irreverent

用法学习: 1. irreverent [ɪˈrev.ər.ənt] (褒义词) 无敬畏心的, 四六不管的, 不管三七二十一的 not showing the expected respect for official, important, or holy things. lacking the expected respect for official, important, or holy things. If you describe someone as irreverent, you mean that they do not show respect for people or things that are generally respected. The television program takes an irreverent look at the medical profession. an irreverent comment/approach/attitude. irreverent thoughts. She's irreverent, fun and hugely popular. Taylor combined great knowledge with an irreverent attitude to history. oblique [əˈbliːk] I. 斜着的. having a sloping direction, angle, or position. Through the window came the last few oblique rays of evening sunshine. oblique glance 斜瞄了一眼 He gave her an oblique glance. II. (of an angle) either more or less than 90°. An oblique line is a straight line that is not horizontal or vertical. An oblique angle is any angle other than a right angle. It lies between the plain and the sea at an oblique angle to the coastline. This muscle runs obliquely downwards inside the abdominal cavity. III. If you describe a statement as oblique 模糊的, 模棱两可的, 含混的, 兜圈子, 绕弯子的, 拐着弯的, you mean that is not expressed directly or openly, making it difficult to understand. It was an oblique reference to his mother. Mr Golding delivered an oblique warning, talking of the danger of sudden action. He obliquely referred to the U.S., Britain and Saudi Arabia. 2. "as night follows day = as sure as night follows day 确切无疑的" is an idiom that means an outcome is completely inevitable, certain, or guaranteed to happen. It likens a predicted event to the natural, unchanging certainty that the sun will set and the dark of night will follow. an event is completely inevitable, certain, or guaranteed to happen. It uses the unchangeable, predictable cycle of nature as a metaphor for a logical or guaranteed outcome. blatant truth = blatant facts A blatant truth refers to a fact or reality that is strikingly obvious, undeniable, and out in the open—often to the point of being uncomfortable, offensive, or impossible to ignore. Bergerac: Um, Cate was about to run away. She said there was a level of toxicity in the house that she couldn't tolerate, and that if she stayed any longer, she'd become like me. I wanted to kill her. So much so that when we came back that night, I wondered for a moment if I HAD done it. I have something for you. There are different kinds of truths. There are the blatant facts, night follows day. And then there are truths that are so big... ..it's like looking at a painting with a magnifying glass. You have to stand back to see it. I stood back. I had quite the view. the wrong crowd = the bad company: Their daughter had got in with the wrong crowd, and they were worried about her. Well you've picked a fight with the wrong crowd. He wasn't aggressive but he got with the wrong crowd. to fall in with the wrong crowd 交友不慎, 交了坏朋友. to hang out with the wrong crowd. Jimmy's mother was concerned that he might have fallen in with the wrong crowd. get/fall into the wrong hands 落到坏人手里 If something falls into the wrong hands, a dangerous person or an enemy starts to own or control it. If this kind of information fell into the wrong hands, we would be in serious trouble. There are fears that the weapons might fall into the wrong hands. 3. back to back I. close together and facing in opposite directions: The office was full of computers, and we had to sit back to back in long rows. The soldiers were sitting back to back on sandbags. Push the two forks back to back into the clump of roots. The photo shows two siblings, positioned back to back. At night, they slept back to back in the narrow bed. The two men stood back to back with their arms folded. II. happening one after another, without interruption: Coming up after the break, three Rolling Stones classics back to back. He's definitely getting better - he has lots more good days back to back now. We were very tired after doing three movies back to back. In order to succeed, you must be prepared to work 16-hour days back to back. We had to deal with two big hurricanes almost back to back. All the episodes will be broadcast back to back. back-to-back 连续的, 接连的 adj. I. happening one after another, without interruption: The soccer team won back-to-back victories last weekend. Hamilton is celebrating back-to-back victories in the German and British Grands Prix. Optimists also point out that stocks posted hefty gains after back-to-back losses. Homeowners were hit by the first back-to-back rise in interest rates in more than four years. The firm had back-to-back quarters of strong earnings. II. with backs touching or toward each other. close together and facing in opposite directions: UK back-to-back terraced houses. We stood back-to-back to see who was taller. celebratory 庆祝性的, 用以庆祝的, 欢庆的 celebrating an important event or a special occasion. A celebratory meal, drink, or other activity takes place to celebrate something such as a birthday, anniversary, or victory. That night she, Nicholson and the crew had a celebratory dinner. When we heard she'd got the job, we all went off for a celebratory drink. Tennant made a good point regarding Springfield, but attaining "gay icon" status can also be celebratory and subversive. 