用法学习: 1. to have egg on your face = have egg all over one's face 显得傻, 丢人, 丢脸, 尴尬 If someone has egg on their face or has egg all over their face, they have been made to look foolish. If you have egg on your face, you look stupid because of something that you have done: This latest scandal has left the government with egg on its face. If they take this game lightly they could end up with egg on their faces. with egg on one's face appearing foolish usually because something one said would happen has not happened The unexpected election result left a lot of journalists with egg on their faces. scallywag = US usually scalawag [ˈskalɪwaɡ] 淘气包, 坏孩子 I. [informal, old-fashioned] a person, typically a child, who behaves badly but in an amusingly mischievous rather than harmful way; a rascal. someone, especially a child, who has behaved badly but who is still liked. If you call someone a scallywag, you mean that they behave badly but you like them, so you find it difficult to be really angry with them. It's his idea of a joke, I suppose, the scallywag. "that scallywag of a son of yours". II. US English a white Southerner who collaborated with northern Republicans during the post-Civil War reconstruction period. Wikipedia: In United States history, scalawag (sometimes spelled scallawag or scallywag) was a pejorative slur that referred to white Southerners who supported Reconstruction policies and efforts after the conclusion of the American Civil War. As with the term carpetbagger, the word has a long history of use as a slur in Southern partisan debates. The post-Civil War opponents of the scalawags claimed they were disloyal to traditional values and white supremacy. Scalawags were particularly hated by 1860s–1870s Southern Democrats, who called Scalawags traitors to their region, which was long known for its widespread chattel slavery of Black people. Before the American Civil War, most Scalawags had opposed southern states' declared secession from the United States to form the Confederate States of America. The term is commonly used in historical studies as a descriptor of Reconstruction Era, Southern white Republicans, although some historians have discarded the term due to its history of pejorative use. 2. Turducken 火鸭鸡(三鸟烤) is a dish associated with Louisiana, consisting of a deboned chicken stuffed (shovel) into a deboned 去骨头的 duck, further stuffed into a deboned turkey. Outside North America it is known as a three-bird roast. Gooducken is an English variant, replacing turkey with goose. The term turducken is a portmanteau of turkey, duck, and chicken. The dish is a form of engastration, which is a recipe method in which one animal is stuffed inside the gastric passage of another—twofold in this instance. 雪堆: Snowdrift - a large pile of snow formed by the wind. a hill of snow created by the wind: There were some snowdrifts as high as twenty feet. After the blizzard, there were large snowdrifts blocking the road. pile of snow = snow pile = snowbank: A snowbank is a mound or pile of snow, often formed by wind blowing snow into drifts or from snow plowed/shoveled off roads and sidewalks, acting as a barrier or accumulation point, and can refer to a physical accumulation or even a cryptocurrency. The children played on a big pile of snow near the parking lot. He shoveled the snow into a snow pile at the edge of the yard. 3. Despite having to work from a position of antipathy [anˈtɪpəθi] 不被接受 不待见, 不喜欢 ( a feeling of strong dislike, opposition, or anger. strong dislike or opposition: His letters show a deep and intense antipathy toward workers. Despite the deep antipathies between them, the two sides have managed to negotiate an agreement. Declarations of racial antipathy against ethnic minorities will not be tolerated. He is a private man with a deep antipathyto/towards the press. Antipathy is a strong feeling of dislike or hostility towards someone or something. She'd often spoken of her antipathy towards London. ), constrained by his own former words, in Washington, and amid ceaseless carping from ( carp 发牢骚, 抱怨 to complain about unimportant matters. to complain all the time about matters that are not important: However much people carp about junk mail, many of them read it. I can't stand the way he's always carping. ) the opposition and sections of the media at home, Rudd has left the bilateral relationship between the US and Australia in good shape. machismo [məˈtʃɪz.məʊ] 男子汉气概 often disapproving male behaviour that is strong and forceful, and shows very traditional ideas about how men and women should behave. strong pride in behaving in a way that is thought to be typically male, esp. by showing strength and power. Trump will go to China possibly still flushed with the sort of "greatest power on earth" machismo he demonstrated in the press conference after the US military raid that seized the head of another sovereign state, Venezuela. 4. Theocracy [θiˈɒkrəsi] or ethiocracy 神权政治 is a form of autocracy 独裁, 专制, 专政 or oligarchy 寡头政治 in which one or more deities are recognized as supreme ruling authorities giving divine guidance to human intermediaries with executive, legislative or judicial power who manage the government's daily affairs. theocratic [θɪəˈkratɪk] 神权政治 relating to or denoting a system of government in which priests rule in the name of God or a god. "a theocratic state". Iranians are increasingly angry about the country's economy and alleged corruption and mismanagement from its theocratic government. 4. Havana Syndrome: Some current and former CIA officers have raised concerns that the agency soft-pedaled ( soft pedal 软处理, 冷处理 noun. a pedal on a piano that can be pressed to make the tone softer. the part on a piano that you press with your foot in order to make the notes sound quieter: The soft pedal was fully engaged, creating a hushed sound. This section was too loud - it seemed as if the soft pedal wasn't used as marked. verb. refrain from emphasizing the more unpleasant aspects of; play down. to make something seem less important or less bad than it really is. to treat something unpleasant as less important, because you want to avoid angering or hurting people: The movie soft-pedals the more sensational aspects of his life. This is a sensitive issue - I think we'd better soft-pedal it for the moment. "the administration's decision to soft-pedal the missile program". If you soft-pedal something, you deliberately reduce the amount of activity or pressure that you have been using to get something done or seen. He refused to soft-pedal an investigation into the scandal. ) its investigation, CNN has previously reported. The acquisition of the device has reignited a painful and contentious debate within the US government about Havana Syndrome, known officially as "anomalous ( anomalous [əˈnɒmələs] 不正常的, 异类的, 异样的, 异常的 (anomaly) adj. deviating from what is standard, normal, or expected. different from what is usual, or not in agreement with something else and therefore not satisfactory: In a multicultural society is it not anomalous to have a blasphemy law that only protects one religious faith? The experiment yielded anomalous results. "an anomalous situation". ) health episodes." 