dispenser

/dɪˈspensə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈspensər/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈspen(t)-sər/ (ame, mw)

dispenser — 名詞

  • dispensersingular
  • dispensersplural

1. A machine or container designed to give out a specific product — such as soap, w

1.名詞B1
釋義

供給裝置；自動販賣機

透過按壓或感應取出物品的機器或容器

A machine or container designed to give out a specific product — such as soap, water, money, or snacks — usually operated by pressing a button, pulling a lever, or through automatic sensors.

例句

The soap dispenser in the restroom was empty, so Mei-Lin asked the cleaner for a refill.

洗手間的給皂機是空的，所以 Mei-Lin 請清潔人員補充。

compound: soap dispenser; passive: was empty

Yuna pushed the button on the ticket dispenser and waited for the receipt to print.

Yuna 按下售票機的按鈕，等待收據列印出來。

compound: ticket dispenser; verb collocation: push the button on

同義詞
  • vending machine

    specifically for products sold for money — a vending machine always charges a fee, while a dispenser may give items for free (e.g. paper-towel dispenser)

  • dispensing unit

    more technical or industrial; used in hospitals, factories, laboratories

  • distributor

    usually refers to a whole system or organization that supplies products, not a single machine

文法句型

dispenser + of + [product]

compound: [product] + dispenser

用法筆記

This sense is most often found in compound nouns that name the product being dispensed — e.g. soap dispenser, water dispenser, cash dispenser, towel dispenser. Each compound has its own specific Chinese equivalent (e.g. 給皂機, 飲水機, 提款機) that learners should learn separately.

常見錯誤

❌The soap dispenser is a container of soap.
✅The soap dispenser is a device that releases soap when you press it.
💡'Dispenser' emphasises the mechanism for releasing contents, not just storage.

2. A person whose job or role is to prepare and give out medicines, supplies, or se

2.名詞B2
釋義

供應者；配發員

負責配發藥品或物資的人

A person whose job or role is to prepare and give out medicines, supplies, or services to others — for example, a pharmacist handing out prescriptions or a charity worker distributing food.

例句

Dr. Okafor, the hospital dispenser, read the prescription label again before handing the pills to the patient.

醫院的配藥師 Okafor 醫生再次核對處方籤，然後才把藥遞給病人。

role: the hospital dispenser; preposition: to the patient

Dr. Okonkwo, the hospital's chief dispenser, verified each prescription before handing the medicine to the patient.

醫院的藥品調配長 Okonkwo 醫生核對了每張處方籤，然後才把藥遞給病人。

role: chief dispenser; pattern: verified [prescription] before + gerund

同義詞
  • distributor

    broader — can refer to a company or organization, not just an individual

  • provider

    more general; does not carry the same sense of giving out in measured amounts

  • pharmacist

    a qualified professional who prepares and sells medicines; more specific and licensed than a dispenser

文法句型

dispenser + of + [goods/services]

用法筆記

In medical contexts, a dispenser is distinct from a pharmacist: a dispenser may only hand out pre-prepared medicines under supervision, while a pharmacist holds a licence to assess and prescribe in some countries. Distinguish from sense 1 by noting that this sense refers to a human being, not a machine.

常見錯誤

❌The dispenser gave me my medicine.' (ambiguous — could be machine or person).
✅The pharmacy dispenser gave me my medicine.
💡Add context (pharmacy, hospital, charity) to make clear you mean a person.