linchpin
/ˈlɪntʃpɪn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈlɪntʃpɪn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈlinch-ˌpin/ (ame, mw)
linchpin — 名詞
1. the person or thing a team, plan, or system depends on most; without it, the res
核心支柱
使整體運作的核心人物或部分
the person or thing a team, plan, or system depends on most; without it, the rest cannot keep working well.
Nkechi is the linchpin of the clinic, keeping doctors, drivers, and supplies moving on time.
Nkechi 是這間診所的核心支柱，讓醫師、司機和物資都能準時到位。
the linchpin of [organization]
Without Samir, the small design team loses its linchpin and misses every project deadline.
少了 Samir，這個小型設計團隊就失去核心支柱，每個專案都會延誤。
lose its linchpin + breakdown
Cheap bus passes became the linchpin of the mayor's plan to help night-shift workers.
便宜的公車月票成了市長幫助夜班勞工計畫的核心支柱。
For Yuna, phone calls were the linchpin that kept her parents calm during the move.
對 Yuna 來說，電話聯絡是讓父母在搬家期間保持安心的核心支柱。
The payment app is the linchpin of this market, so one outage stops every stall.
付款 App 是這座市集的核心支柱，所以只要當機，每個攤位都會停擺。
- keystone
often stresses the piece that locks a structure together
- cornerstone
more often used for a founding value or first principle
- backbone
emphasizes strength and steady support rather than one removable part
文法句型
the linchpin of [team/plan/system]
用法筆記
Usually appears in phrases like 'the linchpin of the team' or 'the linchpin of the plan' and often refers to one person or one central feature. Distinguish from sense 2, which names a real metal pin on a wheel or axle.
2. a small metal pin fixed across an axle's end so a wheel cannot slide off.
輪軸銷
插在車軸末端以固定車輪的銷子
a small metal pin fixed across an axle's end so a wheel cannot slide off.
Theo checked the tractor's linchpin before towing the trailer across the muddy field.
Theo 在拖著拖車穿過泥地之前，先檢查了拖拉機上的輪軸銷。
check the linchpin before towing
One loose linchpin let the cart wheel slide off halfway down the farm road.
一個鬆掉的輪軸銷讓手推車的輪子在農路半途滑了下來。
loose linchpin + wheel slide off
The mechanic tapped a new linchpin into place and spun the wheel again.
技工把新的輪軸銷敲回定位，然後又轉了一下車輪。
Lan found the missing linchpin in the grass beside the horse trailer.
Lan 在馬拖車旁的草地裡找到了那根不見的輪軸銷。
After the old linchpin snapped, the left wheel shook hard on every turn.
舊輪軸銷一斷掉，左邊的輪子每次轉彎都會劇烈晃動。
- axle pin
a broad mechanical term for a pin used on an axle
- locking pin
more general and not limited to wheels or axles
文法句型
remove the linchpin from [wheel/axle]
用法筆記
Mostly used in mechanical or farming contexts with wheels, carts, trailers, or axles. In ordinary figurative English, people usually mean sense 1 instead.