5. spindrift 扬雪 small drops of water or snow, or small pieces of sand, carried in the wind: You can see snow whipping off the far mountain peaks as spindrift. At the pier the wind was gusting to sixty or seventy knots with spindrift flying everywhere. To stand still in the cold was generous. To talk while icy spindrift 扬雪 needled her legs and snow smothered her head was a sign of just how worried people here are about Trump's rhetoric. subfreezing 零下的 adj. being or marked by temperature below the freezing point (as of water). Colder than the freezing point of water; below zero degrees Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The arctic cold front brought subfreezing temperatures, snow, freezing rain and treacherous driving conditions. subfreezing weather. menorah [mɪˈnɔːrə] 犹太烛台 ( candelabrum [kandɪˈlɑːbrəm] pl: candelabra: 装饰性烛台(一般可以放多个蜡烛). a type of candlestick which has multiple branches to hold several candles as opposed to only one. "Candelabra" can be used to describe a variety of candle holders including chandeliers. However, candelabra can also be distinguished as branched candle holders that are placed on a surface such as the floor, stand, or tabletop. The chandeliers, on the other hand, are hung from the ceiling. A candlestick (or candleholder) 烛台 is a device used to hold a candle upright in place. Most candlesticks have a cup, a spike (called a "pricket"), or both to secure the candle. Before the widespread adoption of electricity, candles were carried between rooms using a chamberstick—a short candlestick with a pan to catch dripping wax 蜡油. Although electric lighting has largely replaced candles in daily use, candlesticks and candelabras remain common as decorative objects or for creating ambience during special occasions such as dinners, religious ceremonies, and commemorations.) I. a candelabrum used in Jewish worship, especially one with eight branches and a central socket used at Hanukkah. a candelabra with seven or nine lights that is used in Jewish worship. a base with seven branches for holding candles that is a symbol of the Jewish people, or one with nine branches used during the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah. II. a sacred candelabrum with seven branches used in the ancient temple in Jerusalem. Last week it moved a giant menorah commissioned by the council as part of Hanukkah celebrations from Dover Heights to Archer Park, where the targeted Jewish celebration took place on December 14. The sculpture by artist Joel Adler serves as a memorial to the 15 innocent lives taken until something permanent can be agreed upon. The timeline for consultation is yet to be worked out, but the process is expected to be slow. 6. Trump administration pauses immigrant visa processing for 75 countries: "The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge ( "Public charge" refers to a U.S. immigration rule assessing if a visa or green card applicant is likely to become primarily dependent on the government for subsistence, using factors like age, health, income, and skills, with stricter 2025 guidance expanding considered conditions and family factors, potentially impacting processing for many countries. While defined by cash assistance (SSI, TANF) and long-term institutional care as primary indicators, recent State Dept. guidance broadens negative health conditions (diabetes, asthma, etc.) and family health, creating uncertainty and leading to temporary processing suspensions for some nations. ) on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people," said Tommy Pigott, Principal Deputy spokesperson for the US State Department. The department, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will pause the visa processing while it reassesses its procedures "to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits", Piggott added. According to the Associated Press, the State Department has instructed consular officers to halt immigrant visa applications from the affected countries. But the suspension will not apply to non-immigrant, temporary tourist, or business visas. 7. go/turn green 脸色苍白, 脸色不好 to look pale and ill as if you are going to vomit. frazzled [ˈfraz(ə)ld] (Uneasy. Nervous) 累瘫的, 精疲力尽, 精疲力竭, 疲惫不堪 adj. I. showing the effects of exhaustion or strain. If you are frazzled, or if your nerves are frazzled, you feel mentally and physically exhausted. worn-out; fatigued. a party that left us frazzled. ...a place to calm the most frazzled tourist. I need to rest my frazzled nerves. "a long line of a screaming children and frazzled parents". II. damaged by burning or exposure to heat. "a leave-in conditioner for repairing frazzled 毛草草的, 毛躁躁的 hair". ashen [ˈæʃ.ən] 脸色不好的, 脸色苍白, 面色苍白的, 面无血色的 adj. without colour, or pale grey in colour. (of a person's face) looking pale and gray from illness, shock, or fear. Someone who is ashen looks very pale, especially because they are ill, shocked, or frightened. He was ashen and trembling. He fell back, shocked, his face ashen. ashen-faced. Julie walked in, ashen-faced with shock. She was thin and her face was ashen. His & Hers: Right now, anesthetic's numbing the pain, but the root's fractured. That's causing an infection. Two options. One, antibiotics. Maybe save the tooth. Two, pull it. If it were me, I'd pull it, but I wouldn't have gone a year between appointments 我不会一年不来的. Give me the pills. politicking [pɒlɪtɪkɪŋ] 政治化操作, 政治化行为 [disapproval] If you describe someone's political activity as politicking, you think that they are engaged in it to gain votes or personal advantage for themselves. The act of engaging in politics, or in political campaigning. The politicking at Westminster is extremely intense. the action or practice of engaging in political activity. "news of this unseemly politicking invariably leaks into the press". 8. stalking horse I. 幌子 a false pretext concealing someone's real intentions. If you describe something as a stalking horse, you mean that it is being used to obtain a temporary advantage so that someone can get what they really want. I think the development is a stalking horse for exploitation of the surrounding countryside. "you have used me simply as a stalking horse for some of your more outrageous views". II. a screen traditionally made in the shape of a horse behind which a hunter can stay concealed when stalking prey. III. 打前哨的人. 打前站的政客. 诱饵. In politics, a stalking horse is someone who runs against a leader in order to see how strong the opposition is. The stalking horse then withdraws in favor of a stronger challenger. in politics, someone who competes for a position that they have no chance of winning, in order to divide the opposition to a particular group or to take attention away from another person who that group really wants to win. The possibility of another stalking horse challenge this fall cannot be ruled out. IV. A stalking horse is a figure used to test a concept or mount a challenge on behalf of a third party. If the idea proves viable or popular, the third party can then declare its interest and advance the concept with little risk of failure. If the concept fails, the third party will not be tainted by association with the failed concept and can either drop the idea completely or bide its time and wait until a better moment to launch an attack. The relationship between the stalking horse and third party is usually, but not always, hidden from the public. In many cases, the scheme is one-sided, with only one party aware of the arrangement. 