undertaking

/ˌʌndəˈteɪkɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌʌndərˈteɪkɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈən-dər-ˌtā-kiŋ ˌən-dər-ˈtā-; sense 1b is ˈən-dər-ˌtā- only/ (ame, mw)

undertaking — 名詞

  • undertakingsingular
  • undertakingsplural

1. A large, difficult, or important task, business activity, or project that a pers

1.名詞B2
釋義

重任; 事業

規模龐大或困難的任務、工作或商業計畫

A large, difficult, or important task, business activity, or project that a person or organisation commits to carrying out.

例句

Feng's undertaking to build a school in the rural village raised over two million dollars.

Feng 在偏鄉村莊建一所學校的計畫，募到了超過兩百萬美元的資金。

undertaking + to-infinitive (committed project)

Organising the national medical conference was a massive undertaking for a team of only five staff members.

對只有五名工作人員的團隊來說，籌辦全國醫學會議是一項非常浩大的任務。

collocation: massive undertaking

同義詞
  • project

    a planned piece of work; less formal and can be smaller in scope than an undertaking

  • enterprise

    emphasises risk, ambition or initiative; often used for business ventures

  • endeavour

    formal; focuses on effort and serious attempt rather than size of the task

  • venture

    highlights risk and uncertainty, especially in a business or financial context

文法句型

undertaking + to-infinitive (the project of doing something)

用法筆記

Commonly modified by adjectives describing size or difficulty (massive, ambitious, complex, major). The to-infinitive pattern (an undertaking to do something) is typical in formal or news discourse.

常見錯誤

❌Moving to a new house is a small undertaking.
✅Moving to a new house is a straightforward task.
💡'undertaking' implies something notably large or difficult, not everyday tasks.
❌I have an undertaking to finish my homework.
✅I have a homework assignment to finish.
💡'undertaking' is too formal and grand for routine personal tasks.

2. A formal, often legally binding, promise or agreement to do a specific thing or

2.名詞B2
釋義

承諾; 保證

正式且常具法律效力的承諾或擔保

A formal, often legally binding, promise or agreement to do a specific thing or to behave in a particular way.

例句

The landlord gave a written undertaking to repair the broken windows within fourteen days.

房東出具書面承諾，表示會在十四天內修好破損的窗戶。

give + written undertaking + to-infinitive

As part of the divorce settlement, both parties signed an undertaking not to discuss the case publicly.

作為離婚協議的一部分，雙方簽署了不得公開討論此案的承諾書。

sign an undertaking + not to-infinitive

同義詞
  • pledge

    strong, sincere promise; slightly less legal in tone than undertaking

  • commitment

    broader term; can be formal or informal; emphasises dedication to a course of action

  • guarantee

    stresses certainty of outcome; often includes compensation if the promise is broken

反義詞
  • breach

    the act of breaking a promise or agreement

  • refusal

    the act of declining to commit

文法句型

give (someone) an undertaking + to-infinitive

give (someone) an undertaking + that-clause

sign an undertaking

用法筆記

Frequently used in legal, business, and government contexts. Common verbs: give, provide, sign, break, honour, violate. The that-clause pattern is slightly more formal than the to-infinitive.

常見錯誤

❌She made an undertaking to call her mother every week.
✅She made a promise to call her mother every week.
💡'undertaking' is too formal for casual personal promises.
❌He broke his undertaking by arriving late.
✅He broke his promise by arriving late.
💡use 'undertaking' only when the commitment carries serious or legal weight.

3. The act of driving past a slower vehicle on its left side while travelling on a

3.名詞C1
釋義

左側超車

（英國用語）在左車道超越前車的行為

The act of driving past a slower vehicle on its left side while travelling on a road, usually considered more dangerous than overtaking on the right.

例句

Undertaking on a British motorway can result in a fine and three penalty points on your licence.

在英國高速公路上左側超車，可能會被罰款並被記三點違規點數。

variety label: British driving context

The Highway Code warns that undertaking is dangerous when left-lane vehicles move at very different speeds.

《公路法規》警告說，左側超車尤其危險，因為左車道上的車輛行駛速度差異可能很大。

反義詞
  • overtaking

    passing a vehicle on the right (in the UK); the normal, legal manoeuvre

用法筆記

Primarily a British English term. In the US, the equivalent manoeuvre (passing on the right) is called 'passing on the right' and the term 'undertaking' is not used for this sense. Distinguish from 'overtaking' (passing on the right, which is the standard manoeuvre).

常見錯誤

❌He was fined for overtaking on the left.
✅He was fined for undertaking on the left.
💡'overtaking' normally refers to passing on the right (in the UK); 'undertaking' is the specific offence of passing on the left.

4. The business or profession of preparing dead bodies for burial or cremation and

4.名詞C1
釋義

殯葬業

處理遺體及籌辦喪禮的相關行業

The business or profession of preparing dead bodies for burial or cremation and arranging funerals for grieving families.

例句

Kian's family has been in the undertaking business in County Cork for three generations.

Kian 一家已經在科克郡經營殯葬業三代了。

collocation: in the undertaking business

Élise, a funeral director in Lyon, helped the Matsuda family choose a simple wooden coffin for their grandfather.

Élise 是里昂的一位禮儀師，她協助松田一家為祖父挑選了一副簡樸的木製棺材。

concrete scene: funeral director helping a family in Lyon

同義詞
  • funeral direction

    modern, preferred term for the profession; less associated with the older word 'undertaker'

  • mortuary services

    narrower focus on the preparation of bodies rather than full funeral arrangements

用法筆記

Often used as a modifier (undertaking business, undertaking firm, undertaking profession). The term 'funeral director' is now more commonly used than 'undertaker' for the professional role. This sense is less frequent than the other three in everyday conversation.