喜樂美語

核心畫面

You can picture upgrade as taking something up one step on a ladder of levels — the same thing, but now at a higher grade: newer, faster, better than the version below it.

可以把 upgrade 想成把一樣東西往上抬一個等級——還是同一個東西，只是站上了更高的一格：比原本更新、更快、更好…更多收起可以把 upgrade 想成把一樣東西往上抬一個等級——還是同一個東西，只是站上了更高的一格：比原本更新、更快、更好用。

From the word’s history

A transparent compound: up + grade. 'Grade' means a level or step (from Latin gradus 'step, degree'), so to upgrade is literally to move up a step in level — exactly the core image.

透明的組合字：up（往上）+ grade（等級、級距，源自拉丁文 gradus「步、階」）。所以 upgrade 字面就是「往上跨一階」，正好對上核心畫面。

transparent English compound up + grade; grade < Latin gradus 'step' (etymonline)

Three branches

系統與物品的升級

最貼近核心的一支：把一件東西整個往上抬一級，讓它更好用。

improve, modernize · verb · B2

To improve something and make it more modern, so it works better or gives better service.

改良升級；翻新

人得到更好的待遇或職位

把「往上抬一級」用在人身上：這個人本身沒變，但他被放到更高的一格——更好的座位、更高的職位。

upgrade (seat/room) · verb · B2

To move someone to a better seat or room than they paid for.

升等

名義等級與本事的提升

同樣是往上抬一級，但抬的是「名義上的等級」或「一個人的本事」，而不是機器或待遇。

reclassify as more important · verb · B2

To change the official name or level of something so it seems better or more important.

升格；提升等級

原始詞典資料9 筆記錄

以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。

upgradenoun/ˈʌp.ɡɹeɪd/

  • 1

    An upward grade or slope.

    • The Worthens sighed with relief as the engine began its night of upgrade chugging.
  • 2

    An improved component or replacement item, usually applied to technology.

    • Near-synonym: option
    • With my phone company, I get a free upgrade every twelve months if I keep topping up 10 pounds a month.
  • 3

    An improvement.

    • The remarried couples among my friends often joke that their divorce and remarriage amounted to an upgrade.
    • "When we're finished in 2024, this upgrade programme will provide a much-improved railway between London Waterloo and Portsmouth," said NR's Wessex Route Director Mark Killick.

upgradeverb/əpˈɡɹeɪd/

  • 1

    To improve, usually applied to technology, generally by complete replacement of one or more components.

    • When you upgrade your standard of living, you become addicted to that standard of living.
  • 2

    To replace with something better.

    • I had to upgrade my anti-virus software to protect my computer from the newer threats.
  • 3

    To improve the equipment or furnishings of or services rendered to.

    • They upgraded him to the latest model.
    • They were upgraded to first class.
  • 4

    To improve in condition or status.

    • She upgraded to a more successful husband.
  • 5

    computingengineeringmathematicsTo replace a program with a later version of itself, a version having a higher version number or marketed under a more recent product name.

    • She waited a long time to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11, hoping the worst bugs would be worked out before she took the plunge.
    • She waited a long time to upgrade Windows, hoping the worst bugs would be worked out before she took the plunge.

upgradeadv

  • 1

    Up a slope or grade.

    • Men fell out, worn-out, and there were sunstroke cases. It was an eight-mile march upgrade.
    • Northbound trains originating near the Ohio River faced a 26-mile climb upgrade to Flushing.

資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。