9. bump and grind 搔首弄姿, 摇头摆尾, 摇臀, 电臀舞蹈 I. (idiomatic) A sexually suggestive dance involving exaggerated hip movements, especially a striptease dance. A dance characterized by aggressive and overtly sexualized hip movements, either by a single dancer or between two dance partners. It was a little disconcerting to see teenagers doing the bump and grind at the prom. Your mom was a good girl in high school, unlike me. She probably didn't even know what the bump and grind was! A: "Any boy who wants to do the bump and grind with you at the dance only has one thing on his mind—and I think you know what that one thing is!" B: "OK, Mom, relax." II. (by extension) A combination of movements resembling such a dance, as in road racing, whitewater kayaking, or exercising; any activity involving prolonged jarring or shaking. Any series or combination of rough, jarring movements, especially as in whitewater kayaking or road racing. The bump and grind through those last rapids 湍流 gave me a headache! I hope you have a tight grip on the wheel because it looks like we're coming up to a real bump and grind! She's still a novice, so I was impressed with how well she handled the bump and grind of that track. verb. To dance in a manner characterized by aggressive and overtly sexualized hip movements, either by a single dancer or between two dance partners. It was a little disconcerting to see teenagers bumping and grinding at the prom. Girl, it's a club. Why are you surprised that people are bumping and grinding here? Get off of me, creep! I don't want to bump and grind with you! II. To perform any series or combination of rough, jarring movements, especially as in whitewater kayaking or road racing. We're going to have to bump and grind through this next section of the river. Can't we just paddle around a calm lake for once? I'm sick of bumping and grinding every time we go out. This stretch of highway isn't exactly smooth, so get ready to bump and grind through it. Jean shorts or jorts 牛仔短裤 are shorts made out of denim. They may be cutoffs, which are made by cutting jeans, or store-bought jorts. The word "jorts" sometimes refers specifically to oversized denim shorts popularly worn by men. The word is often used humorously, and the style has been associated with uncool or "dad" fashion. 10. industrious 辛勤的, 勤勉的, 勤勤恳恳的 diligent and hard-working. someone who works hard, diligently, and persistently, showing a strong work ethic and focus to achieve goals, meaning they are energetic, dedicated, and not lazy in their tasks or endeavors. It's a positive trait linked to being industriousness, suggesting a conscientious and committed approach to work or projects, often involving consistent effort. "an industrious people striving to make their country prosperous". 11. gazump [ɡəˈzʌmp] 截胡 I. informal British English make a higher offer for a house than (someone whose offer has already been accepted by the seller) and thus succeed in acquiring the property. to refuse to sell a house that you own to someone you have agreed to sell it to, and to sell it instead to someone who offers to pay more for it: Sally's offer for the house has been accepted, but she's worried she might be gazumped."the trio are fuming after they were gazumped by a property speculator". Brazil beats Australia to the punch in delivering its own China market quota management plan - BRAZIL has evidently gazumped discussions in Australia to establish a self-managed China quota management plan, designed to avoid triggering China's recently-imposed 55 percent tariff on out-of-quota exports for the next three years. II. swindle (someone). "I gazumped a friend of mine with complete success last night". kiln [kɪln] 土窑 a type of large oven used for making bricks and clay objects hard after they have been shaped. a type of large oven (= box in which things are cooked or heated) used for making bricks and clay objects hard after they have been shaped. 12. suave [swɑːv] 彬彬有礼的 adj. charming, confident, and elegant, though possibly insincere (typically used of a man). A suave man is very polite, pleasant, and usually attractive, often in a way that is slightly false: He's very suave and sophisticated. "all the waiters were suave and deferential". deferential [ˌdɛfəˈrɛnʃl] 尊敬有嘉的 adj. showing deference; respectful. polite and showing respect: She is always extremely deferential towards anyone in authority. "people were always deferential to him". They like five-star hotels and deferential treatment. We have become less deferential to authority. The old man spoke deferentially. self-absorbed 自以为是的, 以自我为中心的, 自我的 [ˌsɛlfəbˈzɔːbd] adj. preoccupied with one's own feelings, interests, or situation. only interested in yourself and your own activities. Someone who is self-absorbed thinks so much about things concerning themselves that they do not notice other people or the things around them. They would think he was distant or self-absorbed. "they are too self-absorbed to listen carefully to others". spike I. 拒绝出版. 拒绝发表. to decide not to publish an article in a newspaper: The story was deemed too controversial and so they spiked 打回, 没过审 it. '60 Minutes' is set to finally air the shelved 'Inside CECOT' segment tonight: As Alfonsi wrote in her Dec. 21 internal memo claiming 'corporate censorship," the piece had been fact-checked and legally vetted; it had even been shipped off to the Canadian network that re-airs "60 Minutes," which is how a bootlegged copy got online, further embarrassing CBS. The process to get to this point has been exasperating. After all, the other people involved in the production thought the piece was done before Christmas. Weiss said she would personally book an interview, two sources told CNN. So "60 Minutes" producers flew to DC from New York, and Alfonsi flew in from Texas. But the promised interview did not materialize. Everyone went home empty-handed. It's understandable where Weiss was coming from. As news chief, she was trying to ensure that CBS had exhausted every avenue for comment from the Trump administration. Alfonsi had warned about this in her December memo: "Their refusal to be interviewed is a tactical maneuver designed to kill the story. If the administration's refusal to participate becomes a valid reason to spike a story, we have effectively handed them a 'kill switch' for any reporting they find inconvenient." I first heard about the DC trip when I asked around about the status of "Inside CECOT" last Thursday night. I was told in no uncertain terms that the piece was not airing this Sunday. "They keep making excuses" to hold the story, a person supporting Alfonsi said. Others dispute that. On Friday morning, two other sources said management was prioritizing a more timely 符合时宜的, 更时间相关的 story about ICE and Minneapolis for this Sunday's broadcast. I was about to report all of this in Friday morning's Reliable Sources newsletter when I got a call saying that something had changed. "Inside CECOT" was back in play for Sunday. II. 调味. to make a drink stronger by adding alcohol, or to add flavour or interest to something. spike someone's drink She claimed that someone had spiked her drink with whisky. (be) spiked with The pasta was served in a cream sauce spiked with black pepper. His writing is spiked with humour. III. 下药. to put a drug in someone's drink to make them unconscious, extremely tired, or unable to function normally. spike a drink The sedative has been used to spike drinks. be spiked I realized I'd been spiked. IV. to inject a drug into someone's body (= put it in using a needle) to make them unconscious, extremely tired, or unable to function normally: She ended up in hospital after being spiked with a needle in a nightclub. V. 扣球. in the sport of volleyball, to hit the ball so that it goes almost straight down on the other side of the net: He spiked within the 10 foot line - amazing. VI. in the sport of American football, to throw the ball straight down to the ground, especially after scoring a touchdown (= carrying or throwing the ball over the other team's goal line): He never spiked the ball after a touchdown, choosing to hand it to the official. He would always hand the ball to teammates to spike after his touchdowns. VII. 针刺. to push a sharp point into something or someone: She got badly spiked when one of the runners trod on her heel. VIII. to rise to a higher amount, price, or level, usually before going down again: spike to 激增, 升高, 陡升 The jobless rate in October spiked to a five-year high. 13. recourse 做法, 做事方法, 途径, 办法, 选项 I. The act or an instance of turning or applying to a person or thing for aid or security. a way of dealing with a difficult or unpleasant situation: If the company won't pay me, the only recourse left to me is to sue them. have recourse to the courts. II. 求助对象. 求援. 依靠. 