核心畫面

One way to hold it: a line drawn on the ground, and something suddenly coming in across it from the other side. The word names that one movement inward — not the staying, not the going out again, just the crossing in.

可以想成地上畫了一條線,然後有東西突然從外面越過那條線進來。這個字指的就是「進來」那一下:不是留下來,也不是退出去,更多收起可以想成地上畫了一條線,然後有東西突然從外面越過那條線進來。這個字指的就是「進來」那一下:不是留下來,也不是退出去,而是跨過那條界線的動作本身。

From the word’s history

From Middle English, borrowed from Old French, from Latin incursiō. The word came into English already meaning a running in upon someone, and the modern senses all keep that one inward movement.

從中古英文往前推,是借自古法文,再往前是拉丁文 incursiō。它進到英文時就帶著「衝進來」的意思,今天的每一個用法都還留著那個往內的方向。

Wiktionary entry supplied in this packet (source_ref kaikki:3f6f69a190036ae4:516053251), etymology_text: From Middle English, borrowed from Old French, from Latin incursiō.

Three branches

軍隊越過界線

最字面的一支:那條線是真的邊界,越線的是軍隊。

noun · C1

A sudden, usually short attack in which armed forces cross into land that belongs to another country or group, without meaning to stay and hold it.

突入/侵入

不受歡迎地闖進別人的地方

把地上的線換成一條看不見的界線:別人的私事、別人的市場、本來是陸地的地方。越線的動作沒變,只是換了場景。

noun · C1

The sudden arrival of a person or thing in a place or activity where it does not belong or has never been before, usually said when it is not welcome.

闖入/侵入

澳洲學校:讓外面的人進來

同樣是往內跨過校門這條線,但這一支把「不受歡迎」整個拿掉了,因為這裡的進來是學校自己請的。

noun · C1

In Australian schools: an event held inside the school, where visitors come in to teach, perform or show something to the students — the opposite of an excursion, where the students go out.

校內體驗活動(澳洲)