positions
positions — 動詞
- positionspresent simple I / you / we / they
- positionses3rd person singular
- positionsing-ing form
- positionsedpast simple
1. if someone positions a person or thing, they place it where it needs to be.
擺放；安置
把人或物放到指定位置
if someone positions a person or thing, they place it where it needs to be.
Before the photo, Gabriela positions the lamp behind the blue chair.
拍照前，Gabriela 把燈擺在藍色椅子後面。
position + object + place phrase
At every checkup, the nurse positions the baby on a soft mat.
每次檢查時，護理師都會把嬰兒安置在柔軟的墊子上。
common in medical or care routines
The coach positions Caleb near the sideline for the final pass.
教練把 Caleb 安置在邊線附近，準備最後一傳。
During repairs, the worker positions a fan above the wet floor.
維修時，工人把風扇擺在濕地板上方。
文法句型
position + person/thing + place phrase
position + person/thing + for + purpose
用法筆記
Usually appears in formal instructions, design, sport, or care contexts where exact placement matters. It normally takes a direct object plus a phrase showing the intended spot.
常見錯誤
positions — 名詞
- positionssingular
- positionsesplural
1. the places where people or things are, often explained by what is around them.
位置
人或物所在的地方
the places where people or things are, often explained by what is around them.
The app showed our positions on the trail after the fog lifted.
霧散之後，這個 app 顯示出我們在步道上的位置。
positions on a route or map
Please mark the chairs' positions before the cleaners move them again.
清潔人員再移動之前，請先標出這些椅子的位置。
mark positions before moving objects
From the balcony, Roya checked the boats' positions near the pier.
Roya 從陽台查看那些船在碼頭附近的位置。
The teacher changed the paintings' positions to balance the gallery wall.
老師調整那些畫的位置，好讓展示牆更平衡。
文法句型
mark positions
check positions on a map
change positions
用法筆記
Often used when several people or objects each have their own exact spot. Distinguish this sense from sense 8, which is about the overall arrangement pattern rather than each separate location.
常見錯誤
2. the playing roles or field areas that players are given in a team game.
場上位置
球員在比賽中負責的位置
the playing roles or field areas that players are given in a team game.
Coach Asher switched the twins' positions before the second half began.
下半場開始前，Asher 教練調換了那對雙胞胎的場上位置。
switch positions during a game
The chart shows the players' positions for Saturday's volleyball match.
這張表列出球員在週六排球賽中的場上位置。
players' positions on a team chart
Young defenders often learn several positions during their first season.
年輕後衛在第一個球季常常要學好幾個場上位置。
In futsal, quick passing can blur positions for a few seconds.
在五人制足球裡，快速傳球有時會讓場上位置短暫混亂。
文法句型
switch positions
learn positions
players' positions
用法筆記
Used in team sports for the role or area a player normally covers. It often appears with verbs like switch, learn, or play, and with diagrams showing where players line up.
常見錯誤
3. the places where soldiers or similar groups are sent to carry out an action.
陣地
執行任務或作戰的地點
the places where soldiers or similar groups are sent to carry out an action.
At dawn, scouts reported enemy positions along the narrow riverbank.
黎明時，偵察兵回報了沿著狹窄河岸的敵軍陣地。
enemy positions in military reports
The map marked our positions before the rescue teams moved inland.
救援隊往內陸移動前，地圖先標出了我們的陣地。
The soldiers left their positions when the bridge finally collapsed.
橋終於坍塌時，士兵們離開了自己的陣地。
From the ridge, Tendai could see two hidden gun positions.
Tendai 從山脊上看見兩處隱蔽的火力陣地。
文法句型
enemy positions
hold positions
leave positions
用法筆記
Mostly used in military or rescue operations and often modified by words like enemy, hidden, or forward. Distinguish it from sense 1, which is the general meaning of physical location.
常見錯誤
4. the situations that people or groups find themselves in at a particular time.
處境
人或團體當下所處的情況
the situations that people or groups find themselves in at a particular time.
After the storm, shop owners were in impossible positions all week.
暴風雨過後，那些店主整個星期都處在艱難的處境中。
be in difficult positions
New managers often find themselves in difficult positions on busy weekends.
新任主管在忙碌的週末常會發現自己陷入兩難的處境。
The sudden delay put both teams in awkward positions with customers.
突如其來的延誤讓兩個團隊在客戶面前都陷入尷尬的處境。
Refugees can end up in desperate positions after losing their papers.
難民失去證件後，可能會陷入很絕望的處境。
- situations
the closest general alternative in everyday English
- circumstances
broader and a little more formal
- predicaments
stronger and usually for difficult situations
文法句型
be in difficult positions
put someone in positions
end up in positions
用法筆記
Most common with adjectives such as difficult, awkward, impossible, or desperate. Distinguish from sense 5, which is followed by to + verb and focuses on having enough power or resources to act.
常見錯誤
5. situations where people have the power, knowledge, or money needed to do somethi
有條件
具備做某事的能力或資源
situations where people have the power, knowledge, or money needed to do something.
Only senior nurses are in positions to approve emergency overtime.
只有資深護理師才有條件批准緊急加班。
be in positions to + verb
After the grant arrived, several schools were in positions to hire counsellors.
補助款到位後，有幾所學校才有條件聘請輔導員。
Few renters are in positions to buy city apartments this year.
今年很少有租屋族有條件購買市區公寓。
By noon, both doctors were in positions to speak with reporters.
到了中午，兩位醫師都已有條件和記者談話。
- be able to
more general and less formal
- have the means to
stresses money or other resources
- be qualified to
stresses skill, authority, or right
- be unable to
shows lack of ability or permission
文法句型
be in positions to help
be in positions to approve
be in positions to buy
用法筆記
This sense normally appears with the pattern be in positions to + verb and is used when several people or groups each have the ability, authority, or resources to act. Distinguish it from sense 4, which does not require an infinitive after the noun.
