If a bank forecloses, it takes someone’s house or land because they have failed to pay back the money they borrowed to buy it. The bank uses the law to sell the property and get its money.

If a bank forecloses如果一間銀行foreclose, it takes someone’s house or land就是把某人的房子或土地拿走 because they have failed to pay back the money they borrowed to buy it因為他們沒有還清當初借來買房子的錢。 The bank uses the law銀行透過法律途徑 to sell the property and get its money把房產賣掉,拿回自己的錢。

This is heavy, formal, money-and-law English. The usual pattern is foreclose on a house, or foreclose on the owner.

This is heavy, formal, money-and-law English這是很沉重、正式,屬於金融和法律的英文。 The usual pattern is常見的用法是 foreclose on a house, or foreclose on the ownerforeclose on a house(法拍一棟房子)或foreclose on the owner(對屋主行使法拍權)。

You will see it in news about debt, not in casual chat — with friends someone might just say the bank took their house. Though actually, lawyers also stretch the verb to mean “shut off a possibility” (that would foreclose any later claim), but the meaning learners meet first is the unpaid loan and the lost home.

You will see it in news about debt你會在債務相關新聞裡看到這個字, not in casual chat而不是在閒聊裡 — with friends someone might just say the bank took their house跟朋友聊天可能只會說銀行把他的房子拿走了。 Though actually不過其實, lawyers also stretch the verb to mean “shut off a possibility”律師也會把這個動詞延伸用來表示「排除某種可能性」 (that would foreclose any later claim)(像that would foreclose any later claim,那會排除掉之後的求償可能), but the meaning learners meet first is the unpaid loan and the lost home但學習者最先會遇到的意思,是欠款不還、房子被沒收。