fountain
/ˈfaʊntən/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfaʊntn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfau̇n-tᵊn/ (ame, mw)
fountain — 名詞
1. A structure built in a public area, garden, or pool that pushes water upward thr
噴泉；噴水池
公園或廣場中噴水的裝飾性結構
A structure built in a public area, garden, or pool that pushes water upward through pipes, creating a spray or stream that people find pleasant to look at.
The children threw coins into the fountain and made wishes.
孩子們把硬幣扔進噴泉裡許願。
Hassan sat by a marble fountain and watched the water sparkle in the sun.
Hassan 坐在大理石噴泉旁，看著陽光下閃閃發光的水花。
common collocations: marble fountain / town square fountain
A drinking fountain shoots water upward so you can drink without using a cup.
飲水機將水向上噴出，讓你不需杯子就能喝水。
Workers turned off the park fountain for winter to stop the pipes from freezing.
工人們關閉了公園的噴泉以度過冬天，防止水管結凍。
The stone fountain in the university courtyard had three brass dolphins spouting water.
大學庭院裡的石造噴泉有三隻銅海豚正在噴水。
- water feature
a broader term that includes fountains, ponds, and waterfalls in gardens
- spout
focuses on the pipe or opening the water comes out of, not the whole structure
用法筆記
Often used in compounds: 'drinking fountain' (a public tap for drinking water) and 'water fountain' (a decorative or drinking fixture). The decorative type is commonly found in parks, plazas, and gardens.
常見錯誤
2. A person, thing, or place that provides a large and steady amount of something v
泉源；來源
提供大量知識、靈感等事物的人或事物
A person, thing, or place that provides a large and steady amount of something valuable, such as knowledge, ideas, inspiration, or comfort.
Grandma Rosa was a fountain of stories about growing up in the countryside.
Rosa 奶奶是說不完的鄉下成長故事的泉源。
pattern: a fountain of [abstract noun]
Museums are fountains of inspiration for artists who visit them regularly.
博物館是藝術家靈感的泉源，經常前往參觀的藝術家都能從中獲得啟發。
The library's old letters proved to be a fountain of information for the historian.
圖書館的舊信件對歷史學家來說是資訊的寶庫。
Liam found his grandfather's workshop to be a fountain of creative ideas for building furniture.
Liam 發現祖父的工作室是家具製作的靈感泉源。
The Internet can be a fountain of knowledge, but it also spreads false information.
網際網路可以是知識的寶庫，但也散布著錯誤資訊。
- wellspring
more literary and dramatic; suggests a deep, inexhaustible supply
- fount
formal or literary; often used interchangeably with 'fountain' in this abstract sense
- source
the most neutral and common word; less vivid than 'fountain'
文法句型
a fountain of + [abstract noun]
用法筆記
Almost always followed by 'of' and an abstract noun (knowledge, ideas, wisdom, inspiration, stories). The concrete sense (fountain/1) and this abstract sense are visually and logically connected: a fountain sends out a continuous stream — so does a 'fountain of knowledge.'
常見錯誤
3. A place where water rises to the surface of the earth naturally, without any pum
泉水源；泉
地下水自然湧出地面的地方
A place where water rises to the surface of the earth naturally, without any pump or machinery.
Apinya filled her bottle at the natural fountain that bubbled up from between the rocks.
Apinya 在岩石間冒出的天然泉水邊裝滿了她的水壺。
collocation: natural fountain
The ancient town was built around a hot fountain that supplied warm water all year.
這座古城是圍繞著一眼全年供應暖水的溫泉而建的。
Hikers drank from a small fountain of cold water that flowed out of the cliff.
登山者從懸崖邊流出的一小處冰涼泉水裡喝水。
Local farmers rely on the mountain fountain for water during the dry season.
當地的農夫在乾季依靠山上泉水來取得用水。
- spring
the standard modern word for natural groundwater rising to the surface
- wellspring
literary; a spring that is the source of a stream
用法筆記
This sense is older — historically 'fountain' referred to any natural spring before it was used for decorative structures. In modern English, it is less common than senses 1 or 2, and 'spring' is the more usual word for a natural water source. 'Natural fountain' is sometimes used to clarify that a spring (not a man-made structure) is meant.
常見錯誤
fountain — 動詞
1. (Of a liquid, gas, or light) to shoot upward or outward in a forceful, continuou
噴出；湧出
液體或氣體猛烈噴射而出
(Of a liquid, gas, or light) to shoot upward or outward in a forceful, continuous stream, like water from a fountain.
Water fountained up from the broken pipe on the street corner.
水從街角破裂的水管中噴湧而出。
intransitive pattern: water + fountains + up/out
Champagne fountained out of the bottle when Eitan popped the cork too quickly.
Eitan 開香檳時瓶塞彈得太快，香檳從瓶口噴湧出來。
Bright light fountained through the gaps in the old wooden shutters.
明亮的光線從舊木百葉窗的縫隙中傾瀉而出。
Hot steam fountained from the crack in the pavement near the broken pipe.
破裂水管附近的人行道裂縫中噴出滾燙的蒸氣。
文法句型
[liquid/gas/light] + fountains + [adverb/preposition]
用法筆記
This verb is quite literary or formal. In everyday speech, 'gush', 'spurt', or 'shoot' are more common. The past tense is 'fountained' (regular). Often used with 'up', 'out', 'from', or 'out of' to show direction.
常見錯誤
2. To cause a liquid, gas, or substance to shoot or pour outward or upward in a str
使噴出
使液體或氣體猛烈噴射而出
To cause a liquid, gas, or substance to shoot or pour outward or upward in a strong, steady stream.
The whale fountained a stream of seawater high into the air above the ocean.
鯨魚從頭頂的噴氣孔向空中噴出一股海水。
transitive pattern: whale fountains [object]
The damaged fire hydrant fountained water across the street.
受損的消防栓把水噴得到處都是。
A crack in the dam fountained muddy water for hours before workers repaired it.
水壩的裂縫在工人修好之前連續數小時噴出混濁的泥水。
The fireworks fountained sparks in every direction across the night sky.
煙火在夜空中向四面八方噴出火花。
文法句型
[subject] + fountains + [liquid/gas/substance]
用法筆記
This transitive use is even rarer than verb/1. It is mostly found in descriptive or literary writing. In the example 'the fireworks fountained sparks,' the verb captures both the upward motion and the spreading pattern typical of a fountain.