streams

IPA/striːm/
KK[strˈimz]IPA/striːm/

streams — 名詞

  • streamssingular
  • streamsesplural

1. a small, narrow body of water that moves naturally across the land through a gro

1.名詞A2
釋義

小溪;溪流

自然形成的狹窄水道,比河流小

a small, narrow body of water that moves naturally across the land through a groove worn into the earth, often feeding into a river or lake.

例句

The children spent the afternoon catching frogs in the stream behind their house.

孩子們整個下午都在家後面的小溪裡抓青蛙。

A clear mountain stream ran through the forest, making a soft sound as it passed over the rocks.

一條清澈的山間溪流穿過森林,流過岩石時發出輕柔的水聲。

geographical description of a stream

同義詞
  • brook

    even smaller than a stream, often poetic or literary

  • creek

    common in American English; slightly larger than a brook but smaller than a river

  • rivulet

    very small stream; formal or literary

文法句型

a stream of [water/liquid]

stream + geographical name

用法筆記

Smaller than a river. In everyday speech, 'brook' and 'creek' are common alternatives, though 'stream' is the most neutral term for any naturally flowing channel of water.

常見錯誤

The stream near my house is very wide, like an ocean.
The stream near my house is narrow enough to jump across.
💡A stream is small; for a large body of water, use 'river'.

2. a continuous movement of liquid, gas, or fine particles, often coming from a sou

2.名詞B1
釋義

水流;氣流

液體、氣體或微粒的持續流動

a continuous movement of liquid, gas, or fine particles, often coming from a source with some force or pressure.

例句

A stream of hot water shot out from the broken pipe and flooded the kitchen floor.

一股熱水從破裂的水管噴出,淹沒了廚房地板。

The mechanic noticed a slow stream of oil leaking from underneath the car engine.

技師注意到汽車引擎下方有一道緩慢的機油流正在滲出。

a stream of [liquid] — continuous flow from a source

同義詞
  • flow

    broader term; can be used for any continuous movement, not necessarily from a source

  • current

    emphasises direction and speed within a larger body of fluid

  • trickle

    very slow, thin stream of liquid

文法句型

a stream of [liquid/gas/fluid]

用法筆記

Unlike sense 1 (a natural water channel), this sense describes the physical movement of any fluid substance. The stream is the flow itself, not the channel it moves through.

常見錯誤

A stream of people entered the hall.
A stream of blood ran down his arm.
💡Use this sense for liquids and gases only; for people or objects, see sense 4 ('continuous flow of things or people').

3. the way that water is heading as it moves, often used to describe position or mo

3.名詞B1
釋義

流向

水的流動方向,相對於潮流

the way that water is heading as it moves, often used to describe position or movement relative to the current.

例句

The fisherman rowed his boat against the stream and made slow progress through the strong current.

漁夫逆流划船,在強勁的水流中前進得很慢。

against the stream — moving opposite to the current

Fallen leaves floated gently down the stream, carried along by the slow-moving water.

落葉順著溪流輕輕漂流,被緩慢流動的水帶往遠方。

同義詞
  • current

    more common for describing the speed or force of water movement

  • flow

    similar but broader; can describe any movement of water

文法句型

against the stream

with the stream

upstream

downstream

用法筆記

Almost always used with prepositions: 'upstream' (against the flow), 'downstream' (with the flow), 'with the stream', 'against the stream'. Not used as a standalone count noun for direction.

4. people, vehicles, messages, or events that arrive or happen one after another wi

4.名詞B1
釋義

源源不絕

人群、車輛或事物接連不斷地湧現

people, vehicles, messages, or events that arrive or happen one after another with little or no gap between them.

例句

A steady stream of visitors walked through the museum gates all morning.

整個早上,一批又一批的參觀者接連走進博物館大門。

a stream of [people] — continuous movement of individuals

Arjun's phone buzzed with a non-stop stream of messages from the group chat during the meeting.

Arjun 的手機在會議期間不斷響起,群組聊天室傳來一串又一串訊息。

同義詞
  • flow

    similar meaning but more neutral; 'stream' emphasises steady, uninterrupted movement

  • flood

    suggests an overwhelming or excessive amount, stronger in intensity

  • cascade

    suggests something falling or arriving in stages, one after another

文法句型

a stream of [people/vehicles/words/events]

用法筆記

Commonly used with 'steady', 'constant', 'continuous', 'endless' before 'stream of'. The subject can be abstract (messages, ideas, complaints) or concrete (people, cars).

常見錯誤

A stream of water came from the pipe.
A stream of customers entered the shop.
💡For physical liquids, use sense 2; for people or abstract things, use this sense.

5. a class formed by putting pupils of roughly equal ability and age together for l

5.名詞B2
釋義

能力分班

英國學校按學生能力劃分的班級

a class formed by putting pupils of roughly equal ability and age together for lessons, as practised in some schools.

例句

At the age of eleven, students in British secondary schools are placed into different streams based on their test results.

在英國中學,學生十一歲時會根據考試成績被分配到不同的能力分班。

British education system — ability grouping

Élise was moved to the top stream in mathematics after she scored full marks on the final exam.

Élise 在期末考試拿到滿分後,被調到數學科的最高能力班。

同義詞
  • track

    American English equivalent

  • set

    UK term for subject-specific ability groups, often interchangeable with 'stream'

文法句型

[be placed/put] in a stream

the top/bottom stream

用法筆記

Primarily British English. In American English, the equivalent term is 'track'. The practice of 'streaming' is called 'ability grouping' or 'tracking' in the US.

常見錯誤

I had a stream of math homework.
My son is in the top stream for science.
💡This sense refers to a class grouping, not a quantity of work.

streams — 動詞