entrust
/in'trʌst/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To give someone a thing or a duty for which they are responsible: To assign the responsibility for something to someone, often implying trust in their care or judgment.
- To put something into someone's care or protection: To place something valuable or important under someone's safekeeping.
Usage and Examples
Basic Usage:
- The manager decided to entrust the project to her most reliable team. (The manager gave the responsibility for the project to her team.)
- Parents entrust their children to teachers every day. (Parents place their children in the care of teachers.)
- He entrusted his savings to a reputable bank. (He put his savings under the protection of a bank.)
Common Constructions:
- entrust something to someone: She entrusted the secret documents to her assistant.
- entrust someone with something: They entrusted the lawyer with their legal affairs.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- Implies Confidence: Using "entrust" strongly suggests faith, confidence, or trust in the person receiving the responsibility. It is more than just assigning a task.
- The dying king entrusted the prince with the future of the kingdom. (This implies deep trust and a solemn duty.)
- Formal and Legal Contexts: The word is often used in formal, business, or legal situations.
- The client entrusted the firm with a large sum of money for investment.
Variants and Related Words
- Entrustment (noun): The act of entrusting or the state of being entrusted.
- The entrustment of such sensitive data requires strict protocols.
- Trust (verb/noun): While "trust" is a broader term meaning to believe in someone's reliability, "entrust" specifically means to responsibility based on that trust.
Synonyms
- Delegate: To give part of one's work or power to someone else (often used for tasks/authority).
- Confide: To tell someone a secret or private matter while trusting them not to repeat it (often used for information/secrets).
- Commit: To give in charge or trust (can be used for abstract concepts like "commit one's soul to God").
Phrasal Verbs / Common Phrases
- To be entrusted with: This is the most common passive construction.
- She was entrusted with the key to the safe.
- Entrust to one's care: A formal phrase emphasizing protection.
- The precious artifact was entrusted to the museum's care.
Related Idioms
- To leave in someone's (capable) hands: An informal idiom similar in meaning to "entrust."
- I'm leaving the organization of the event in your capable hands.
Verb
- put into the care or protection of someone
- He left the decision to his deputy
- leave your child the nurse's care
- confer a trust upon
- The messenger was entrusted with the general's secret
- I commit my soul to God