4. whispering campaign =  whisper campaign 说坏话, 传播流言蜚语 disapproving the intentional damaging of an important person's reputation by saying unpleasant things about them that may not be true. a method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are spread about the target, often in an attempt to create a scandal or other desired outcome, while the source of the rumors seeks to avoid being detected while they are spread. campaign trail a series of planned events in different places taken part in or given by a politician who is trying to be elected: She went on the campaign trail around the Southern states. drip campaign ( drip advertising = drip marketing = drip method) a way of advertising a product or service in which a series of letters or emails are sent out repeatedly over a period of time: Potential customers are placed on an automated e-mail drip campaign where updated home listings are sent to them on a weekly basis. campaign verb. I. to enter a horse, boat, etc. in a race or competition: She is campaigning several young horses and two advanced horses. Only 49 clubs from all over the world have campaigned boats in pursuit of yachting's greatest goal, the America's Cup. II. Maximian's subordinate Constantius campaigned against 作战 Carausius' successor, Allectus, while Maximian held the Rhine frontier. noun. I. a group of connected actions or movements that forms part of a war. In a war, a campaign is a series of planned movements carried out by armed forces. The allies are intensifying their air campaign. ...a bombing campaign. a bombing campaign. Maximian established his residence at Trier but spent most of his time on campaign. Together with Diocletian, he launched a scorched earth campaign deep into Alamannic territory in 288, refortifying the frontier. When these campaigns concluded in 298, he departed for Italy, where he lived in comfort until 305. In early 310, Maximian attempted to seize Constantine's title while the emperor was on campaign on the Rhine. Details of the campaign are sparse and provide no tactical detail: the historical sources dwell only on Maximian's virtues and victories. II. A campaign is a planned set of activities that people carry out over a period of time in order to achieve something such as social or political change. During his election campaign he promised to put the economy back on its feet. ...the campaign against public smoking. 5. ethicist [ˈeθ.ɪ.sɪst] 伦理学家 a person who specializes in ethics (= the study of what is morally right and what is not): A panel of scientists and ethicists is looking at the ethical challenges of the new treatment. medical ethicist Medical ethicists argue about the use of experimental medicines. trip noun. I. guilt/power/ego trip disapproving a period of time when you experience a particular feeling strongly: on a guilt/power/ego trip She's been on a real power trip since she became the office manager. II. a strongly felt experience: What a trip this book is! what a trip VS what a journey: what a trip - That was wild, crazy, unexpected, and fun! (Like a rollercoaster or a psychedelic experience—casual, surprising, entertaining.). "What a journey!" - That was deep, meaningful, and transformative. We started at A and ended at Z, and I feel changed by the experience. (Emotional, profound.). verb. I. to lose your balance after knocking your foot against something when you are walking or running, or to cause someone to do this: He tripped and fell down, grazing his knee. trip over That cable is dangerous. Someone might trip over it. He was sent off for deliberately tripping Robson when he was about to score. II. to move with quick, gentle steps: trip down She looked stunning as she tripped down the stairs in her ball gown. III. to move a switch that operates an electrical system, or to cause such a system to start or stop working by moving a switch: A special system prevents the circuitry from being tripped accidentally by a power surge or lightning strike. something tripped the circuitbreaker, the circuitbreaker tripped. III. to experience the effects of taking an illegal drug that causes the user to see, hear, or feel things that do not exist: trip out on As a student he spent a lot of time tripping out on LSD. be tripping to be crazy or completely wrong to think something; often used to express strong disagreement with or disbelief in what someone has just said: "Do I look stupid in this?" "Are you tripping?" "Did you do this?" "You tripping? Of course I didn't do it." He said, "I was talking to my girl." I said, "You trippin'. She ain't your girl."Asked about the media's criticisms, he responded, "Oh, man, they trippin'. I don't know what they talking about.". trip off the tongue 听起来顺, 顺口, 说起来顺 Something that trips off the tongue is easy to say or pronounce: The new company will need to have a name that trips off the tongue and is easy to remember. trip (someone) up to fall because you hit your foot on something, or to make someone fall by putting your foot in front of the other person's foot: I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean to trip you up. trip up on She tripped up on the rug. be trailing 落后 to be losing to your competitor in a competition: be trailing by The Canadian team is trailing by six points. be trailing behind The Democrats are trailing behind the Republicans in the opinion polls. He's trailing in recent opinion polls. With only two months to go, she's trailing far behind her rival, Rivera. He's trailing Jones by a considerable margin in the polls. 

