核心畫面

You can think of eject as one quick push from inside to outside. Something is sitting in a space — a hall, a seat, a job, a machine, a body — and a force sends it out. The thing that leaves does not choose to leave, and it goes fast.

eject 可以想成一個「從裡面被推到外面」的動作。有樣東西原本待在某個空間裡:大廳、座位、職位、機器、身體。然後一更多收起eject 可以想成一個「從裡面被推到外面」的動作。有樣東西原本待在某個空間裡:大廳、座位、職位、機器、身體。然後一股力量把它送出去,又快又不商量。走的那一方通常沒得選。不管出去的是人、火山灰還是光碟,這個畫面都沒有變過,只是力氣大小不同。

From the word’s history

The evidence packet traces eject to Latin ēiciō, from ē- (a form of ex, 'out') plus iaciō ('to throw'), reaching English through Middle French éjecter. 'Throw out' is close to what the modern word still does.

資料裡的字源說 eject 來自拉丁文 ēiciō,由 ē-(ex 的變體,向外)加 iaciō(丟)組成,經中古法文 éjecter 進入英文。字面就是「往外丟」,和今天的用法幾乎重疊。-ject 這個部分在 reject、inject、project 裡也看得到。

Wiktionary, 'eject' (Etymology 1), supplied verbatim in this evidence packet (source_ref kaikki:3f6f69a190036ae4:498125697)

Four branches

把人弄出一個位置

這一族把「裡面」理解成人所在的位置:一個場地,或者一個職位。共同點是走的人沒有選擇權,動作來自有權力的一方。

verb · B2

To force someone to leave a place such as a hall, a room, a shop, or a vehicle, usually because they have broken a rule or are not allowed to be there.

趕出、轟出

把東西用力送出去

主詞換成了東西。火山、引擎、腎臟裡面有壓力,就把裡面的東西一口氣送到外面,動作還是又快又有力。

verb · B2

If a machine, an engine, a volcano, or a part of the body ejects something, it sends it out suddenly and with force.

噴出、排出

從機器裡送出來

同一個畫面縮到最小、也最溫和:機器是那個「裡面」,你按一個鍵,它就把東西放出來。這裡完全沒有兇的意思。

verb · B2

To make a disc, tape, card, or ticket come out of a machine, usually by pressing a button; also used of the thing itself coming out.

退出、彈出

人自己被彈出機外

這一族特別的地方是:被丟出去的人同時也是動作的主詞。核心畫面沒變,只是這一次力氣是座椅提供的,而人自己按下把手。

verb · B2

If a pilot ejects, they get out of an aircraft that is going to crash by using a special seat that shoots them out into the air.

彈射逃生