依赖. One that is turned or applied to for aid or security. using something or someone as a way of getting help, especially in a difficult or dangerous situation. help, usually in the form of an official system or process, for someone in a difficult situation: a recourse for sb The Ombudsman is a recourse for homeowners who feel let down by their estate agent. At present, older workers have no legal recourse if they think they have suffered age discrimination. have recourse to sth Not everyone has recourse to expensive professional advice. sb's (only) recourse is to do sth Their only recourse is to file for an appeal before an administrative law judge. without/with no recourse to 求助于 We should be able to resolve these types of disputes without recourse to a public inquiry. provide/seek recourse The Patients' Bill of Rights provides recourse for patients wishing to sue for damages. It is hoped that the dispute will be settled without recourse to litigation. His only recourse was the police. have recourse to something to be able to use something for help; to be able to fall back on something. You will always have recourse to the money your grandfather left you. You will not have recourse to that money until you are over 21 years of age. Trump has repeatedly argued that Denmark did not have the capacity to protect Greenland from the likes of Russia and China. He has not ruled out taking the territory by force, but his administration has said its first recourse was to purchase the territory. III. the legal right of a lender to take assets belonging to the borrower in addition to the asset used to guarantee the loan, if the loan is not repaid. the legal right to demand payment from someone who has signed a cheque or bill of exchange if the money is not paid on the agreed date: The holder of the bill of exchange uses his or her right of recourse and submits the bill of exchange to someone connected with it. In a loan sale, a bank makes a loan and then sells the loan, without recourse, to a third party. a recourse agreement/loan/debt. non-recourse = nonrecourse used to describe a loan in which the lender has the right to take only the asset bought with the loan if it is not paid back, and does not have the right to take any other assets: non-recourse debt/loan/mortgage. They financed the $1.2 million purchase with a non-recourse loan. 14. bully pulpit [ˈbʊli pʊlpɪt] 主席讲台 noun. a public office or position of authority that provides its occupant with an opportunity to speak out on any issue. an important public position from which a person can let other people know his or her opinions on particular subjects: He intends to use his bully pulpit as state superintendent to bring attention to the issue. Over and over, he made use of the bully pulpit of the presidency, telling Americans he was doing the job they had elected him to do. "he could use the presidency as a bully pulpit to bring out the best in civic life". This is an opportunity to use what they call the bully pulpit to get in front of audiences to shape the political narrative, to shape this meaning in a way that aligns with the administration. note: pulpit is a raised platform in a church for sermons, but the term also refers to the popular Pulpit Rock lookout in Australia's Blue Mountains, known for stunning valley views and hiking. It can also metaphorically describe any platform for powerful speaking or preaching, from religious sermons to non-religious exhortations. Usage Note: A "bully pulpit" is a conspicuous position that provides an opportunity to speak out and be listened to. This term was coined by United States President Theodore Roosevelt, who referred to his office as a "bully pulpit", by which he meant a terrific platform from which to advocate an agenda. Roosevelt used the word bully as an adjective meaning "superb" or "wonderful", a more common usage at that time. 15. levity [ˈlev.ə.ti] 不严谨, 不认真, 不尊重, 不当回事, 戏谑, 轻佻, 轻松, 欢乐 ( frivolity; flippancy) noun. lack of respect or seriousness when you are dealing with something serious. humour or lack of seriousness, especially during a serious occasion. amusement or lack of seriousness. Levity is behaviour that shows a tendency to treat serious matters in a non-serious way. A lightness of manner or speech, frivolity; flippancy; a lack of appropriate seriousness; an inclination to make a joke of serious matters. At the time, Arnold had disapproved of such levity. a moment of levity. a brief moment of levity amid the solemn proceedings. There are going to be some folks who absolutely want to participate in all the historical, retrospective activities. There are other folks who want to focus on the fireworks and the [2026 FIFA] World Cup and all the kind of levity that comes with that. We are absolutely in sync and rowing in the same direction on how that's going to be implemented. tent pole = tentpole 大制作, 非常成功的电影, 造钱机, 摇钱树似的电影 informal US English I. a film that is expected to be very successful and so able to fund a range of related products or films. a film, event, business activity, etc. that is expected to make a lot of money, and also to help persuade people to spend money on products connected with it: The studio found itself in need of a summer tentpole. Armageddon was a successful tentpole in 1998. "this year's big tent-pole movie". a tentpole film, event, business activity, etc. is one that is expected to make a lot of money, and also to help persuade people to spend money on products connected with it: This is the time of the year that studios release their tentpole movie. Production costs for tentpole pictures now regularly exceed $100 million. II. a long pole that supports a tent and keeps it upright (= standing up): We stock both lightweight and traditional wooden tent poles. debase [dɪˈbeɪs] I. to make something less good or less valuable: Some argue that money has debased football. We debase language by using it inappropriately until it loses its meaning. ...the debasement of popular culture. II. to make someone morally worse or less deserving of respect: War debases those who take part in it. He would not debase himself by entering such a popularity contest. How ridiculous, what a debasement of American history, or our understanding of the American story and American patriotism. debase the coinage/currency 货币贬值 to lower the value of money, for instance by making metal coins from a less valuable substance, borrowing too much against the current value of that money, etc. : The only way out of this is to debase the currency. 16. prime the pump 刺激增长 stimulate the growth or success of something by supplying it with money. To prime the pump means to do something to encourage the success or
growth of something, especially the economy. To give something in order
to create the conditions where others will give in return. ...the use of tax money to prime the pump of the state's economy. "the money was intended to prime the community care pump". pump-priming 培植, 扶持, 扶植 the activity of helping a business, programme, economy, etc. to develop by giving it money. the process of investing money in order to encourage the development of a business, economy, etc. After three years of careful pump priming, the industry is now up and running. The government is awarding small, pump-priming grants to single mothers who are starting their own businesses. note: "Prime pump" refers to pump priming, the essential process of filling a pump's casing and suction line with liquid (usually water) to remove air before operation, preventing damage and allowing it to create suction for proper flow. smut [smʌt] 手抄本, 色情小抄本, 色情刊物, 色情书籍, 淫秽作品, 色情内容 SEXUAL MATERIAL I. disapproving pictures, writing, language, or performances that deal with sex and are offensive. magazines, books, pictures, films or jokes that offend some people because they relate to sex: There's an awful lot of smut on television these days. It started as fan-fiction smut. Now everyone is talking about TV drama Heated Rivalry："I write sexually explicit queer romance novels about hockey players. You probably know this, but I'm saying it