cognizant; remit VS purview VS realm VS confines VS bailiwick (scope, ambit, mandate(授权), brief, province)

用法学习: 1.  cognizant = cognisant [kɒgnɪzənt] (cognizance [ˈkɑɡnɪzəns] US [kɑɡˈnaɪzəns] ) 知晓的, 知情的 adj If someone is cognizant of something, they are aware of it or understand it. understanding or realizing something: We should be cognizant of the fact that every complaint is not a justified complaint. We are cognizant of the problem. ...the teacher's developing cognizance of the child's intellectual activity. take cognizance of something 留意到, 注意到, 知道 to take notice of and consider something, especially when judging. If you take cognizance of something, you take notice of it or acknowledge it. The government failed to take cognisance of their protest. The lawyer asked the jury to take cognizance of the defendant's generosity in giving to charity. cognitive [ˈkɒɡ.nə.tɪv] 认知的 connected with thinking or conscious mental processes. relating to or involving the processes of thinking and reasoning. Cognitive means relating to the mental process involved in knowing, learning, and understanding things. As children grow older, their cognitive processes become sharper. ...Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development. Studies show a connection between aerobic exercise and cognitive ability. cognitive function: Some of her cognitive functions have been impaired. cognitive ability. cognitive decline. cognitive impairment. cognitive development. cognitive psychology. cognitive science. cognitive behaviour/development. 2. rejoinder 回嘴, 回复 a quick and often angry or humorous answer. a quick answer, often given in a way that is competitive or amusing: The reviewer's mistakes were so flagrant that Gove drafted a strong rejoinder. She always has a witty rejoinder to/for any question. A rejoinder is a reply, especially a quick, witty, or critical one, to a question or remark. One can probably expect there will be a couple of quick rejoinders. 

 absolve VS exonerate VS acquit VS commute VS remit VS reprieve VS pardon: Biden Pardoned his son: "The Constitution provides the President with broad 宽泛的 authority to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States … but nowhere does the Constitution give the President the authority to rewrite history," Scarsi wrote. Hunter Biden pleaded guilty in September to nine tax offenses, stemming from $1.4 million in taxes that he didn't pay. He was also convicted by a jury in June of illegally buying and possessing a gun as a drug user. The president's pardon explicitly granted clemency for the tax and gun offenses from Hunter Biden's existing cases, plus any potential federal crimes he may have committed "from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024." The judge also rebuked the president for claiming his son was "singled out" for prosecution because of political reasons. Earlier this year, Scarsi rejected this exact argument from Hunter Biden, who wanted the indictment tossed on those grounds. (The judge in Hunter Biden's gun case also rejected the selective-prosecution theory.) Special counsel David Weiss, who brought the two federal cases, argued "termination" instead of "dismissal" was the appropriate way to end the case, saying that's how cases for other pardoned defendants were handled. Prosecutors in Weiss' office also wanted the indictments to survive as originally filed, instead of being formally dismissed. absolve [əbˈzɒlv] 赦免, 宽恕, 饶恕 (especially in religion or law) to free someone from guilt, blame, or responsibility for something: The report absolved her from/of all blame for the accident. The priest absolved him (of all his sins). If a report or investigation absolves someone from blame or responsibility, it formally states that he or she is not guilty or is not to blame. A police investigation yesterday absolved the police of all blame in the incident. ...the inquiry which absolved the soldiers. to officially remove guilt or responsibility for something wrong that someone has done or might have done: He was absolved of all wrongdoing. exonerate [ɪɡˈzɒn.ə.reɪt] 无罪释放, 洗清罪责, 洗清冤屈 to clear (someone) of blame or a criminal charge. to show or state that someone or something is not guilty of something. to show or state that someone or something is not to be blamed for something bad that happened: The police officer was exonerated by a grand jury, but the protests continued. The official report exonerated the school of any blame. exonerate someone from something The report exonerated the crew from all responsibility for the collision. We have proof which will completely exonerate him. I do not wholly exonerate her from blame. acquit I. to decide officially in a court of law that someone is not guilty of a particular crime. to decide officially in a law court that someone is not guilty of a particular crime: acquit someone of something She was acquitted of all the charges against her. acquit someone on something Five months ago he was acquitted on a shoplifting charge. She was acquitted. The jury acquitted him. II. to cause yourself to perform or behave in the stated way("stated" typically means something has been explicitly