Reading Theme:
Enough: Meaning, Usage, and Common Mistakes (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：sufficient quantity (enough)
enough
/ɪˈnʌf/
adj., adv., pron., interj.
as much or as many as you need or want.
sufficient quantity
➕
/səˈfɪʃənt ˈkwɑːntəti/
adj., adv., pron., interj.
As much or as many as is needed or desired; meeting the required amount.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Old English 'genōg', from Proto-Germanic '*ganōgaz' meaning 'sufficient'.
💡 Mnemonic
Think of 'E' (every) + 'nough' (sounds like 'nuff' = sufficiency). As in: 'Every nuff is enough.'
📖 Example
The recipe says we have enough eggs to make the cake, so we don't need to buy more.
The recipe says we have enough eggs to make the cake, so we don't need to buy more.
🔗 Collocations
enough money – sufficient funds
enough time – adequate duration
enough space – sufficient room
🔄 Synonyms
sufficient (adj.) – as much as is needed
adequate (adj.) – meeting the required standard
ample (adj.) – more than enough
🚫 Antonyms
insufficient (adj.) – not enough
inadequate (adj.) – below the required amount
lacking (adj.) – missing what is needed
📖 Cultural Story
A very common word in daily English, used to express sufficiency. The phrase 'enough is enough' marks a limit. No mythic origin; its frequency comes from basic human need.
Meaning 2：adequate level (enough)
enough
/ɪˈnʌf/
adj., adv., pron., interj.
used to say that something is acceptable or satisfactory, or to reach a necessary level.
adequate level
➕
/ˈædɪkwət ˈlɛvəl/
adj., adv., pron., interj.
Used to indicate that something has reached a required or acceptable degree, but not necessarily excellent.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
Your work on the project is good enough for now; we can polish the details later.
Your work on the project is good enough for now; we can polish the details later.
🔗 Collocations
good enough – adequate in quality
old enough – having reached the required age
fast enough – sufficiently quick
🔄 Synonyms
acceptable (adj.) – meeting a minimum standard
satisfactory (adj.) – fulfilling expectations
passable (adj.) – just good enough to be accepted
🚫 Antonyms
unacceptable (adj.) – not meeting the required level
inadequate (adj.) – below the necessary level
insufficient (adj.) – not enough for the purpose
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