lost
lost — 形容詞
- lostpositive
- lostercomparative
- lostestsuperlative
1. Unable to tell your present location or find the right route to the place you wa
迷路的
找不到方向或路徑的
Unable to tell your present location or find the right route to the place you want to reach.
Takeshi realized he was lost when the forest trail split into three paths.
Takeshi 發現自己迷路了，因為森林小徑分成了三條岔路。
be/get lost — physical disorientation
The lost child sat quietly at the mall information desk while the staff called her parents.
迷路的孩子安靜地坐在購物中心服務台，而工作人員正在打電話給她的父母。
lost + noun (attributive)
Nia asked a stranger for directions after her phone died and she felt completely lost.
Nia 的手機沒電後向路人問路，她感覺自己完全迷路了。
Walking without a map in the old town, Christopher became lost among the narrow winding streets.
在舊城區沒有地圖到處走，Christopher 在狹窄蜿蜒的街道中迷了路。
become lost + among/in (location)
The group checked their compass before sunset to avoid getting lost on the mountain trail.
這群人在日落前檢查了指南針，以免在山徑上迷路。
- get lost
- feel lost
- become lost
- lost child
- lost hiker
- lost + in
- disoriented
more formal, suggests confusion about direction or time
- off course
usually about vehicles or journeys, not people
- astray
literary or formal; often used with 'go astray'
- found
the direct opposite when physically located
文法句型
be/get lost
lost + noun
用法筆記
Commonly used with the verbs 'get', 'become', or 'feel'. When used attributively before a noun (e.g. 'lost child'), it describes someone whose location is unknown.
常見錯誤
2. No longer where it belongs or where you expect it to be, even after you search f
遺失的
找不到的，不在應有位置的
No longer where it belongs or where you expect it to be, even after you search for it.
Adina searched everywhere for her lost keys but finally found them under the sofa.
Adina 到處尋找她遺失的鑰匙，最後在沙發底下找到了。
lost + noun — describing object that cannot be found
The museum put up a notice about a lost painting worth over two million dollars.
博物館張貼了一則公告，尋找一幅價值超過兩百萬美元的遺失畫作。
A lost wallet was handed in to the front desk with all the cash still inside.
有人把撿到的錢包交到前台，裡面的現金分文未少。
Salma felt a wave of panic when she spotted the lost luggage tag at the airport.
Salma 在機場看到遺失行李的標籤時，感到一陣恐慌。
lost luggage / lost property — common collocations
The library charges a replacement fee for lost books that are not returned.
圖書館對未歸還的遺失書籍收取補償費。
- lost property
- lost luggage
- lost keys
- lost wallet
- lost + noun (object)
文法句型
lost + noun
be lost
go missing (common idiomatic phrase)
用法筆記
Use 'go missing' (chiefly British) or 'turn up missing' (American) when describing the moment something is noticed as lost. For people who cannot be found, 'missing' is more common than 'lost' (except for children).
常見錯誤
3. Feeling unsure about what to do or how to behave because the situation is unfami
不知所措的
感到困惑、不知該如何是好的
Feeling unsure about what to do or how to behave because the situation is unfamiliar or difficult.
After the company closed, Tomás felt lost and did not know where to find work.
公司倒閉後，Tomás 感到不知所措，不知道該去哪裡找工作。
feel lost — emotional/mental state
The new student looked lost on her first day, unable to find any of her classrooms.
新來的学生第一天看起來不知所措，一間教室都找不到。
When the manager changed all the rules overnight, the whole team felt lost and confused.
主管一夜之間更改了所有規則，整個團隊感到茫然又困惑。
Bao stood in the middle of the busy station, feeling lost without his travel companion.
Bao 站在繁忙的車站中央，沒有旅伴在身邊，感到不知所措。
feeling lost + without (specifying what is missing)
Elderly people sometimes feel lost when technology changes faster than they can learn it.