declared, written down, or formally set (like a stated price 明说的, 表明了的 or a stated rule). The President shall, at stated Times, receive … a Compensation … our stated intention. "stated way" means doing something according to a prescribed method, a declared intention, or a set procedure.): Despite the intense pressure, the young athlete acquitted herself admirably during the championship. She acquitted herself well, finishing second. acquit yourself 表现出色, 表现出人意表, 超出期待的表现好 to do better than expected in a difficult situation. If you acquit yourself well or admirably in a particular situation, other people feel that you have behaved well or admirably. I thought that he acquitted himself admirably in today's meeting. If Holmes acquits herself well in today's race, she may earn a place in the national team. The three starting forwards acquitted themselves quite well in last night's game. amnesty [ˈæm.nə.sti] I. 赦免. a decision by a government that allows political prisoners to go free. a decision by a government to forgive people who have committed particular illegal acts or crimes, and not to punish them: The state has declared an amnesty for individuals who pay their outstanding back taxes. Most political prisoners were freed under the terms of the amnesty. II. 大赦期. a fixed period of time during which people are not punished for committing a particular crime: People who hand in illegal weapons will not be prosecuted during the amnesty. The government refused to declare an amnesty for people who had not paid the disputed tax. vocabulary: Amnesty can mean a pardon for a wrongdoing, or it can also signal a government's willingness to overlook something. Amnesty sounds a little like "amnesia," and that's because in its more specific sense amnesty means "forgetting." The government will essentially forget about whatever crime was committed, or whatever horrible things were said. As part of a truce, amnesty can be granted to opposition forces in civil disputes. Amnesty to illegal aliens means the government will deliberately overlook their illegal entry to the country. There can also be a period of amnesty when people can turn in something that they would otherwise get in trouble for. "The city offered a period of amnesty for everyone to turn in illegal guns". reprieve [rɪˈpriːv] I. 延缓. an official order that stops or delays the punishment, especially by death, of a prisoner: The warden notified Shaw of his reprieve. He was sentenced to death but was granted a last-minute reprieve. If someone who has been sentenced in a court is reprieved, their punishment is officially delayed or cancelled. Fourteen people on death row for murder have been reprieved. A man awaiting death by lethal injection has been saved by a last minute reprieve. II. an escape from a bad situation or experience. to provide something or someone with an escape from a bad situation or experience, especially to delay or stop plans to close or end something: The threatened hospitals could now be reprieved. The injection provided a temporary reprieve 暂时的缓解 from the pain. A reprieve is a delay before a very unpleasant or difficult situation which may or may not take place. It looked as though the college would have to shut, but this week it was given a reprieve 得以续命, 一线生机. free pardon UK (Royal pardon) (US: pardon) an occasion when someone who has committed a crime is officially forgiven: The new government is to grant a free pardon to all political prisoners. commutation [ˌkɒmjʊˈteɪʃən] 减刑 I. the act of changing a punishment to one that is less severe. the act of replacing a punishment with a less severe one: The committee also examined factors a governor might consider for commutation of death sentences. Another 12 commutation requests were denied. His execution became certain when the state board refused his request for commutation. II. the act of changing a financial agreement so that someone receives the whole of an amount of money immediately instead of receiving it at a later time in a series of smaller payments: Unless the policyholders are in need of short-term cash, there is no benefit to them in these commutations. III. the act of travelling regularly between your home and the place where you work: They have developed an electric car for safe and sustainable commutation on city roads. Join our Mail & Ride program to receive your monthly commutation ticket automatically by mail. commute I. to make the same journey regularly between work and home. He commuted every day, back and forth, an hour and 20 minutes each way. Debbie works for an investment bank and is presently commuting between Paris and Luxemburg. Duffy has commuted from Windsor to London for the past seven years. It's exhausting commuting from Brighton to London every day. II. to change one thing into another: People used to believe that you could commute base metals into gold. III. to exchange one type of payment for a different type: I think I'll commute my life insurance into an annuity. IV. to change a punishment to one that is less severe. to exchange one type of payment or investment for another type: Pensioners who commute their pension for a lump sum sometimes face huge