「away」把意思拉開:逃離、移除、持續
Away 是製造距離的 particle。某物從這裡到那裡,從近到遠,從存在到不見。這個簡單的拉開動作,形成一大族有用片語:go away, get away, run away, take away, throw away, put away, give away, fade away, keep away,甚至 work away。
這些意思不是隨機的。只要能感覺到某物從一個點被拉遠,你就能理解這個家族的大部分成員。
快速答案
Away 的核心概念是「離開某個地方、人、物或狀態」。在 phrasal verbs 裡,它常表示:
- 離開或逃脫:go away, get away, run away, walk away
- 移除:take away, clear away, carry away
- 丟棄或收納:throw away, put away
- 不小心透露:give away
- 逐漸消失:fade away, die away
- 持續做某事:work away, talk away, chip away
最後一個意思可能看起來奇怪,但裡面仍有距離:每個小動作都把時間、工作或材料一點一點移走。
Away 表示離開
最容易的意思是實際距離。
- Please go away for a minute; I need to focus.
- We went away for the weekend.
- The noise finally went away.
- She walked away without saying anything.
Go away 可以表示離開某地,也可以表示消失:
- My headache went away after lunch.
- The stain will not go away.
兩種情況裡,那個東西都不再靠近你。人離開房間,問題離開你的生活。
Walk away 常有更強的情緒味道。它表示離開某個局面,尤其是留下來代價太高時:
- He walked away from the argument.
- They walked away from the deal.
這不一定是失敗。有時它表示聰明地拒絕。
Away 表示逃脫
Get away 和 run away 都是離開危險、壓力或日常生活。
- The thief got away before the police arrived.
- We need to get away from the city for a few days.
- The dog ran away during the storm.
- Don't run away from the problem; talk about it.
Get away 有三個常見用法:
- 逃脫:"The suspect got away."
- 短暫休息或旅行:"Let's get away this weekend."
- 固定口語裡表示不敢相信:"Get away!" 意思像 "Really?",有些地方聽起來隨意且稍微老派。
Run away 除非是字面意思,否則常帶有更急迫或孩子氣的感覺。孩子可以 run away from home。人可以 run away from responsibility。馬可以 run away from a rider。這個片語帶著恐懼或逃避感。
Away 表示移除
如果某物從原本的位置移開,它可能是被移除了。
- Please take away the empty plates.
- The new rule takes away some flexibility.
- The cleaners cleared away the boxes.
- The wind carried away the smoke.
Take away 特別彈性。它可以表示拿走實體物、剝奪權利或優勢,也可以表示學到重點:
- The waiter took away our cups.
- The mistake took away their lead.
- What should we take away from this discussion?
最後一句的意思是「我們應該把哪個主要想法帶走?」在會議、課堂和文章裡很常見。
Away 表示丟掉或收好
Throw away 和 put away 都把某物從目前空間移開,但目的地不同。
- Don't throw away that receipt.
- We threw away the broken chair.
- Please put away your phone.
- She put away the clean dishes.
Throw away 表示丟棄。你不預期再使用那個東西。
Put away 表示收進正確位置。東西仍然屬於你,只是不該放在桌上。
比較:
- "I threw away my notes." = 它們不見了。
- "I put away my notes." = 我把它們收好了。
兩者都可分開:
- Throw the old boxes away.
- Throw them away.
- Put your coat away.
- Put it away.
使用代名詞時,代名詞放中間:throw it away, put it away。
Away 表示洩漏秘密
Give away 有兩個大意思。
第一,它可以表示免費送出:
- The store is giving away samples.
- She gave away most of her old books.
第二,它可以表示不小心透露資訊:
- His nervous laugh gave away the surprise.
- The title gives away the ending.
- Don't give away the answer too soon.
連結很巧妙:秘密是你原本握住的東西。當你 give it away,它就離開你的控制。
Away 表示逐漸消失
有些東西不會快速離開,而是慢慢漂遠。
- The music faded away.
- The excitement wore away after a few weeks.
- The sound died away in the distance.
- The paint washed away in the rain.
這些片語常描述聲音、顏色、感受、能量或材料。Fade away 很柔和。Die away 常用於聲音、風或光。Wear away 暗示緩慢損耗或侵蝕。
把 away 想成方向,動詞想成方法:
- fade = 變得比較不明顯
- wash = 被水移除
- wear = 被摩擦減少
- die = 變安靜或變弱
Away 表示持續
接著是令人意外的一種。在 work away, talk away, chip away 這類片語中,away 可以表示「穩定持續」。
- She was working away at her desk.
- He talked away happily for twenty minutes.
- The team kept chipping away at the backlog.
- The company is eating away at its cash reserves.
為什麼是 away?想像時間或材料被一點一點移走。每個動作都再拿走一小塊。這種用法常暗示穩定努力,有時沒有戲劇性。
Chip away at 常用於面對大型事物時的緩慢進展:
- We are chipping away at the debt.
- The rain chipped away at the old stone.
它可以是正面或負面,要看被減少的是什麼。
常見錯誤
- 想表示丟棄時說 "I put away the trash"。較好:"I threw away the trash." Put away 是收納。
- 強調逃脫時說 "The thief ran out"。較好:"The thief got away" 或 "ran away." Run out 常表示供應用完。
- "This takes off my right to choose." 較好:"This takes away my right to choose."
- 多數日常情境中說 "Don't give out the secret"。較好:"Don't give away the secret." Give out 可以表示分發或停止運作。
- "She walked out the deal." 較好:"She walked away from the deal." 情境後面需要 from。
小練習
選出最適合的片語:go away, get away, take away, throw away, put away, give away, fade away, chip away at。
- Please _____ your laptop before dinner.
- The smell should _____ if we open a window.
- Do not _____ the old charger; it still works.
- The final paragraph _____ the surprise ending.
- We need a weekend to _____ from work.
- The new policy may _____ some useful options.
- They are slowly _____ the long list of repairs.
- The music _____ as the car drove off.
答案
- put away。把它收在該放的位置。
- go away。氣味或問題可以消失。
- throw away。丟棄用 throw away。
- gives away。透露秘密或結局用 give away。
- get away。短暫休息或逃離用 get away。
- take away。移除選項、權利或優勢用 take away。
- chipping away at。面對大型任務的慢慢推進。
- faded away。聲音可以逐漸消失。
超短總結
| Phrase | 核心意思 |
|---|---|
| go away | 離開 / 消失 |
| get away | 逃脫 / 短暫休息 |
| run away | 逃跑 / 逃避 |
| walk away | 離開某個局面 |
| take away | 移除 / 主要收穫 |
| throw away | 丟棄 |
| put away | 收納 |
| give away | 免費送出 / 透露 |
| fade away | 逐漸消失 |
| chip away at | 一點一點減少 |
看到 away 時,問自己:什麼正在變遠、消失、被移除,或被一點一點減少?
