B2 verb #43 よく出る 2分で読める

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.

30秒でわかる単語

  • 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

読解 4/5

Formal

Writing 4/5

Formal

Speaking 5/5

Archaic

リスニング 4/5

Formal

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

Contract Bind

Learn Next

Indenture Apprentice

上級

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.

よく使う組み合わせ

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.

語族

Nouns

article A specific item or object

Verbs

articulate To speak clearly

Adjectives

articulate Clear in speech

関連

articulation noun form of the verb

How to Use It

frequency

2

Formality Scale

Legal/Archaic Formal Neutral Casual

よくある間違い

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

チャレンジ

Write a historical sentence using the word.

語源

Latin

Original meaning: Small joint

文化的な背景

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.

よくある質問

8 問

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.

自分をテスト

fill blank A1

He was ___ to the law firm.

正解! おしい! 正解: articled

Passive voice requires past participle.

multiple choice A2

What does it mean to article someone?

正解! おしい! 正解: To bind by contract

It refers to a binding contract.

true false B1

The verb 'article' is common in casual speech.

正解! おしい! 正解: 間違い

It is very formal.

match pairs B1

Word

意味

All matched!

Matches definition.

sentence order B2

下の単語をタップして文を組み立てよう
正解! おしい! 正解:

Standard passive structure.

スコア: /5

Related Content

Languageの関連語

abbreviate

C1

文字を省略して短くすること。スペースを節約したり、効率よく書いたりするために使われるよ。

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

本やスピーチなどの内容を、要点を守りつつ削って短くすること。権利などを制限するという意味で使われることもあるよ。

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

皮肉っぽく、批判的な話し方や書き方。鋭いユーモアがあるが、傷つけることもある。

acrimonious

C1

怒りや苦々しさに満ちていること。特に言葉遣いや人間関係において、敵意のこもった論争を指します。

acronym

B2

アクロニムとは、複数の単語の頭文字をつなげて作り、一つの単語として発音する省略語のことです。NASAなどがその代表例です。

adage

C1

昔からの言い伝えで、人生の教訓や真理を短くまとめた言葉のことだよ。

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