utility 的词根 util 与 us / ut 一样,都表示用途。换句话说,utility 和 use 五百年是一家。
虽然 utility 给人词义混乱的感觉,但绕来绕去,离不开 use 的基本义。
明白了这点,你会觉得理解这个单词一下子轻松了很多。
utility bills:水电费
utility room:杂物间
utility company:水电煤气公司
utility knife:多功能刀
utility belt:工具腰带
utility pole:电线杆
We pay $100 in rent and utilities each month.
我们每个月租金和水电费要付100美元。
The utility of this substance has been proven in a series of tests.
这种材料的实用性已经在多次试验中得到了证实。
△SUV是 sport utility vehicle (运动型多功能车) 的缩写。
️ 电影中的 utility
△《速度与激情》说到行动前的一系列考虑与准备,此处的 utilities 指行动中所需的装备。
utility 的同源词
utilize:利用 (v.)
utensil:器皿 (n.)
usability:可用性 (n.)
usual:通常的 (a.)
usurp:篡夺 (v.)
peruse:细读 (v.)
abuse:滥用,辱骂 (n.&v.)
名著中的 utility
I climb the last ladder and push open the lid to someone's utility room. I'm rising to my feet when a woman throws open the door. She wears a bright turquoise silk robe embroidered with exotic birds. Her magenta hair's fluffed up like a cloud and decorated with gilded butterflies. Grease from the half-eaten sausage she's holding smears her lipstick. The expression on her face days she recognizes me. She opens her mouth to call for help.
Without hesitation, I shoot her through the heart.
- Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
我爬上梯子,推开盖子,来到某个人的"公用"房间。我正要爬上去,这时一个女人突然打开了门。她穿着一件鲜艳的绿宝石丝质长袍,上面绣着异国情调的花鸟图案,洋红色的头发蓬蓬着,像一个云朵,上面别着镀金的蝴蝶。她手里拿着吃了一半的香肠,口红都被油脂弄花了。她脸上的表情显示她认出了我,她张开嘴准备喊人。
我二话没说,一箭射穿了她的心脏。
- 苏珊·柯林斯《嘲笑鸟》