because it's something that I don't feel comfortable telling everyone." Rachel Reid wrote those words on her blog four months ago. Now, the adaptation of her self-described "smut" is the most talked-about show on TV: Heated Rivalry. Its stars have appeared at the Golden Globes, on major late-night talk shows and podcasts, and in a seemingly unending stream of social media fan edits - leaving Reid nowhere to hide. "I thought they were unadaptable (adapation改编)," Reid says frankly of her books, which she first published anonymously online, disguised as fan fiction. II. dirt or ash (= powder left when something has burned) that makes a mark on something. III. a plant disease that mainly affects grasses such as wheat Smut was destroying many of the crops. Some smuts can cause significant yield losses. note 玉米黑穗菌, 玉米乌米、玉米蘑菇或墨西哥松露(Necrosis [nəˈkrəʊ.sɪs, nekˈroʊ.sɪs] 坏死病, 坏疽 Necrosis is the death of part of someone's body, for example because it is not getting enough blood. ...liver necrosis. Anthracnose 植物坏死病(叶子上有黑斑) is a common, destructive group of fungal diseases caused by Colletotrichum species, affecting a wide range of plants like trees, turf, fruits (mangoes, avocados, beans), and ornamentals, causing dark spots, blights, and leaf drop, especially in warm, humid, wet conditions. It spreads via water, wind, and contaminated tools, attacking leaves, stems, roots, or fruit, and is managed with good sanitation, proper watering (avoiding overhead), air circulation, fungicides, and removing infected plant parts to prevent severe damage. Plant blight is a rapid, destructive disease (fungal, bacterial, or water mold) causing quick browning, wilting, and death of plant tissues like leaves, stems, and fruit, appearing as burnt or necrotic areas, often in warm, humid conditions, with common types including Late Blight (potatoes/tomatoes) and Fire Blight (pome fruits). Prevention focuses on airflow (pruning, spacing), watering in mornings, keeping foliage dry, and removing infected parts, while treatments involve copper sprays or fungicides, though some blights are difficult to control. ): The smuts are multicellular fungi characterized by their large numbers of teliospores. The smuts get their name from a Germanic word for 'dirt' because of their dark, thick-walled, and dust-like teliospores. They are mostly Ustilaginomycetes (phylum Basidiomycota) and comprise seven of the 15 orders of the subphylum. Most described smuts belong to two orders, Ustilaginales and Tilletiales. The smuts are normally grouped with the other basidiomycetes because of their commonalities concerning sexual reproduction. They can cause plant disease and can infect a broad range of hosts in several monocot and dicot plant families. Smuts are cereal and crop pathogens that most notably affect members of the grass family (Poaceae) and sedges (Cyperaceae). Economically important hosts include maize, barley, wheat, oats, sugarcane, and forage grasses. They eventually hijack the plants' reproductive systems, forming galls which darken and burst, releasing fungal teliospores which infect other plants nearby. Before infection can occur, the smuts need to undergo a successful mating to form dikaryotic hyphae (two haploid cells fuse to form a dikaryon). Corn smut 玉米黑头病 (Ustilago maydis) infects maize. It grows in the ears of the crop and converts the kernels into black, powdery fungal tissues. The smut, called huitlacoche by Mexicans and formerly called cuitlacoche by the Aztecs, is a delicacy in Mexico sold in the markets for use in various dishes including soups, stews, steak sauces, and crepes, while in other parts of the world (including the United States) it is not accepted as a food. The amount of protein in corn smut is greater than that which was in the original corn, and also greater than that of oats and clover hay. 16. 日本大选: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi says she will dissolve parliament on Friday and call a snap election for February 8. The snap vote will decide all 465 seats in parliament’s lower house and mark Takaichi’s first electoral test since becoming Japan's first female premier in October. It was an "extremely weighty decision" that would "determine Japan's course together with the people", Takaichi told a news conference. She also told voters to entrust her with running Japan. Ms Takaichi was appointed prime minister in October and her cabinet is riding high in the polls 高企, despite her party's flagging popularity. But her ruling bloc — which includes coalition partner Japan Innovation Party (JIP) — only has a slim majority in the powerful lower house of parliament. This could hamper the passage of her policy agenda, including "proactive" fiscal spending and boosting the defence budget. Calling an early election would allow her to capitalise on 利用, 借机 strong public support to tighten her grip on the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and shore up her coalition's fragile majority 微弱多数. The election will test voter appetite for higher spending at a time when the rising cost of living is the public's top concern. 17. The bazooka ([bəˈzuːkə]) 火箭炮, 火箭筒 (a portable tubular rocket-launcher that fires a projectile capable of piercing armour: used by infantrymen as a short-range antitank weapon.) is a man-portable recoilless anti-tank rocket launcher weapon, widely deployed by the United States Army, especially during World War II. Also referred to as the "stovepipe", the innovative bazooka was among the first generation of rocket-propelled anti-tank weapons used in infantry combat. The term "bazooka" still sees informal use as a generic term referring to any shoulder fired ground-to-ground/ground-to-air missile weapon (mainly rocket-propelled grenade launchers or recoilless rifles), and as an expression that heavy measures are being taken. 18. ambulatory [ˈæmbjʊlətərɪ] (= ambulant 能走路的) 能自己走路的, 能独立行走的 medical specialized relating to or describing people being treated for an injury or illness who are able to walk, and who, when treated in a hospital, are usually not staying for the night. (of people being treated for an injury or illness) able to walk, and, when treated in a hospital, usually not staying for the night in a bed: She is completely ambulatory and will be home today. an ambulatory surgery. We will be opening two new ambulatory care facilities for private patients in May. The actress playing the daughter has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and sometimes people with that syndrome are ambulatory wheelchair users. They use it when they need it. II. (of hospitals, clinics, etc.) serving patients who are able to walk and who can leave after treatment: We will soon be opening two new ambulatory care facilities. ham-fisted = ham-handed 拙手笨脚的, 蹩脚的, 拙劣的 笨拙的 clumsy; bungling. doing things in an awkward or unskilled way when using the hands or dealing with people: They can all be made in minutes by even the most ham-fisted of cooks. The report criticizes the ham-fisted way in which complaints were dealt with. "a ham-fisted attempt". 19. slobber 流口水 have saliva dripping copiously from the mouth. to allow saliva or food to run out of the mouth. To let saliva (= the liquid in the mouth) or other liquid run out of the mouth: No one likes to have a dog slobber on them. "Fido tended to slobber". slobber over someone 垂涎三尺 disapproving to show how much you admire and like someone, in a way that shows little control: Ted was slobbering over the pretty new assistant in marketing. noun. 口水. Liquid material, generally saliva, that dribbles or drools outward and downward from the mouth. There was dried slobber on his coat lapel. slobbery adj. disapproving unpleasantly wet, and containing a lot of saliva (= the liquid produced in your mouth): a big, slobbery kiss. His slobbery bulldog is dozing and snoring loudly. slop verb. 洒出来. 