B2 verb #43 الأكثر شيوعاً 2 دقيقة للقراءة

article

To sign a formal contract to work or train for someone for a specific time.

Explanation at your level:

This is a hard word. It means to sign a paper to work for someone for a long time.

You use this when someone signs a contract to learn a job from a master.

It describes a formal agreement. It is often used in history when talking about apprentices.

In law, it means to list items formally. It is a very formal verb, not used in daily talk.

The verb 'article' implies a legal commitment. It is distinct from 'hiring' because it implies a structured, often long-term, apprenticeship.

Etymologically, it connects to 'joint'. It denotes the formalization of duties into distinct sections. Rarely used outside of legal history.

الكلمة في 30 ثانية

  • Rare verb
  • Means to bind by contract
  • Legal/Historical context
  • Passive voice usage

When we use article as a verb, we are stepping into the world of formal agreements. It describes the process of binding someone by a written contract, which was historically common for apprentices learning a trade.

Think of it as a formal indenture. You aren't just starting a job; you are legally tethered to a master for a fixed period. In legal settings, it also means to break down a long list into specific, numbered points or charges.

The word stems from the Latin articulus, meaning a 'small joint' or 'part.' Over time, it evolved to describe individual items in a document, eventually becoming the 'articles' of a contract.

By the Middle Ages, it was used to describe the indentures signed by apprentices. It is fascinating how a word for a 'joint' in the body became a word for a 'joint' in a legal document!

You will rarely hear this as a verb in casual conversation. It is almost exclusively used in legal or historical contexts. You might see it in a sentence like 'The clerk was articled to the solicitor.'

Commonly, it appears in the passive voice. It is a very formal register, so avoid using it in everyday emails or chats.

While the verb form is specific, it relates to the noun 'article'. 1. Article of faith: A firm belief. 2. A tough article: A difficult person. 3. The genuine article: The real thing. 4. In the article of death: At the point of dying. 5. Articles of war: Military regulations.

As a verb, it follows regular patterns: article, articled, articled, articling. Pronunciation is ˈɑːrtɪkəl. Stress is on the first syllable. It rhymes with 'particle' and 'barbicle'.

Fun Fact

It once referred to the joints in a finger.

Pronunciation Guide

UK ˈɑːrtɪkəl

Clear 'ar' sound.

US ˈɑrtɪkəl

R-colored vowel.

Common Errors

  • Pronouncing it like 'artic-le'
  • Missing the middle syllable
  • Stress on second syllable

Rhymes With

particle barbicle tarticle

Difficulty Rating

القراءة 4/5

Formal

Writing 4/5

Formal

Speaking 5/5

Archaic

الاستماع 4/5

Formal

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

Contract Bind

Learn Next

Indenture Apprentice

متقدم

Solicitor

Grammar to Know

Passive Voice

He was articled.

Examples by Level

1

He was articled to a baker.

He signed a contract to learn baking.

Passive voice.

1

The law student was articled to a firm.

1

He served his time as an articled clerk.

1

The prosecutor articled the charges against the defendant.

1

The apprentice was articled for seven years.

1

The solicitor articled his son to the senior partner.

المرادفات

تلازمات شائعة

articled clerk
articled to a firm
articled for a period

Idioms & Expressions

"The genuine article"

The real thing

This watch is the genuine article.

casual

"A tough article"

A difficult person

Don't argue with him; he's a tough article.

casual

Easily Confused

article vs Articulate

Similar root

Articulate means to speak clearly.

He is articulate.

article vs Article (noun)

Same spelling

Noun is an object/writing.

Read the article.

Sentence Patterns

B2

Subject + was + articled + to + Person/Firm

He was articled to the firm.

عائلة الكلمة

Nouns

article A specific item or object

Verbs

articulate To speak clearly

Adjectives

articulate Clear in speech

مرتبط

articulation noun form of the verb

How to Use It

frequency

2

Formality Scale

Legal/Archaic Formal Neutral Casual

أخطاء شائعة

Using article as a verb in casual talk Use 'hired' or 'signed'
It sounds too legal/archaic.
Confusing it with the noun Check context
The verb is very rare.