年長者在科技變化快到他們來不及學習時，有時會感到不知所措。
- feel lost
- look lost
- lost + about
- lost + without
- confused
overlaps but 'confused' is more about not understanding ideas; 'lost' is more about not knowing what to do
- bewildered
stronger and more formal; suggests complete confusion
- helpless
focuses on inability to act without help
文法句型
feel lost
be lost + about/in
用法筆記
This sense overlaps with 'confused' but is broader: 'lost' suggests not knowing what step to take next, while 'confused' focuses on not understanding ideas or facts. Commonly followed by 'about' or 'without'.
常見錯誤
4. So deeply focused on one activity, thought, or experience that the world around
入迷的
全神貫注以至於忽略周遭事物的
So deeply focused on one activity, thought, or experience that the world around you fades from your awareness.
Élise was so lost in her novel that she did not hear the dinner bell ring.
Élise 看小說看到入迷，連晚餐鈴響都沒聽見。
be lost in + (book/music/thought)
The painter sat lost in thought, staring at the blank canvas for almost an hour.
畫家陷入沉思，盯著空白的畫布將近一個小時。
Ramón became lost in the music, tapping his foot without noticing the crowded room.
Ramón 完全沉浸在音樂中，腳打著拍子，完全沒注意到擁擠的房間。
become lost in — gradual absorption
Little Pedro was lost in a world of dinosaurs, completely ignoring his lunch on the table.
小 Pedro 沉浸在恐龍的世界裡，對桌上的午餐視而不見。
Ritu was so lost in her phone that she walked right past her bus stop.
Ritu 太專注於手機，直接走過公車站都沒注意到。
- lost in thought
- lost in a book
- lost in music
- lost in conversation
- lost in memories
- distracted
opposite — attention split across multiple things
- alert
opposite — fully aware of surroundings
文法句型
be lost in + noun
get lost in + noun
用法筆記
Almost always used in the pattern 'lost in + noun' — the noun is the thing absorbing attention (a book, thought, memory, music, conversation). This sense is never used attributively (not 'a lost reader').
常見錯誤
5. In a situation that cannot succeed or be saved; certain to end in failure or des
無望的
註定失敗或無法挽回的
In a situation that cannot succeed or be saved; certain to end in failure or destruction.
Without food or clean water, the sailors on the small boat were lost at sea.
小船上的水手沒有食物也沒有乾淨的水，在海上註定無法生還。
be lost — beyond rescue
The lawyer told her client that the lawsuit was a lost cause from the very beginning.
律師告訴她的當事人，這場官司從一開始就是一件不可能成功的事。
lost cause — common fixed expression
After the fire destroyed all their equipment, the family business was lost beyond recovery.
大火燒光了所有的設備，這家家族企業已無法挽救。
The rescue team refused to give up on the trapped miners whom others had called lost.
即使別人都說那些受困礦工沒救了，救援隊仍然拒絕放棄。
Historians consider the ancient manuscript a lost treasure that may never be found again.
歷史學家認為這份古代手稿是一件可能永遠找不到的失傳珍寶。
lost treasure — attributive use for unrecoverable things
- lost cause
- lost soul
- lost at sea
- lost generation
- lost treasure
- doomed
stronger sense of fate; more dramatic
- hopeless
more common, less formal
- irrecoverable
very formal, used mainly in writing
- safe
opposite in terms of being beyond danger
- salvageable
opposite — capable of being saved
文法句型
be lost
lost + noun (doomed entity)
用法筆記
Frequently found in the fixed phrase 'a lost cause' (a plan or effort that cannot succeed). Also common in contexts of death or destruction — 'lost at sea', 'lost to the world'. Used attributively ('lost soul', 'lost generation') for people or groups beyond hope.
常見錯誤
6. Not used in a good or effective way; no longer available to be taken advantage o
錯失的
未充分利用或再也無法獲得的
Not used in a good or effective way; no longer available to be taken advantage of or gained.
Takeshi regretted the lost opportunity to study abroad when he was younger.
Takeshi 後悔年輕時錯過了出國留學的機會。
lost opportunity — common collocation
The three-hour meeting was lost time for everyone who had urgent work to finish.
那場三小時的會議對每個有緊急工作要完成的人來說都是浪費時間。
After the power cut, the chef mourned the lost ingredients that had spoiled in the fridge.