流出来. to cause a liquid to flow over the edge of a container through not taking care or making a rough movement. (of a liquid) to flow or fall over the edge of a container, or to cause a liquid to do this. If liquid slops from a container or if you slop liquid somewhere, it comes out over the edge of the container, usually accidentally. A little cognac slopped over the edge of the glass. Refilling his cup, she slopped some tea into the saucer. The coffee slopped onto the tablecloth. Careful, you've just slopped coffee all over the carpet! Water slopped out of the bucket as he carried it up the stairs. noun. I. informal disapproving food that is more liquid than it should be and is therefore unpleasant: Have you tried the slop that they call stew in the canteen? II. You can use slop or slops to refer to liquid waste containing the remains of food. Breakfast plates were collected and the slops emptied. III. informal disapproving 垃圾内容. content on the internet that is of very low quality, especially when it is created by artificial intelligence: "Slop" is what you get when you put AI-generated material up on the internet for anyone to view. AI slop AI垃圾 AI slop is slowly killing the internet! The internet is going to be filled to the brim with low-effort AI slop. ... the mass-produced slop that comes out of Hollywood. waffle around (blathering, babbling, droning: speak tediously in a dull monotonous tone. "he reached for another beer while Jim droned on". ) I. To continue speaking wordily in a vague, aimless, or evasive manner. The politician kept waffling around 闪烁其词, 闪烁其辞, 不知所云 whenever a reporter asked him about the scandal. The professor has a bad habit of getting sidetracked and waffling around during her lectures. The funniest part to me is that without fail, Harlan Coben's shows introduce the mystery, waffle around for 5-6 episodes giving you nothing of substance, and then the final 2 episodes just tell you what happened. You can skip to the end of every one of his stories and miss essentially nothing. II. 不知所措. 不知道怎么办. 无所适从. To be continually indecisive or ineffectual (about some issue). to be indecisive; to be wishy-washy about making a decision. Make up your mind. Stop waffling around. Now, don't waffle about. Make up your mind. We're never going to get this project finished if you keep waffling around instead of taking charge and making decisions! We waffled around for so long that they sold the house to someone else. III. To loiter or meander around (some place) in an idle or aimless manner. I hate customers who waffle around at their table after they've finished eating. We waffled around the mall for a few hours while we waited for Tom. wiki: Waffle is language without meaning; blathering, babbling, droning. Its usage varies, but it generally refers to speaking or writing in a vague, trivial, or nonsensical manner without making any clear or important points. This can occur during presentations, essays, or casual conversations, often to fill time or when the speaker lacks substantial material. 20. dumpy 矮胖的 (podgy UK informal disapproving = pudgy mainly US informal disapproving = roly-poly informal humorous = stumpy informal mainly disapproving = tubby informal) short and fat. If you describe someone as dumpy, you mean they are short and fat, and are usually implying they are unattractive. My figure used to be slim and petite but now it looks dumpy and square. Does this dress make me look dumpy?a dumpy little woman. Fraternization is the act of forming close, friendly, or intimate relationships between people in different social, rank, or organizational classes, often considered unprofessional, unethical, or against regulations, especially in structured environments like the military, law enforcement, or corporations, where it can compromise order, favoritism, and impartiality. While it can mean general friendly association, it usually implies inappropriate contact, such as between officers and enlisted personnel, managers and subordinates, or even enemies, leading to potential disciplinary action. fraternize 不正当关系 I. to meet someone socially, especially someone who belongs to an opposing army or team, or has a different social position: fraternize with 不当关系 Do the doctors fraternise much with the nurses here? The soldiers were accused of fraternizing with the enemy. Fraternization with the enemy was against the rules. Army regulations prohibit fraternization between men and women. I. (chiefly US, derogatory) any type of disallowed, supposedly unethical and unprofessional, social or intimate contact between employees, especially between different gender, class or rank. 21. swathe [sweɪð] = swath swathe someone/something in something
to completely cover someone or something with something. To swathe
someone or something in cloth means to wrap them in it completely. She swathed her enormous body in thin black fabrics. His head was swathed in bandages made from a torn sheet. The moon was swathed in mist. noun. I. a long narrow piece of cloth, especially one that is wrapped around someone or something. ...swathes of white silk. II. a large number of people or things or a large area of something. The disease killed huge swaths of the population. Fully vaccinated adults are due to get a swathe of new freedoms from Monday — including being able to do things like eat at restaurants and go to the gym, which have been off limits in some areas for more than 100 days. NSW's
premier-in-waiting Dominic Perrottet has not ruled out changing the
state's COVID-19 roadmap, just one week before fully vaccinated people
are due to get a swathe of new freedoms. III. 长条形地块 a large area of land, usually longer than it is wide. bevy 一大帮的, 一大堆的, 一大群的 I. a bevy of people is a group of people all together in one place. a large group of similar things or people: The lack of electricity in rural communities creates a bevy of problems. We were greeted by a bevy of excitable journalists. The city boasts a bevy of museums and entertainment options. They led lives of wealth and privilege, complete with big homes and bevies of domestic servants. ...a bevy of little girls. ...a bevy of bright young officers. "I would be in favor of keeping calm and trying to sit this out a bit, see what happens next. We're getting this bevy of messages and so on at the moment," senior Labour politician Emily Thornberry told the BBC. II. a large group of a particular type of bird: A whirring bevy of quail swept past her. slew [sluː] 大量的. a large amount or number. A slew of things is a large number of them: There have been a whole slew of shooting incidents. They dealt with a slew of other issues. The product inspired a whole slew of copycats. The bad weather could bring a slew of bankruptcies among farmers. verb. (of a vehicle) to turn or be turned round suddenly and awkwardly. If a vehicle slews or is slewed across a road, it slides across it. The bus slewed sideways. A seven-ton lorry slewed across their path. He slewed the car against the side of the building. The car hit a patch of ice and slewed around violently. He slewed the van 翻车 to the left to avoid the dog. Eventually the pilot managed to slew the aircraft round before it settled on all wheels on the runway. canard [kəˈnɑːd,ˈkanɑːd] I. 无稽之谈. 荒诞至极. 