auxiliary

/ɔ:g'ziljəri/

Thân thiện

The main library and its auxiliary branch are connected by a shuttle bus.

Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Providing additional or supplementary support: Describes something that gives extra help or support to a main system, function, or person.
   • Functioning in a subsidiary or supporting role: Indicates a secondary or reserve capacity, not the primary one.

2. Noun:

   • A person or thing that provides assistance: Refers to an assistant, helper, or a supplementary component.
   • (Often in plural) Auxiliary personnel or troops: Refers to additional supporting forces, often in a military context.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • The hospital has an auxiliary power generator for emergencies.
  • "Can" and "will" are examples of auxiliary verbs in English.
• Noun:
  • She worked as a nursing auxiliary at the local clinic.
  • The ship's auxiliaries, including the desalination plant, were all functioning.

Advanced Usage

• In grammar: Used specifically in the term auxiliary verb (or helping verb), which is a verb used with a main verb to express tense, mood, or voice (e.g., in "I have seen it", in "She is running").
• In military/organizational contexts: Refers to non-regular or supplementary forces or groups, such as the or .

Variants and Related Words

• Auxiliaries (n, plural): Supporting personnel or equipment.
  • The auxiliaries were crucial to the operation's logistics.
• Auxiliary can function as an attributive noun (a noun used like an adjective).
  • auxiliary engine, auxiliary staff

Synonyms

• Adjective: Supplementary, ancillary, secondary, subsidiary, backup, supporting, adjuvant.
• Noun: Assistant, aide, helper, adjunct, subsidiary.

Related Phrases

• Auxiliary to: Functioning in support of something else.
  • The fundraising committee is auxiliary to the main board.
• In an auxiliary capacity: Serving in a supporting role.
  • He served in an auxiliary capacity during the event.

Notes on Different Meanings

• The core meaning across all uses is support and supplement. Whether describing a machine, a person, a verb, or troops, an "auxiliary" entity is not the primary one but exists to aid the primary function.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. furnishing added support
   • an ancillary pump
   • an adjuvant discipline to forms of mysticism
   • The mind and emotions are auxiliary to each other
2. functioning in a supporting capacity
   • the main library and its auxiliary branches

Noun

1. someone who acts as assistant

Từ đồng nghĩa

• accessory
• adjunct
• ancillary
• adjuvant
• appurtenant
• subsidiary
• supplemental
• supplementary
• aide