停電之後，主廚為冰箱裡壞掉的食材感到惋惜。
Adina tried to make up for lost time by practising the violin for four hours every day.
Adina 每天練習小提琴四小時，想要追回之前落後的進度。
make up for lost time — fixed phrase
A minute spent waiting in line feels like a lost minute that could be used better.
排隊等候的每一分鐘都像是浪費掉的一分鐘，可以更好的利用。
- lost time
- lost opportunity
- lost chance
- lost income
- lost revenue
文法句型
lost + noun (opportunity/time)
make up for lost time
用法筆記
Commonly modifies nouns like 'time', 'opportunity', 'chance', 'income', 'revenue'. The fixed phrase 'make up for lost time' means to do something more intensely after a period of not doing it. Distinguish from sense 5 (DOOMED): here the focus is on missed potential, not on destruction or hopelessness.
常見錯誤
get lost!
idiomA rude and informal way to tell someone to go away because they are annoying you.
滾開！（粗魯地叫人離開，不想再被打擾時使用的說法）
When the salesman kept following her down the street, Nia turned around and said, 'Get lost!'
The kids told the bully to get lost when he tried to take their football.
be lost for words
idiomTo be so surprised, shocked, or emotional that you cannot think of anything to say.
說不出話來（因極度驚訝、震驚或感動而一時無言以對）
When Takeshi opened the gift and saw the watch his father had owned, he was lost for words.
The judge was lost for words when the defendant suddenly confessed to a crime nobody knew about.
be lost on someone
idiomIf something such as a joke, remark, or explanation is lost on someone, they do not understand or appreciate it.
不被理解；對某人不起作用（指笑話、評論或解釋未被理解或賞識）
The humour of the situation was lost on Christopher, who was too tired to find anything funny.
Her advice about saving money was lost on the teenagers, who spent everything they earned.
Used to say that two people dislike each other and make no effort to hide it.
彼此厭惡；關係惡劣（兩人互相不喜歡且毫不掩飾）
There was no love lost between the two chefs, who had been competitors for over a decade.
No love is lost between the neighbours; they have been arguing about the fence for years.
all is not lost
idiomUsed to say that there is still a chance to succeed or make a bad situation better.
還有希望；並非全無轉機（用以鼓勵人情況尚未絕望）
The team was losing by three goals, but the coach told them all was not lost and to keep fighting.
Salma failed the first exam, but all is not lost — she can still pass if she does well on the final project.
To do something quickly or with great effort because you wish you had started doing it sooner.
追趕進度；彌補失去的時間（因後悔太晚開始而加緊努力做事）
After months of illness, Élise made up for lost time by travelling to three new countries.
The new manager made up for lost time by holding meetings every morning to fix old problems.
be lost in something
idiomTo be completely focused on something and not notice anything else.
沉浸於某事
Maya was lost in her book and didn't hear the doorbell.
Are you lost in thought again, or just ignoring me?
be lost on somebody
idiomTo not be understood or noticed by someone.
不被某人理解
The teacher's joke was lost on the young students.
Why is the importance of this rule lost on you?
be lost to the world
idiomTo be so focused on something that you ignore everything around you.
渾然忘我
When Diego plays video games, he is lost to the world.
Sara was lost to the world while painting her masterpiece.
get lost
idiomA rude way to tell someone to go away or to refuse something.
滾開
When the salesman knocked again, Brian shouted, 'Get lost!'
She told the annoying reporter to get lost.
To stop hoping that someone who is missing is still alive.
放棄某人（認為已死）
After three days, the rescue team gave the hiker up for lost.
The family refused to give their son up for lost.
Two people dislike each other.
彼此不喜歡
There's no love lost between the two rival politicians.
There is little love lost between my cat and the neighbor's dog.
同根字
常見搭配
名詞搭配
- lost child
- lost property
- lost luggage
- lost cause
- lost soul
- lost opportunity
- lost time
- lost generation
副詞搭配
- completely lost
- totally lost
- hopelessly lost
- utterly lost
- badly lost
常用片語
- get lost
- feel lost
- be lost for words
- make up for lost time
- all is not lost
- no love lost
介系詞搭配
- lost in
- lost on
- lost at
- lost to
- lost among