胡说八道. an unfounded rumour or story. a false report or piece of information that is intended to deceive people. A canard is an idea or a piece of information that is false, especially one that is spread deliberately in order to harm someone or their work. The charge that Harding was a political stooge may be a canard. "the old canard that LA is a cultural wasteland 文化荒漠". "I think it's a complete canard that the president will be doing this because of the Nobel prize," he said. "The president is looking at Greenland as a strategic asset for the United States." II. a small winglike projection attached to an aircraft forward of the main wing to provide extra stability or control, sometimes replacing the tail. intimate adj. I. having, or being likely to cause, a very close friendship or personal or sexual relationship. If you have an intimate friendship with someone, you know them very well and like them a lot. I discussed with my intimate friends 密友 whether I would immediately have a baby. He did not feel he had got to know them intimately. They are to have an autumn wedding, an intimate of the couple confides. intimate relationships. intimate atmosphere. The restaurant has a very intimate atmosphere. intimate with He's become very intimate with an actress. If you use intimate to describe an occasion or the atmosphere of a place, you like it because it is quiet and pleasant, and seems suitable for close conversations between friends. ...an intimate candlelit dinner for two. II. (of knowledge or understanding) detailed, and obtained from a lot of studying or experience. An intimate knowledge of something is a deep and detailed knowledge of it. He surprised me with his intimate knowledge of Kierkegaard and Schopenhauer. ...a golden age of musicians whose work she knew intimately. intimate knowledge She has intimate knowledge of Tuscany, where she has lived for 20 years. An intimate conversation or detail, for example, is very personal and private. He wrote about the intimate details of his family life. I hate to interrupt your intimate conversation but we do have an assignment to discuss. It was the first time they had attempted to talk intimately. III. 亲密关系. If two people are in an intimate relationship, they are involved with each other in a loving or sexual way. You have to be willing to get to know yourself and your partner intimately. I just won't discuss my intimate relationships. ...their intimate moments with their boyfriends. IV. An intimate connection between ideas or organizations, for example, is a very strong link between them. ...an intimate connection between madness and wisdom. France has kept the most intimate links with its former African territories. Property and equities are intimately connected in Hong Kong. noun. a friend you know very well: Intimates of the star say that he has been upset by the personal attacks on him that have appeared in the press recently. verb. to make clear what you think or want without saying it directly. If you intimate something, you say it in an indirect way. He went on to intimate that he was indeed contemplating a shake-up of the company. He had intimated to the French and Russians his readiness to come to a settlement. She has intimated that she will resign if she loses the vote. In his response, Mr Trump appeared to intimate one of the reasons he was keen to get "complete and total control" of the Arctic territory was because he'd been overlooked for the Nobel Peace Prize. 22. annotate [ˈænəuˌteit ˈænə-] 解读, 点评, 加注解, 加标注 to supply (a written work, such as an ancient text) with critical or explanatory notes. To furnish (a literary work) with critical commentary or explanatory notes; gloss. add notes to (a text or diagram) giving explanation or comment. If you annotate written work or a diagram, you add notes to it, especially in order to explain it. Historians annotate, check and interpret the diary selections. ...an annotated bibliography. Dissecting 剖析, 解读 Donald Trump's Greenland message to Norway's PM, line by line: Donald Trump's text to Norway's prime minister, annotated. I. To add a short explanation or opinion to a text or image: Annotated editions of Shakespeare's plays help readers to understand old words. an annotated bibliography/manuscript/edition. His great-granddaughter has painstakingly transcribed and annotated his wartime diaries. The students annotate their photos, saying why they are relevant. II. computing, language specialized to add a description or piece of information to data, for example a label saying whether a word is a noun, a verb, etc.: After the corpus was collected we annotated it. Textual or numerical data can be copied into databases, annotated, and linked to other data. offtake I. The removal of oil (or an industrial chemical) from a storage facility. the removal of oil from a reservoir or supply. II. the act of taking off, specifically relating to removing goods from a market by purchasing them. The US could also negotiate an "offtake" agreement 开采协议 for Greenland's vast yet largely untapped supplies of rare earth minerals, Cohn suggested. "You've got to give Donald Trump some credit for the successes he's had and he's many times tried to overreach to get something in a compromise situation," he said. "He has overreached in advertising something to end up getting what he actually wants. Maybe what he actually wants is a larger military presence and an offtake." While Cohn expressed reservations about some of the president's actions, he said the US administration had "various different motives" for what they were doing. He said Trump's decision to intervene in Venezuela was "a path" to disrupt the country's relationship with China, the biggest market for its oil, as well as Russia and Cuba. Developments in quantum computing and AI are seen as critical not just for the US economy and productivity, but for US strategic influence in the world. "IBM is dead centre in what's going on in quantum today. We have the largest amount of quantum computers in use today" Cohn said, highlighting that his company has put many of these computers into use across America in firms from the banking industry to medicine. "AI is going to be the backbone for data that feeds into quantum to solve problems we've never been able to solve", he added. jackknife 折叠刀 = pocket knife, folding knife, penknife verb. I. move one's body into a bent or doubled-up position. "she jackknifed into a sitting position". II. 拖挂折叠. (of an articulated vehicle) bend into a V-shape in an uncontrolled skidding movement. If a truck that has two parts jackknifes, one part moves around so far towards the other part that it cannot be driven. If a truck that is in two parts jackknifes, the back part swings around at a sharp angle to the front part in an uncontrolled way as the truck is moving. Traffic on the Pacific Highway near Yatala was delayed early yesterday after a semi-trailer jackknifed and left the road. The oil tanker jackknifed after skidding on the ice. "the accident happened when a lorry jackknifed". Over a hundred vehicles pile up on motorway after crash - Jack-knifed trucks 打滑的, 溜车的 were left strewn across the road after heavy snow in Ottawa Country, Michigan. III. (of a diver) perform a jackknife. note: A jackknife is an abdominal exercise. This exercise is also known as a "V-Up". Jackknife exercises are designed to strengthen the upper and lower abdominal muscles, particularly the transversus abdominis muscle. There are a number of variations of jackknife exercises that allow people of different ages and ability to work their abdominal muscles. This exercise can be modified by using an exercise ball. The jackknife can be done by lying flat on your back with your arms extended overhead and your feet raised slightly above the floor. The jackknife is completed by slowly bringing your straight arms toward your hips, and lifting your upper torso off the floor. 