lengthen

IPA/ˈleŋkθən/
KK[lˈɛŋθən]IPA/ˈleŋkθən/

lengthen — 動詞

  • lengthenpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • lengthenshe / she / it
  • lengthenedpast simple
  • lengthening-ing form

1. to increase the physical length of something, such as a piece of clothing, a roa

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

加長

增加物體長度

to increase the physical length of something, such as a piece of clothing, a road, hair, or a shadow, or to become physically longer

例句

The tailor lengthened Tuan's trousers by two inches before the wedding.

婚禮前，裁縫把 Tuan 的褲子加長了兩英吋。

transitive: lengthen + clothing + by + measurement

During spring, the days gradually lengthen as the weather grows warmer.

春天來臨時，白天會逐漸加長，天氣也變得越來越暖和。

intransitive: days lengthen (seasonal change)

常見搭配
  • lengthen a skirt / dress / trousers
  • lengthen hair
  • lengthen a road / runway / railway line
  • lengthen a queue
  • days lengthen
  • shadows lengthen
同義詞
  • extend

    more general; works for both physical length and time (extend a deadline)

  • elongate

    more technical or scientific; used for shapes, lines, or biological structures

  • stretch

    implies pulling or expanding something flexible; often temporary

反義詞
  • shorten

    the direct opposite; used for the same types of objects (clothes, roads, hair)

  • reduce

    broader; can apply to length but also to amount, size, or degree

文法句型

lengthen + noun phrase (physical object)

noun phrase + lengthen (intransitive — seasonal/natural change)

be lengthened + by + measurement

用法筆記

Frequently used in the passive when describing professional alterations (The sleeves were lengthened). The intransitive form is common with natural phenomena — days, shadows, queues — that grow longer over time.

常見錯誤

I lengthened my summer vacation by two weeks.
I extended my summer vacation by two weeks.
Use extend (not lengthen) for adding time to a planned break; lengthen is for physical length.

2. to increase the amount of time that something takes, such as a meeting, a wait,

2.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

延長

增加所需時間

to increase the amount of time that something takes, such as a meeting, a wait, or a hospital stay, or to take more time than before

例句

Gabriel's speech lengthened the staff meeting by almost forty minutes.

Gabriel 的發言把員工會議延長了將近四十分鐘。

transitive: lengthen + meeting + by + time period

The waiting time at the clinic lengthened as more patients arrived.

隨著更多病人抵達，診所的等候時間也跟著延長了。

intransitive: waiting time lengthens

常見搭配
  • lengthen a meeting / discussion
  • lengthen a stay / visit
  • lengthen waiting time
  • lengthen a process / procedure
  • time / duration lengthens
同義詞
  • extend

    neutral and common for temporal duration; slightly more natural in many contexts

  • prolong

    slightly more formal; sometimes suggests unnecessary or excessive delay

  • drag out

    informal; negative connotation of making something last too long

反義詞
  • shorten

    direct opposite for events, meetings, and durations

  • cut

    informal; suggests reducing time deliberately (cut the meeting short)

文法句型

lengthen + noun phrase (event or activity period)

noun phrase + lengthen (intransitive — time-related)

be lengthened + by + time expression

用法筆記

The subject is typically an event, activity, or period of time (the meeting, the wait, the process). A person can be the agent in transitive use (The manager lengthened the discussion), but this is less common than using extend for temporal duration.

常見錯誤

The tailor lengthened the time to finish the dress.
The tailor needed more time to finish the dress.
Lengthen is not used with a person as agent of time; use take more time or extend.

同根字

常見搭配

名詞搭配

副詞搭配

常用片語

  • lengthen out

介系詞搭配

  • by (lengthen by two inches / by an hour)
  • to (lengthen to three metres)