1.church的基本意思是“教堂”,指基督教徒做礼拜的场所，是可数名词。
2.church也可表示“礼拜,礼拜仪式”,其前通常不加冠词the,是不可数名词。
3.church也可表示与政权相对而言的“教权”。
4.church表示“教会,教派”时，首字母常大写。
5.church前加定冠词the，是指教堂建筑物本身或教会的神职工作或服务工作,即“神职”“牧师的职位”。
6.church在用于“去教堂做礼拜〔结婚〕”“在教堂做礼拜”时,是抽象名词,其前不加冠词; 表示“去教堂办事”时，则须加冠词。

as poor as a church mouse
赤贫的 very poor
He was as poor as a church mouse.他一贫如洗。
I don't know how they manage to bring up four children—they're as poor as church mice.我不知道他们如何设法养育4个孩子——他们一贫如洗。

at〔in〕 church
在教堂做礼拜 doing the religious services held in a church
Most villagers are now at church.现在村里大部分人都在做礼拜。
At church I listen to sermon.在教堂做礼拜时,我听讲道。
They're in church.他们在做礼拜。
He said that he had seen me in church yesterday.他说他昨天看见我在教堂做礼拜。
It is not considered correct for a man to wear a hat in church.男人在做礼拜时戴着帽子,一般认为是不对的。

go into the church
就圣职 become a priest
He decided to go into the church.他决定做牧师。
His mother wanted him to go into the church, but he went his own way and became a professional wrestler.他的母亲要他做牧师,但他一意孤行,成了一名职业的摔跤运动员。

The church is close to the shops.教堂离商店很近。
The church was decorated with flowers.教堂里装饰着鲜花。
The church was a quiet haven amidst the noise and bustle of the streets outside.在周围街道的熙攘喧嚣中,那座教堂却是一座宁静的安息所。
Our church held a fair to raise money for charity.我们教堂举办了一次义卖会为慈善事业筹款。
They designed the building to be a church.他们指定这座建筑为教堂。
Stained-glass windows ornament the church.彩色玻璃窗使教堂生辉。
She crossed herself as she left the church.她离开教堂时,在自己身上画十字。
There are three churches in this town.这座城里有三个教堂。
She lives in the second house after the church.她住在教堂后的第二所房子里。
You will find the shop you are looking for beside the church.你到教堂旁就可看见你要找的那个店铺。
They bought a new censer for the church.他们给那个教堂买了一个新香炉。
Commercial buildings are now beginning to dwarf the city churches.一幢幢商业大楼开始使城里的教堂显得矮小。
Church begins at nine o'clock.礼拜仪式9点开始。
Aaron never goes to church.艾伦从不去做礼拜。
Christians go to church every week.基督教徒每周做礼拜。
He studies for the Church.他为准备担任神职而学习。
By his donation the church was able to build a new Sunday School.靠了他的捐助,教会才修建了一所新的主日学校。
The old man has one son in the medical profession and another in the church.那位老人有一个儿子在医务界,另一个儿子在宗教界。
She forsook her worldly possessions to devote herself to the church.她抛弃世上的财物而献身教会。
The church women are forming a benevolent society.教会妇女在组织一个慈善协会。
Which Church do you belong to?你属于哪一教派?

go to church, go to the church
前者church前无冠词,是不可数名词,可指去教堂做礼拜或结婚；如另有目的,则需用后者,这时church是可数名词,表示建筑物。试比较:
He goes to church every Sunday.
他每周日去教堂做礼拜。
He went to the church to look for his wife.
他去教堂找他老婆。

［同义词］   abbey, cathedral, chapel, sanctuary
［词源］  ＜古英语cirice(上帝的住所)