23. hypoallergenic [ˌhʌɪpəʊaləˈdʒɛnɪk] 防过敏的, 抗过敏的 adj. (especially of cosmetics and textiles) relatively unlikely to cause an allergic reaction. designed to be less likely to cause allergic reactions (= physical problems caused by particular substances) in people who use a product: hypoallergenic cosmetics/earrings. tumbleweed 尴尬的沉默, 突然的沉默, 尴尬的寂静, 无言的沉默, 空气安静 informal I. an uncomfortable silence when no one is answering a question or taking part in a conversation, often shown by typing the word "tumbleweed" into an online discussion. Someone responded with a tumbleweed because I didn't respond within half an hour. tumbleweed moment Did you ever experience a tumbleweed moment when absolutely no one reacted to something you said? note: Describing unwanted silence and inactivity. Often used of a situation when one makes a statement that is ignored or ill-received by one's audience, as the resultant silence is likened to that of a desolate desert with rolling tumbleweeds. A "tumbleweed moment" refers to an awkward, uncomfortable silence or a sudden lack of response after someone says something awkward, unfunny, or inappropriate, evoking the image of a tumbleweed rolling across a desolate landscape in a Western movie. It's that "dead air" when a question goes unanswered, a joke falls flat, or a statement is met with blank stares, leaving everyone feeling on edge and unsure how to proceed. II. a North American and Australian plant that breaks away from its roots near the ground when it dies, and forms large balls that are rolled around by the wind, or the balls that are formed in this way: On the edge of town, tumbleweed rolled past the skeletons of abandoned cars. The dead tumbleweed breaks off at the stem and, as it tumbles, it sheds thousands of seeds. On a windy day, litter blows across the parking lot like tumbleweed. They are now selling the property, where tumbleweeds blow across the courtyard like in some Wild West movie. pass the time 消磨时间, 消遣 If you do something to pass the time you do it because you have some time available and not because you really want to do it. to do something to keep busy while waiting: We passed the time in the airport playing cards. Without particular interest and just to pass the time, I read a story. During a lunch break, he and the buyer passed the time with some chitchat. come down in the last shower 从天而降 = someone didn't come down in the last shower (Australia, New Zealand) be born yesterday 天真无邪, 傻的要命, 傻子, 一无所知, 好骗 used to indicate that someone is not foolish or gullible. She didn't come down in the last shower; she knew exactly what she was doing. You fellas who lie in the train with your feet on the seat sipping out of an amber bottle in a paper bag: do you think we came down in the last shower? He described that Mr Cosgrave as someone "who hadn't come down in the last shower". 24. acted out of raw instinct 纯粹是出于本能. famished 饿的要死 = starving If you are famished, you are very hungry. extremely hungry: Have some dinner with us - you must be famished! Isn't dinner ready? I'm famished. "Jimming 撬开 = jemming" usually means prying something open or loose with a lever, like forcing a door lock or window with a thin tool (a "jimmy"), often to gain entry, but it can also mean to spoil or damage something ("jim up") or refer to looking at the camera like the character Jim from. jimmy = jemmy = pry, prise to pry, to raise, move, or pull apart with or as if with a lever. to force a window or lock open with a jimmy. noun. a short, strong metal bar with a curved end, often used to force things open, for example by thieves to force open windows or doors. to prise (something) open with a jemmy.
unhoused 无家可归的: The use of the term unhoused has grown exponentially in the last few years, and those who have adopted it say it emphasizes a lack of affordable housing. Beverly Graham was sitting in an executive leadership class in Seattle in 2006 when she first recalls using the word "unhoused". The director of OSL, a non-profit that provides meals to food-insecure Seattle residents, Graham hadn't planned on speaking up. But her classmates – two dozen regional business leaders – were discussing the number of homeless people in the area, and their perspective felt very different from the one she had gained after years of helping vulnerable Seattleites. She had to pipe up. “I said, ‘They’re unhoused,’” remembered Graham. “They have a home: Seattle is their home.” OSL has used the word ever since to describe people lacking a fixed abode 居无定所, 无固定住所, feeling that “homeless” had gained discriminatory, ugly connotations. The term caught on. Gradually it spread among west coast professionals working with or advocating for people living on the streets, and then it made its way across the US. Adam Aleksic, a Harvard linguistics graduate who started the Etymology Nerd blog, noted its apparent first appearance on Twitter as another word for homeless occurred in October 2008. Around 2020, the use of unhoused began growing exponentially, according to Google Trends. Today, in mainstream articles and conversations, it’s synonymous with – and for many people, preferable to – homeless. While governments don’t yet widely employ it, some grassroots groups and scholars use it exclusively. Critics have derided the new word as clunky and unfamiliar, potentially the product of woke virtue signaling. But those who have adopted it say it’s for the same reasons OSL originally did: to lessen stigma and to highlight that those lacking permanent roofs over their heads may still have communities or physical spaces they consider home. And with the country currently in the midst of an intractable housing crisis, there’s another reason for the popularity of unhoused: the word’s root emphasizes that the problem is a structural one linked to a lack of affordable housing, not a personal weakness. Unhoused is no neologism; it’s been around since the mid-16th century. The etymologist and linguistic consultant Jason Greenberg pointed out that Shakespeare used it to illustrate Othello’s love for Desdemona, though it had a slightly different meaning at the time:
… for know, Iago,
But that I love the gentle Desdemona,
I would not my unhoused free condition
Put into circumscription and confine
For the sea’s worth.”
Homeless is an old word too, with origins in old English, said Greenberg. But historically it has referred to a lack of social and emotional connections, rather than the absence of a physical residence. In the 1980s, however, largely due to deep cuts in federal housing and welfare programs, increasing numbers of people began finding themselves without a place to live. Those numbers grew from roughly 100,000 people in 1980 to 600,000 in 1987, and journalists and analysts needed a word to describe the new denizens. Around the mid-80s, homeless became the term of choice. The popularity of unhoused could be tied to a similar shift in public life: the emergence of large tent communities in many big cities around the country. “I think I first heard [the word] maybe 10 years ago, when encampments became more prevalent,” said Maria Foscarinis, founder of the National Homelessness Law Center. While homelessness in the US has risen only slightly over the past few years, the proportion of unsheltered 没有遮风挡雨的地方 people – that is, those who don’t utilize overnight shelters but instead sleep outside or in vehicles – and the number of tent encampments have significantly increased, making the overall problem much more visible. Correspondingly, housing prices in many of those same cities have steeply risen over the past decade. The use of unhoused is an effort to humanize those residents. “It’s a powerful way to remind us that the issue is really a housing problem,” said Elizabeth Bowen, a professor of social work at the University of Buffalo. “I think that’s useful: there can be a tendency to think about homelessness in more individualistic ways, like it’s a person’s personal failing or the result of their life choices. When really the most important thing is that we just don’t have enough affordable housing in this country.” Some advocates think the newer word doesn’t go far enough. “Homeless, houseless, unhoused: they’re abstract and kind of euphemisms. I prefer ‘housing-deprived’, but it’s a mouthful,” said Jonathan Russell, chief strategy and impact officer at Bay Area Community Services. Still, asserted Mark Horvath, founder of the advocacy organization Invisible People and himself formerly unhoused, “most homeless people still say homeless.”
