its natural state, opposite of building on it

  • leave undeveloped

    direct opposite — not changing the land at all

文法句型

develop + noun (land, area, site)

develop + noun + into + noun

be developed + for + purpose

用法筆記

Frequently used in passive or past-participle form: 'a developed area' vs 'an undeveloped area'. In urban planning contexts, 'develop' often carries political or environmental weight depending on the speaker's position.

常見錯誤

❌They developed a new hospital in the city.' (when meaning 'built')
✅They built a new hospital in the city.
💡'develop' is used for land and areas, not individual buildings in everyday language.

6. to use chemical solutions to make a visible image appear on photographic film or

6.動詞及物B2
釋義

沖洗底片

用化學藥劑使底片上的影像顯現出來

to use chemical solutions to make a visible image appear on photographic film or paper that has been exposed to light

例句

Megan took a roll of film to a shop to have it developed the same day.

Megan 把一卷底片拿到小相館，請他們當天沖洗出來。

have + film + developed (causative)

Christopher learned to develop black-and-white photos in his high school darkroom.

Christopher 在高中暗房學會了如何沖洗黑白照片。

同義詞
  • process

    slightly broader; can include digital processing too

  • print

    specifically means making a paper copy from a negative

文法句型

develop + noun (film, photo, roll)

have + noun + developed

get + noun + developed

用法筆記

This sense is becoming less common as digital photography replaces film. However, it is still used for specialty film photography, art photography courses, and historical contexts.

常見錯誤

❌I need to develop the photos on my phone.
✅I need to edit the photos on my phone.
💡'develop' is only for chemical film processing, not digital image editing.

7. to explain or expand an idea, argument, theory, or creative work in detail, maki

7.動詞及物C1
釋義

闡述；詳述

深入展開或說明某個觀點或理論

to explain or expand an idea, argument, theory, or creative work in detail, making it more thorough and complete

例句

In his latest book, the author develops the idea that social media shapes human memory.

作者在他的新書中詳細論述了社群媒體如何形塑人類記憶這個觀點。

develop + the idea / argument / theme

Chidi spent several years developing his theory about how children learn second languages.

Chidi 花了數年時間發展他關於兒童如何學習第二語言的理論。

同義詞
  • elaborate on

    adds details to something already stated; phrasal verb, slightly less formal

  • expand on

    make something bigger or more complete by adding information

  • expound

    formal, suggests a thorough, systematic explanation

  • unfold

    suggests revealing something gradually; more literary

反義詞
  • simplify

    make simpler, opposite of adding detail

  • summarize

    condense, opposite of expanding

文法句型

develop + noun (idea, argument, theme, theory)

develop + noun + with + noun

develop + noun + by + gerund

常見錯誤

❌Let me develop my answer: I like pizza.
✅Let me explain my answer: I like pizza because it has all the food groups.
💡'develop' requires adding substantial detail or structure, not just repeating the point.