token

Word family

Related topics: Technology

to·ken1 /ˈtəʊkən $ ˈtoʊ-/ noun [countableC]

1. Ta round piece of metal that you use instead of money in some machines 〔在某些机器上用来代替钱的〕金属代币

2 formalREPRESENT something that represents a feeling, fact, event etc 象征，标志

a token of your gratitude/respect/appreciation etc

Please accept this gift as a small token of our appreciation.

区区薄礼，略表谢意，还请笑纳。

→ by the same token at same1(8)

3 book/record/gift token British EnglishBrEBBT a special piece of paper that you can exchange for a book, record etc in a shop 〔商店的〕购书礼券/唱片礼券/礼品券 SYN American English gift certificate

a £10 book token

一张10英镑的购书券

Examples from the Corpus

book/record/gift token• A £10 book token will be awarded to the sender of the first correct solution opened on Thursday 7 March.

Examples from the Corpus

token• There will be another token tomorrow to complete your voucher.• Sheaths were often lovingly carved and given as love tokens or dowry gifts.• By the same token, big manufacturers are often shareholders in their chosen bank.• By the same token, cinemas had no operators, and so few halls remained open.• By the same token, it has not been a triumph for the Tory Party.• a subway token• But I restrained the impulse, for it is as well to eke out such tokens of our goodwill as we possess.• Ten tokens meant a bike ride round the park with one of his parents.• The service returns the tokens to the customer with an explanation.

a token of your gratitude/respect/appreciation etc• Chief, I just offered you a token of my appreciation.

token2 adjectiveadj [only before noun]

1 PRETENDa token action, change etc is small and not very important, and is usually only done so that someone can pretend that they are dealing with a problem 〔行为、变化等〕装样子的，装模作样的

The government thinks it can get away with token gestures on environmental issues.

政府以为它在环境问题上做个样子就能敷衍过去。

2. token woman/black etc someone who is included in a group to make everyone think that the group has all types of people in it, when this is not really true 〔吸收进某团体以示平等的〕象征性女性/黑人等

Examples from the Corpus

token woman/black etc• We shouldn't accept the analysis of the token woman.• You have to be both token woman and superwoman to come anywhere near a shortlist that disenfranchises most of the male population.

3 START DOING somethingdone as a first sign that an agreement, promise etc will be kept and that more will be done later 象征性的〔指为了表示守信而做，并将会做得更多〕

A small token payment will keep the bank happy.

象征性地付点钱，银行就会满意了。

Examples from the Corpus

token• Before that year, he had given only token amounts to the party and its candidates.• Both sides agreed to a few token compromises.• Along the way, it effectively preempted the problem of needing to take on token individuals to comply with government mandates.• Arafat won the presidency, with only token opposition.• Female psychologists may themselves use their token status in a restricting way.• You have to be both token woman and superwoman to come anywhere near a shortlist that disenfranchises most of the male population.• We shouldn't accept the analysis of the token woman.

From Longman Business Dictionary

tokento·ken1 /ˈtəʊkənˈtoʊ-/ noun [countableC]

a piece of paper, card, plastic etc that can be exchanged for goods

Collect eight of these tokens and send off for a free recipe book.

→ book token → gift token

tokentoken2 adjectiveadj [only before a noun]

done or given only as a small sign of something larger or more important

a token cut in interest rates

There is a token charge (=a small charge that does not cover the actual cost of something) for the use of the database.

The players were amateurs and received only a token payment plus expenses.

Origin token1

Old English tacen, tacn “sign, token”