1. 充分的，足够的　sufficient
2. 适当的，胜任的　 having the necessary ability or qualities

　～ measures　适当的措施
　～ precautions　适当的预防措施
　～ rain　充足的降雨
　～ for solving the problem　足以解决问题
　～ to the demand　能够满足需要
　～ to the occasion　合时宜
　～ to the work　胜任这项工作

　There was adequate rain and snow last winter.　去年冬天雨雪充足。
　You ought to take adequate measures.　你应该采取适当的措施。
　They had money adequate for the cost of the journey.　他们的钱足够这次旅行的费用。
　We found a solution adequate to the problem.　我们找到了解决这个问题的适当方法。
　The council's provision for the elderly is barely adequate.　理事会对老年人的条款规定不充分。
　Is your time adequate for it?　你有足够的时间做此事吗?
　The food is adequate for all of us.　这些食物足够我们大家吃的。
　This is adequate for the purpose.　这足以达到目的。
　His knowledge of French was adequate for the job although he was not fluent in the language.　他的法语虽不流利，倒也足够其工作之需。
　Sometimes simple language alone is not adequate for expressing emotions; therefore, rhetoric devices are needed.　有时单凭简单的语言无法充分表达情感，所以要运用修辞手段。
　The supply is not adequate to the demand.　供不应求。
　The means is not adequate to the end.　用这种方法不能达到目的。
　Though a bit too old, he is still adequate to the work.　虽然他年纪大了点，却仍能胜任这项工作。
　My salary is not adequate to support our family.　我的薪水不够维持一家的生活。
　Our science and engineering are not adequate to meet that challenge.　我们的科学和工程学是不足以迎接那种挑战的。

 ♣ adequate, ample, enough, sufficient
　这组词都有“足够的”意思。其区别在于：
1. enough为一般用语，有时可与adequate互换。enough常用来表示数量或程度，不宜用于表示性质、质量；而adequate既可用于描述数量或程度，也可用于描述性质、质量。
2. adequate表示“仅够满足”“恰好满足”; enough和sufficient还可表示足够满足；而ample表示充足而有余，即ample>sufficient>enough>adequate.
3. sufficient与enough同义，确切程度比enough大，前者多用于需要的满足，后者则多用于欲望的满足；前者多用于书面语，后者多用于口语。

　adequate　本意就表示“足够的，充足的”，因此不可以说adequate enough或more adequate. 如果为了加强语气，则应该说more than adequate.

　［派生词］ adequately adv.充分地‖adequacy n.充足
　［同义词］ enough, fitting, sufficient, suitable
　［反义词］ inadequate, not enough, unsuit-able
　［词源］拉丁语adaequatus（足够的，恰当的）