guarantee
/ˌɡær.ənˈtiː/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɡer.ənˈtiː/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌger-ən-ˈtē ˌgär-, ˌga-rən- also ˈger-ən-ˌtē or ˈgär-ən- ˈga-rən-/ (ame, mw) · /ˌɡærənˈtiː/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɡærənˈtiː/ (ame, ipa)
guarantee — 名詞
- guaranteesingular
- guaranteesplural
1. A written or spoken promise from a company, stating that it will repair or repla
保固；保證書
公司對產品在一定期限內的維修承諾
A written or spoken promise from a company, stating that it will repair or replace a product at no cost if faults appear within a set period of time.
The laptop comes with a two-year guarantee against manufacturing defects.
這款筆電享有兩年的製造缺陷保固。
collocation: guarantee against [defects]
Always check the guarantee before you throw away the store receipt.
在丟掉商店收據之前，一定要先檢查保固條款。
Vikram filed a claim under the guarantee when his blender stopped working.
Vikram 的果汁機壞掉後，依照保固條款申請了理賠。
A full guarantee covers both parts and labor for the first year.
完整的保固在第一年涵蓋零件和人工費用。
The guarantee does not cover damage caused by accident or misuse.
這份保固不涵蓋因意外或使用不當所造成的損壞。
用法筆記
In British English, a 'guarantee' is often a written document; in American English, 'warranty' is more common for the document, while 'guarantee' is the broader promise.
常見錯誤
2. A legal arrangement where a person signs a document making themselves answerable
擔保
為他人債務負責的正式協議
A legal arrangement where a person signs a document making themselves answerable for another party's debt if that party does not repay what they borrowed.
The bank asked Linh's father to sign as a guarantee for the student loan.
銀行要求 Linh 的父親簽署文件，作為就學貸款的擔保人。
collocation: sign as a guarantee for
A personal guarantee means you are personally liable if the business cannot repay the debt.
個人擔保意味著如果企業無法償還債務，你個人必須負責。
The investor provided a written guarantee to cover any losses the startup might incur.
該投資者提供了書面擔保，承擔新創公司可能產生的任何虧損。
Without a guarantee from a cosigner, the bank would not approve the mortgage application.
如果沒有共同簽署人的擔保，銀行不會核准這筆房貸申請。
- surety
A more formal legal term for a person or document that guarantees a debt; used in courtroom and insurance contexts.
- bond
A financial instrument that serves as a guarantee; often refers to money paid upfront rather than a personal promise.
- endorsement
A signature or statement that backs a financial document, but implies less responsibility than a full guarantee.
用法筆記
This sense is distinct from sense 1: here the guarantee is about a person's financial liability, not about a product. The person who gives this type of guarantee is called a 'guarantor'.
常見錯誤
3. An item of worth — cash, a possession, or property — handed over to somebody on
抵押品
暫時交給對方作為保證的財物
An item of worth — cash, a possession, or property — handed over to somebody on a short-term basis as proof that a commitment will be kept, and forfeited if the commitment is broken.
The hotel kept a cash guarantee against any damage to the room during our stay.
旅館向我們收取了一筆現金保證金，以擔保住宿期間不會損壞房間。
collocation: cash guarantee against [damage]
Daichi left his watch as a guarantee that he would return the borrowed tools.
Daichi 把手錶留下來，作為他會歸還所借工具的保證。
pattern: leave [item] as a guarantee that [promise]
Landlords often ask for a cash deposit as a guarantee for the monthly rent.
房東通常會要求一筆現金押金，作為每月房租的擔保。
The court accepted the family's property as a guarantee for the bail payment.
法院接受了該家庭的房產作為交保的抵押品。
- deposit
A sum of money given as a guarantee, especially for renting property; does not require a formal contract.
- collateral
Property or assets pledged to secure a loan; a more formal financial term than 'guarantee'.
- pledge
A personal item given as a sign of good faith; more common in informal or historical contexts.
用法筆記
This sense overlaps with 'deposit' but carries a stronger implication of forfeiture: if you fail, the other party keeps the item. In modern English, 'deposit' is more common for rental agreements.
guarantee — 動詞
- guaranteepresent simple I / you / we / they
- guaranteeshe / she / it
- guaranteedpast simple
- guaranteeing-ing form
1. When a company guarantees a product, it promises in writing to repair or replace
保固
公司承諾在一定期限內免費維修產品
When a company guarantees a product, it promises in writing to repair or replace the product at no cost if it develops faults within a set period of time.
This refrigerator is guaranteed for five years against any manufacturing faults.
這台冰箱享有五年的製造瑕疵保固。
passive: is guaranteed for [period] against [faults]
The company guarantees all its electronic products for a minimum of one year.
該公司對所有電子產品提供至少一年的保固服務。
If the toy breaks within the first year, the store guarantees a free replacement.
如果玩具在第一年內故障，店家保證免費更換。
Aisha's phone was guaranteed against water damage under the extended plan.
Aisha 的手機在延長保固方案下享有防水損壞的保障。
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive voice ('is guaranteed'). The guarantee period is often introduced by 'for' and the problem by 'against': 'guaranteed for two years against rust.'