常見錯誤
6. levels of rank, importance, or success compared with other people or groups.
地位；名次
和他人相比的等級或排名
levels of rank, importance, or success compared with other people or groups.
After the final lap, the runners changed positions twice.
最後一圈後，跑者們的名次變了兩次。
positions in a race result
These jobs once gave women stronger positions in village life.
這些工作曾讓女性在村裡擁有更高的地位。
The rankings show which schools hold the top positions this year.
排名表顯示哪些學校今年占住前段名次。
During the merger, several directors lost positions of influence.
在合併期間，有幾位主管失去了有影響力的地位。
文法句型
top positions
lose positions
positions of power
用法筆記
Can describe social standing, power inside an organization, or place in a race or list. Distinguish it from sense 7, which names the jobs themselves rather than rank or standing.
常見錯誤
7. jobs in a company or other organization, especially ones someone has or can appl
職位；職缺
公司或機構中的工作
jobs in a company or other organization, especially ones someone has or can apply for.
The hospital posted three nursing positions on its website yesterday.
那家醫院昨天在網站上公布了三個護理職缺。
posted positions for hiring
Apinya applied for two teaching positions in Hualien last month.
Apinya 上個月申請了花蓮的兩個教職。
apply for positions
Only temporary positions were available after the shop reopened.
那家店重新開張後，只剩下臨時職缺可申請。
The company filled both positions before the summer internship fair.
暑期實習博覽會前，公司就補滿了這兩個職位。
文法句型
apply for positions
fill positions
open positions
用法筆記
Often used for vacancies or formal job titles inside organizations. Common verbs are apply for, advertise, fill, and hold.
常見錯誤
8. the ways in which parts of something are arranged or set out.
排列；擺放
事物排開或放置的方式
the ways in which parts of something are arranged or set out.
The designer compared three logo positions on the welcome screen.
設計師比較了歡迎畫面上三種標誌的排列方式。
positions in a visual layout
One wrong digit in those positions changed the locker code completely.
那些位置裡只要有一個數字放錯，置物櫃密碼就全變了。
positions of numbers in a code
The editor moved the photos because their positions blocked the headline.
編輯移動了那些照片，因為它們的擺放擋住了標題。
On the shelf map, the spice jars have fixed positions.
在那張層架示意圖上，香料罐都有固定的排列位置。
- layouts
especially common for pages, rooms, maps, and screens
- arrangements
broader and less tied to visual design
- orders
stresses sequence more than visual placement
文法句型
logo positions
positions on a page
fixed positions
用法筆記
Used for the arrangement of parts on a page, screen, shelf, code, or other system. Sense 1 is about where separate people or objects are, while this sense focuses on the pattern or layout as a whole.
9. the ways people's bodies are arranged when they are sitting, standing, or lying.
姿勢
身體擺放成的樣子
the ways people's bodies are arranged when they are sitting, standing, or lying.
The therapist showed Sofia two sleeping positions for her sore shoulder.
治療師教 Sofia 兩種適合她肩膀痠痛時的睡姿。
sleeping positions for comfort
During yoga, Christopher held the same arm positions for a minute.
做瑜珈時，Christopher 把同樣的手臂姿勢維持了一分鐘。
The poster explains safe lifting positions for warehouse workers.
那張海報說明了倉庫工人安全搬重物時應採取的姿勢。
Babies often roll into strange positions while they nap.
嬰兒午睡時常會滾成奇怪的姿勢。
文法句型
sleeping positions
lifting positions
arm positions
用法筆記
Usually appears with words like sleeping, sitting, lifting, or arm. Distinguish this sense from sense 11, which is about how to place tools, parts, or body parts correctly during a task.
10. the views that people or groups hold about an issue or argument.
立場；看法
對議題所持的意見
the views that people or groups hold about an issue or argument.
Both parties softened their positions on housing taxes by Friday.
到了星期五，兩黨對住宅稅的立場都軟化了。
positions on + topic
The article compares the candidates' positions on public transport.
這篇文章比較了候選人對大眾運輸的看法。
compare positions on an issue
At the meeting, union members defended their positions calmly.
會議上，工會成員冷靜地捍衛自己的立場。
Voters wanted clearer positions from the mayoral teams.
選民希望市長候選團隊提出更清楚的立場。
文法句型
positions on + topic
defend positions
soften positions
用法筆記
Common in formal discussion and often followed by on before the topic. It usually suggests settled or public views rather than quick personal thoughts.
常見錯誤
11. the ways of placing body parts, tools, or equipment correctly for an action or t
放置方式
執行動作時的放置方法
the ways of placing body parts, tools, or equipment correctly for an action or task.
The piano book teaches finger positions for smooth scales.
這本鋼琴教材教人如何安排手指位置，才能順暢彈音階。
finger positions for a task
The parking guide shows wheel positions for steep streets.
停車指南說明了在陡坡上該把車輪擺成哪些位置。
wheel positions in a driving guide
Ritu practised the starting positions before the relay drill.
Ritu 在接力訓練前，先練習起跑時的放置方式。
The first-aid chart marks hand positions for chest compressions.
那張急救圖標出了做胸外按壓時雙手該放的位置。
- placements
the closest general word for how something is put somewhere
- setups
more informal and often for equipment or planned arrangements
- arrangements
broader and less focused on correct technique
文法句型
hand positions
finger positions
wheel positions
用法筆記
This sense is common in lessons, manuals, and training where someone needs to place hands, feet, wheels, or tools correctly to perform an action. Distinguish it from sense 9, which is about body posture more generally.