To quantify something is to work out its value or size and express that as a number or an amount.

To quantify somethingquantify 某樣東西，is to work out its value or size就是算出它的數值或大小，and express that as a number or an amount並用數字或數量表達出來。

You quantify rainfall in millimetres, or quantify a company's loss in dollars. The word is at home in science, business, and reports.

You quantify rainfall in millimetres你可以用毫米來 quantify 雨量，or quantify a company's loss in dollars或是用美元來 quantify 一間公司的虧損。 The word is at home in science, business, and reports這個字在科學、商業和報告裡都很常見。

People also stretch it to things that do not sit still on a scale — quantifying happiness, or quantifying how much someone cares — and that use is common, though actually a bit hopeful, because the number is only as good as the measuring stick.

People also stretch it to things that do not sit still on a scale大家也會把它用在沒辦法用量表衡量的事情上——quantifying happiness, or quantifying how much someone cares像是 quantify 快樂，或 quantify 一個人有多在乎——and that use is common這種用法很常見，though actually a bit hopeful不過其實有點一廂情願，because the number is only as good as the measuring stick因為數字準不準，全看你用什麼尺去量。

A philosopher, Sir William Hamilton, brought the Latin word into English for logic, where it meant saying whether a statement was about all or some.

A philosopher, Sir William Hamilton有位哲學家 Sir William Hamilton（威廉·漢彌爾頓爵士），brought the Latin word into English for logic把這個拉丁字引進英文用在邏輯學上，where it meant saying whether a statement was about all or some在那裡它指的是說明一個命題講的是「全部」還是「部分」。