tiller

/ˈtɪlə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · [tˈɪlɚ] /ˈtɪlər/ (ame, ipa) · [tˈɪlɚ] /ˈti-lər How to pronounce tiller (audio)/ (ame, mw)

tiller — 名詞

  • tillersingular
  • tillersplural

1. a tool or machine that breaks up and turns over soil in a garden or field before

1.名詞B2
釋義

耕耘機

翻鬆土壤的農具或機器

a tool or machine that breaks up and turns over soil in a garden or field before planting seeds or crops.

例句

Liang pulled the tiller across the garden to loosen the hard, dry soil.

Liang 拉著耕耘機穿過菜園，鬆開又硬又乾的土壤。

pull + tiller + across (garden) — typical motion

Pedro rented a power tiller to prepare the field for spring planting.

Pedro 租了一台動力耕耘機，為春季播種整地。

power tiller (motorised type)

同義詞
  • rototiller

    a specific type of motorised tiller with rotating tines

  • cultivator

    a lighter machine for loosening soil between rows of plants, not for initial ground-breaking

用法筆記

Motorised versions are often called 'rototillers' or 'power tillers'. A 'hand tiller' is a manual tool with curved metal tines.

常見錯誤

❌She used a tiller to cut furrows for planting seeds.
✅She used a plow to cut furrows for planting seeds.
💡A tiller breaks up and loosens soil but does not create straight furrows; that is the job of a plow.
❌He tilled the garden with a shovel.
✅He tilled the garden with a tiller.
💡A shovel is for digging individual holes; a tiller prepares an entire area of soil.

2. a long handle or bar connected to a boat's rudder; pushing or pulling it steers

2.名詞B2
釋義

舵柄

連接船舵的控制桿

a long handle or bar connected to a boat's rudder; pushing or pulling it steers the boat to the left or the right.

例句

Lien grabbed the tiller and turned it hard to starboard to avoid the floating log.

Lien 抓住舵柄，用力向右轉，以避開漂流的木頭。

tiller + turn + direction (steering action)

The old wooden tiller felt smooth from years of use on the fishing boat.

舊木舵柄因在漁船上使用了多年而摸起來很光滑。

material + tiller: wooden tiller

同義詞
  • helm

    refers to the steering wheel or wheelhouse on larger boats, while a tiller is specifically a handle or bar

  • rudder bar

    a more technical term for the same part on aircraft, not used for boats

常見錯誤

❌He grabbed the helm of the small sailboat.
✅He grabbed the tiller of the small sailboat.
💡A helm is a steering wheel on larger boats; a tiller is a bar or handle used on small boats.

3. the position of controlling or directing an organisation, economy, or situation

3.名詞C1
釋義

掌控；主導

對經濟或局勢的掌控

the position of controlling or directing an organisation, economy, or situation — used in expressions such as 'at the tiller of' or 'take the tiller'.

例句

The finance minister took the tiller of the economy during a severe recession.

財政部長在經濟嚴重衰退時期接管了國家經濟的舵柄。

take the tiller of (figurative: assume control)

With a new CEO at the tiller, the company returned to profit within two years.

在新任執行長掌舵下，公司在兩年內恢復獲利。

at the tiller (in charge)

同義詞
  • helm

    more common in the same figurative sense — 'at the helm' is used more often than 'at the tiller' for leadership positions

  • reins

    also figurative ('take the reins'), suggests hands-on management rather than strategic direction

文法句型

at the tiller of [something]

用法筆記

Almost always appears in fixed figurative phrases such as 'at the tiller of', 'take the tiller', or 'hold the tiller'. Not used literally.

4. a person who prepares and cultivates soil for growing crops, especially by hand

4.名詞B2
釋義

耕作者

耕作土壤種植作物的人

a person who prepares and cultivates soil for growing crops, especially by hand or with simple tools.

例句

Old Chen, a village tiller for forty years, could judge soil quality just by rubbing it between his fingers.

老陳在村子裡當了四十年的耕作者，光靠搓土就能判斷土壤品質。

tiller in [location] for [time] — pattern for describing experience

For generations, the tillers of this valley have grown rice on the terraced hillsides.

幾個世代以來，這片山谷的耕作者都在梯田上種植水稻。

tillers of [region] — pattern for specifying location

同義詞
  • farmer

    broader in meaning; a farmer may own land and manage a business, while a tiller specifically works the soil

  • cultivator

    more technical in agriculture; also refers to the machine

  • plowman

    specifically someone who uses a plow rather than a tiller tool

用法筆記

More commonly replaced by 'farmer' or 'cultivator' in everyday English. 'Tiller' has a slightly old-fashioned or literary tone when referring to a person.

5. in grasses and grain crops such as wheat or barley, a new stem that emerges wher

5.名詞C2
釋義

分蘖

草本植物基部長出的新莖

in grasses and grain crops such as wheat or barley, a new stem that emerges where the main stem meets the root system, at or just below ground level.

例句

Each rice plant produced several tillers, leading to a much larger harvest.

每株水稻長出了好幾個分蘖，因此收成大增。

The wheat tillers grew strong and sturdy after the spring rains arrived.

春雨過後，小麥的分蘖長得粗壯而結實。

wheat tillers (specific crop + tiller)

同義詞
  • shoot

    a general term for any new growth on a plant; less specific than 'tiller'

  • sprout

    emphasises the earliest stage of growth from a seed or root

用法筆記

A technical term used mainly in agriculture and botany. The number of tillers a cereal plant produces directly affects the final crop yield.

常見錯誤

❌The rose bush grew new tillers in spring.
✅The rose bush grew new shoots in spring.
💡'Tiller' is used almost exclusively for grasses and cereal crops, not for garden flowers or trees.

6. a young tree, especially one that has grown from a seed or a sapling stage.

6.名詞C2
釋義

幼樹；樹苗

從種子生長出的年輕樹木

a young tree, especially one that has grown from a seed or a sapling stage.

例句

The forestry worker tagged each oak tiller and recorded its height for the reforestation project.

林業人員給每棵橡樹幼樹掛上標籤，並記錄高度，作為造林計畫的資料。

oak tiller (young tree in forestry context)

Deer had nibbled the tender tops off every maple tiller in the forest nursery.

鹿把森林苗圃裡每棵楓樹幼樹的嫩梢都啃掉了。

maple tiller (specific tree species + young tree)

同義詞
  • sapling

    the common everyday term for a young tree; much more widely used than 'tiller'

  • seedling

    a very young tree that has just grown from a seed, smaller than a tiller

用法筆記

A fairly uncommon usage. 'Sapling' is the preferred everyday word for a young tree; 'tiller' in this sense appears mainly in older or specialised forestry writing.

常見錯誤

❌I planted a tiller in my garden.
✅I planted a sapling in my garden.
💡'Sapling' is the ordinary word for a young tree; 'tiller' in this sense is rare and specialised.

tiller — 動詞