(1)足够(量)的，充分的(fully sufficient for the purpose)[A(to/for)]：My wages are/$10 a week is～to support a family.我的工资/每周10美元足够养活一家人。My earnings are/salary is～to (for) my needs.我的收入/薪水足可满足我的需要。There were～food for our needs 有足够的食物可满足我们的需要。The supply is not～to the demand.供不应求。take～food for a holiday 带足够的食物去度假;have～ground for a divorce 有足够的离婚理由;have no～proof 没有足够的证据;take～precautions 采取足够的预防措施;receive an～salary 得到足够的薪水;a country with～rainfall 雨水充足的国家;There was～rain and snow.有足够的雨和雪。〖同〗sufficient，enough;〖反〗insufficient，inadequate;

(2)刚够(量)的(only just sufficient)：have～food but none to waste 食物刚够，不可浪费;

(3)足够好的，适合的(fully suitable)[A(to)]：He proved～to the job.他表明是胜任这项工作的。His abilities were not～to the demands and responsibilities of his position.他的能力不足以适应所担职务的要求和责任。Roads should be～to traffic.道路应该符合交通的要求。Their accommodation was barely～.他们的膳宿尚可。think of an～answer 想出一个合适的答案来;do some～research 进行某种像样的研究;an～diet 像样的饮食;〖同〗satisfactory，suitable;〖反〗inadequate，unsatisfactory，unsuitable;

(4)刚好的，尚可的(only just suitable，but not really good)：Our hotel room wasn't luxurious，but it was～.我们旅馆的房间不豪华，但还可以。give only an～performance 只进行了凑凑乎乎的表演;〖同〗passable;

→′adequately adv 充分地，很好地;′adequateness n 充分，胜任;′adequacy n 充分，胜任;

【用法】 1)其后一般接介词to，偶尔可用for; 2)因adequate意为just sufficient，所以不可说adequate enough或more adequate，但可说：The time for the work is more than adequate.(干这工作的时间绰绰有余。)

【辨异】adequate指在数量上或质量上符合某一标准和需求;enough和sufficient则强调在数(份)量上足够，两者语义相当，但sufficient多用于正式语体，enough则无此限制，且还可以单独置于名词之后。