Tips

💡

Passive Voice

It is almost always used in the passive.

💡

Read History

Find it in old books.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Art-i-cle: Art (skill) + i (I) + cle (clear). I learn a clear skill.

Visual Association

A quill pen signing a long scroll.

Word Web

Contract Apprentice Legal Indenture

تحدٍّ

Write a historical sentence using the word.

أصل الكلمة

Latin

Original meaning: Small joint

السياق الثقافي

None

Associated with Victorian-era legal practices.

Dickensian literature Historical legal dramas

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Legal History

  • Articled clerk
  • Under articles

Apprenticeship

  • Bound by articles

Conversation Starters

"Have you ever heard of an articled clerk?"

"Do you know the history of apprenticeships?"

Journal Prompts

Write a story about an apprentice in the 1800s.

الأسئلة الشائعة

8 أسئلة

Yes, but it is rare.

No, usually for apprenticeships.

The noun is, but the verb is different.

Yes, very.

Yes, 'articled'.

It would sound very strange.

Latin 'articulus'.

Rarely, mostly in historical contexts.

اختبر نفسك

fill blank A1

He was ___ to the law firm.

صحيح! ليس تمامًا. الإجابة الصحيحة: articled

Passive voice requires past participle.

multiple choice A2

What does it mean to article someone?

صحيح! ليس تمامًا. الإجابة الصحيحة: To bind by contract

It refers to a binding contract.

true false B1

The verb 'article' is common in casual speech.

صحيح! ليس تمامًا. الإجابة الصحيحة: خطأ

It is very formal.

match pairs B1

Word

المعنى

All matched!

Matches definition.

sentence order B2

انقر على الكلمات أدناه لبناء الجملة
صحيح! ليس تمامًا. الإجابة الصحيحة:

Standard passive structure.

النتيجة: /5

Related Content

مزيد من كلمات Language

abbreviate

C1

اختصار كلمة أو نص عن طريق حذف بعض الحروف. يتم ذلك غالباً لتوفير المساحة أو زيادة الكفاءة في الكتابة.

ablative

B2

A grammatical case used in certain languages, such as Latin, to indicate movement away from, the source, or the instrument of an action. In English, these meanings are typically expressed using prepositions like 'from', 'with', or 'by' rather than specific noun endings.

abphonure

C1

A technical term in linguistics and phonetics referring to the intentional or accidental distortion of speech sounds, leading to a loss of phonetic clarity or a shift in meaning. It is often used to describe the degradation of sound quality in specific acoustic environments or the stylistic blurring of words in poetry and song.

abregous

C1

To summarize or condense a complex argument, document, or process into its most essential components. This verb is typically used when the goal is to provide clarity or speed up decision-making without losing the core meaning.

abridge

C1

تقصير نص أو كتاب أو خطاب مع الحفاظ على المعنى الجوهري. يمكن أن تشير أيضاً إلى تقليص الحقوق أو الامتيازات.

accentuation

B2

The act of emphasizing something or making it more prominent and noticeable to the observer. It also refers to the placement of marks or stress on specific syllables in linguistics to indicate correct pronunciation.

acerbic

C1

أسلوب كلام أو كتابة لاذع وناقد. يستخدم الذكاء بطريقة لاذعة أو مؤذية.

acrimonious

C1

مليء بالغضب والمرارة، خاصة في الكلام أو العلاقات. يصف النزاعات العدائية.

acronym

B2

الاختصار هو كلمة تتكون من الحروف الأولى لاسم أو عبارة، وتُنطق ككلمة واحدة بدلاً من نطق كل حرف على حدة، مثل كلمة "يونيسف".

adage

C1

المثل هو قول مأثور وقصير يعبر عن حكمة أو حقيقة عامة توارثتها الأجيال بناءً على تجارب الحياة.

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