「away」把意思拉開:逃離、移除、持續

「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:

  1. 逃脫:"The suspect got away."
  2. 短暫休息或旅行:"Let's get away this weekend."
  3. 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。

  1. Please _____ your laptop before dinner.
  2. The smell should _____ if we open a window.
  3. Do not _____ the old charger; it still works.
  4. The final paragraph _____ the surprise ending.
  5. We need a weekend to _____ from work.
  6. The new policy may _____ some useful options.
  7. They are slowly _____ the long list of repairs.
  8. The music _____ as the car drove off.

答案

  1. put away。把它收在該放的位置。
  2. go away。氣味或問題可以消失。
  3. throw away。丟棄用 throw away。
  4. gives away。透露秘密或結局用 give away。
  5. get away。短暫休息或逃離用 get away。
  6. take away。移除選項、權利或優勢用 take away。
  7. chipping away at。面對大型任務的慢慢推進。
  8. 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?

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