A tarpaulin is a big, heavy sheet of cloth or thick plastic that water cannot get through. You throw it over things you want to keep dry: a pile of wood, a motorbike, furniture in the back of a truck, a hole in a roof. It usually has metal rings around the edges so you can tie it down with rope.

A tarpaulintarpaulin這個字 is a big, heavy sheet of cloth or thick plastic是一大塊厚重的布或厚塑膠布 that water cannot get through水滲不透，you throw it over things you want to keep dry你會把它蓋在想保持乾燥的東西上：a pile of wood, a motorbike, furniture in the back of a truck, a hole in a roof像一堆木材、一台機車、卡車後面的家具、或屋頂上的一個破洞。It usually has metal rings around the edges它邊緣通常有金屬環，so you can tie it down with rope讓你可以用繩子把它綁緊固定。

Most tarpaulins you see today are woven plastic — often blue or orange — but the original ones were canvas soaked in tar, which is where the word comes from.

Most tarpaulins you see today現在看到的tarpaulin大多 are woven plastic是編織塑膠布——often blue or orange常常是藍色或橘色——but the original ones但最早的 were canvas soaked in tar是泡過焦油(tar)的帆布，which is where the word comes from這也是這個字的由來。

In everyday speech, almost nobody says the whole word. British and Australian speakers say 'tarp', and Americans say 'tarp' too; 'tarpaulin' sounds slightly formal or written, the way 'refrigerator' does next to 'fridge'.

In everyday speech在日常口語裡，almost nobody says the whole word幾乎沒有人講完整這個字。British and Australian speakers say 'tarp'英國和澳洲人會說'tarp'，and Americans say 'tarp' too美國人也說'tarp'；'tarpaulin' sounds slightly formal or written'tarpaulin'聽起來比較正式、書面，the way 'refrigerator' does next to 'fridge'就像'refrigerator'比起'fridge'一樣。

There is also an old, now rare use of 'tarpaulin' meaning a sailor — because sailors wore tarred clothes and tarred hats to stay dry. You will meet that one only in old books.

There is also an old, now rare use of 'tarpaulin''tarpaulin'還有一個古老、現在很少見的用法，meaning a sailor指水手——because sailors wore tarred clothes and tarred hats to stay dry因為水手會穿塗過焦油的衣服和帽子來保持乾燥。You will meet that one only in old books你只會在老書裡看到這個用法。

As a verb, 'to tarpaulin' something (or more usually 'to tarp something over') means to cover it with one, and you will hear it most from builders and farmers.

As a verb當動詞用時，'to tarpaulin' something'to tarpaulin' 某樣東西 or more usually 'to tarp something over'或更常見的說法'to tarp something over' means to cover it with one意思是用tarpaulin把它蓋起來，and you will hear it most from builders and farmers你最常會從建築工人和農夫口中聽到這個說法。