frontbench

IPA/ˌfrʌnt ˈbentʃ/
IPA/ˌfrʌnt ˈbentʃ/

frontbench — 名詞

  • frontbenchsingular
  • frontbenchesplural

1. In Britain's House of Commons, the two benches at the very front of the debating

1.名詞B2
釋義

前排座位

英國國會前排議員席

In Britain's House of Commons, the two benches at the very front of the debating chamber. Top ministers of the ruling party occupy one bench, and senior politicians from the largest opposition party occupy the other. People who sit here direct their party's positions during parliamentary debates.

例句

The Prime Minister stood up from the frontbench to begin his speech.

首相從前排座位上站起來，準備開始他的演說。

the frontbench as physical location in Parliament

An empty seat on the opposition frontbench showed that the shadow minister was running late.

反對黨前排座位空了一席，表示影子部長遲到了。

opposition frontbench — the non-government side

同義詞
  • front bench

    two-word spelling; slightly less formal but equally common in newspapers

反義詞
  • backbench

    the seats at the back of the chamber for MPs who do not hold leadership roles

  • backbenches

    plural form referring to the backbench area or the backbench MPs collectively

文法句型

the + frontbench

on the + frontbench

frontbench + noun

用法筆記

Frontbench (one word) is the standard spelling in UK political contexts. Two-word front bench is also used but less common in official writing. Only the most senior party members occupy these seats.

常見錯誤

❌He was elected to the frontbench as a new MP.
✅He was elected to the frontbench after ten years as a backbencher.
💡New MPs rarely join the frontbench immediately; they typically serve first as backbenchers.

2. the group of senior politicians from the main parties who sit on the front row s

2.名詞B2
釋義

前座議員

主要政黨領導層議員團隊

the group of senior politicians from the main parties who sit on the front row seats in parliament. They include government ministers and their opposition counterparts (shadow ministers). The word refers to these people as a team rather than to the physical seats.

例句

The frontbench met early to agree on a shared message before the debate began.

前座議員團隊提早開會，以擬定辯論前的共同立場。

frontbench as a collective group of people

Christopher was appointed to the opposition frontbench as the new spokesperson for health policy.

Christopher 被任命為反對黨前座議員，負責衛生政策發言。

appointed to the frontbench — given a senior role

同義詞
  • front bench team

    a more explicit way to say 'the group of senior MPs'; used in less formal contexts

  • shadow cabinet

    the specific opposition frontbench members who shadow government ministers; narrower in scope

反義詞
  • backbenchers

    MPs who do not hold a leadership or ministerial role and sit on the back benches

  • backbench MPs

    rank-and-file members of parliament without frontbench duties

文法句型

the + frontbench + verb (singular/plural)

frontbench + noun

用法筆記

The frontbench can take a singular or plural verb in British English. Singular (the frontbench is...) treats it as a single team; plural (the frontbench are...) emphasises the individual members. Both are acceptable.

常見錯誤

❌The frontbench are the seats at the front of the room.
✅The frontbench are the senior MPs who lead their parties in debates.
💡This sense refers to the people, not the physical seats. Use sense 1 for the benches themselves.