常見錯誤
2. To state with strong confidence, backed by a willingness to accept consequences,
保證
明確承諾某事將會發生或屬實
To state with strong confidence, backed by a willingness to accept consequences, that a particular event will come about or that a claim is correct.
The developer guaranteed that the new software would be ready by June.
開發者保證新軟體將在六月前準備就緒。
guarantee + that-clause
Bilal guaranteed his manager that he would finish the report by Friday afternoon.
Bilal 向他的經理保證會在星期五下午前完成報告。
The hotel guarantees guests a full refund if they cancel within twenty-four hours.
這家旅館保證，如果客人在二十四小時內取消訂房，可獲得全額退款。
I cannot guarantee that the morning train will arrive exactly on time.
我無法保證早上的火車會準時到站。
The employment contract guarantees workers at least two weeks of paid vacation.
勞動契約保證員工每年至少有兩週的帶薪假期。
- doubt
To be uncertain about whether something will happen, the opposite of confidently promising it.
用法筆記
This sense is less formal than sense 3 (backing a debt) and broader in application. Unlike 'promise', 'guarantee' carries a stronger implication that the speaker is confident enough to take responsibility if the promise fails.
常見錯誤
3. To commit oneself legally, typically through a signed document, to settling anot
作保
正式承諾為他人的債務負責償還
To commit oneself legally, typically through a signed document, to settling another individual's outstanding debt in the event that the debtor defaults.
Omar agreed to guarantee his cousin's student loan at the local bank.
Omar 同意在當地的銀行為他表哥的就學貸款作擔保。
guarantee + [person's] + [loan/debt]
The parent company guaranteed the debts of its struggling overseas subsidiary.
母公司為其陷入困境的海外子公司的債務提供了擔保。
To start the business, the founder had to personally guarantee the bank loan.
為了創業，創辦人必須以個人名義為銀行貸款作擔保。
No one was willing to guarantee the debt, so the loan application was rejected.
沒有人願意為這筆債務擔保，因此銀行的貸款申請被拒絕了。
- underwrite
To accept financial risk for a loan or insurance policy; a more technical term used by financial institutions.
- cosign
To sign a loan document alongside the primary borrower, taking equal responsibility; common in everyday personal finance.
- vouch for
To speak in support of someone's reliability, but without formal legal or financial obligation.
用法筆記
Distinguish from verb sense 1: here the object is a debt or loan, not a product. The person guaranteeing is called the 'guarantor'. This sense is almost always used in formal banking or legal contexts.
常見錯誤
4. To create the conditions that make a particular result unavoidable, so that ther
確保
使某事必然發生
To create the conditions that make a particular result unavoidable, so that there is no doubt the result will happen.
Regular maintenance guarantees that your car will run smoothly for many years.
定期保養能確保你的汽車順利行駛多年。
guarantee + that-clause for cause-effect
A university degree alone does not guarantee a well-paying job.
光靠大學學歷並不能確保一份薪資優渥的工作。
Early booking guarantees you the best available seats at the theater.
提前訂票可以確保你在劇院坐到最好的位置。
The new safety measures guarantee that workplace accidents will be greatly reduced.
新的安全措施確保職場事故將大幅減少。
Vikram's consistent hard work and talent guaranteed his promotion to team leader.
Vikram 一貫的努力與才華確保他晉升為團隊主管。
- ensure
To make sure something happens, but without the same strength of contractual or moral obligation; more common in everyday usage.
- assure
To tell someone something is certain in order to remove their doubt; the focus is on the person's feelings, not on creating conditions.
- secure
To obtain or achieve a result, often through effort or planning, rather than making it certain by itself.
- risk
To put something in a situation where failure is possible, the opposite of making the result certain.
用法筆記
Distinguish from verb sense 5: here the subject is a cause (action, condition, or factor) that actively produces a result. In sense 5, the subject is the thing whose outcome is certain.
常見錯誤
5. To be so likely or predictable that the result is treated as completely certain,
必定
結果確定無疑
To be so likely or predictable that the result is treated as completely certain, with no real doubt remaining.
A movie with that award-winning cast is guaranteed to be a box office hit.
一部由獲獎卡司主演的電影必定會成為票房熱片。
passive pattern: is guaranteed to [verb]
If you water the plants regularly, strong growth is guaranteed.
如果你定期澆水，植物必定會長得很好。
Inês knew that winning the competition was not guaranteed despite all her preparation.
Inês 知道儘管做了萬全準備，贏得比賽並非必定的事。
Following this simple recipe is guaranteed to produce a perfect chocolate cake.
按照這個簡單的食譜做，必定能做出完美的巧克力蛋糕。
Mira's funny stories are guaranteed to make everyone at the dinner table laugh.
Mira 的有趣故事總是能逗得餐桌上的每個人哈哈大笑。
- be certain to
Less formal and less emphatic; simply states that something is sure to happen without promising it.
- be bound to
Informal and idiomatic; suggests inevitability based on past experience or logic.
- be sure to
Similar to 'be certain to'; common in everyday speech and instructions.
- be unlikely to
To have little chance of happening, the opposite of being certain.
用法筆記
Unlike verb sense 4, this sense does not describe a cause-effect relationship. Instead, it describes the certainty of the outcome itself. The construction 'be guaranteed to do something' is very common: 'This plan is guaranteed to fail.'