losses. Her sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment. noun. I. a regular journey between work and home: It's at least an hour's commute to work. The commute is not too bad – just over an hour. The 5:30 train is always packed with commuters. a 90 minute/50km/30 mile commute Every morning during his 85-mile commute he has plenty of time to think about the day ahead. a daily/weekly commute Cutting out the daily commute is the most obvious attraction of teleworking. a long/short commute The survey provides evidence that low-paid workers are forced to endure long commutes into the capital. commute VS remission: commute 轻判, 改判, 减刑 (和remission不同) I. to travel regularly to and from work. I commute by train. II. transitive ​legal to change a punishment to one that is less severe. If a death sentence or prison sentence is commuted to a less serious punishment, it is changed to that punishment. His death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. Prison sentences have been commuted. Enrico Forti is trying to have his sentence commuted. His sentence has been commuted to one of life imprisonment. remission [rɪˈmɪʃ(ə)n] (remittence 病症消失, remitment 减刑, remittal 减刑) I. ​medical (=remittence) a period of time when an illness or disease becomes less severe. An abatement or lessening of the manifestations of a disease; a period where the symptoms of a disease are absent. Her cancer was in remission. in remission: Her sister's cancer is in remission. II. the process by which someone is allowed not to pay money that they owe. Scholarship students will receive full remission 减免费用 of their tuition fees. III. (= remitment) mainly British 奖励减刑 (和commute的减刑不同). the reduction of a prison sentence because the prisoner has behaved well. A reduction or cancellation of the penalty for a criminal offence; in particular, the reduction of a prison sentence as a recognition of the prisoner's good behaviour. IV. An act of remitting, returning, or sending back. a. (law) A referral of a case back to another (especially a lower or inferior) court of law; a remand, a remittal. be (released) on license 假释 ​legal to be freed from prison early under certain conditions. It is also known as being on parole. The pair were released on license having served 5 years of a 10-year sentence. remit [riː'mɪt] noun [British] Someone's remit is the area of activity which they are expected to deal with, or which they have authority to deal with. That issue is not within the remit of the working group. The centre has a remit to advise Asian businesses and entrepreneurs. remit [ri'mɪt] verb I. 汇款. If you remit money to someone, you send it to them. Many immigrants regularly remit money to their families. III. In an appeal court, if a case is remitted to 打回重审, 发回重审 the court where it was originally dealt with, it is sent back to be dealt with there. The matter was remitted to the justices for a rehearing. unremitting [ˌʌnrɪˈmɪtɪŋ] 一刻也不消停的, 不停歇的, 无休无止的, 不曾减轻的, 不见好转的, 没有好转迹象的 continuing for a long time without stopping or ever getting better. Something that is unremitting continues without stopping or becoming less intense. I was sent to boarding school, where I spent six years of unremitting misery. He watched her with unremitting attention. The weather was unremittingly awful. unremitting pain​/​opposition​/​hostility.  

remit VS purview VS realm VS confines VS bailiwick (scope, ambit, mandate(授权), brief, province): purview ( [ˈpɜː(r)vju:] 本职工作, 职能范围, 工作范畴, 工作范围. 责任范围. 影响力范围. the area of responsibility or influence that a person or organization has. This case falls outside the purview of this particular court. Some of the bank's lending operations come under/within the purview of the deputy manager, and some are handled directly by the manager Raising the funds is outside the purview of this committee. purvey 传达, 传递, 供应, 提供 供给(信息, 服务) [pərˈveɪ] to provide information, ideas, or products. purvey something to someone: These writers purveyed an important message to the people. a. If you purvey something such as information, you tell it to people. ...one who would, for a hefty fee, purvey strategic advice to private corporations. b. If someone purveys goods or services, they provide them. They have two restaurants that purvey dumplings and chicken noodle soup. purveyor [pərveɪər] 提供者 A purveyor of goods or services is a person or company that provides them. Someone who supplies what is needed, especially food. The merchants are the purveyors of fine selections. ...purveyors of gourmet foods. remit [ˈriː.mɪt] (个人的) 工作范围, 职责范围(Someone's remit is the area of activity which they are expected to deal with, or which they have authority to deal with. The oversight board has a narrow remit 工作范围, 职能范围: it only reviews whether "decisions were made in accordance with Facebook's stated values and policies", and not what those values or policies should be. Presiding Coroner John Hutton made 13 recommendations as a result of the inquest, and Peter and his assistant went beyond the remit of their office to spread the inquest's findings. That issue is not within the remit of the working group. The centre has a remit to advise Asian businesses and entrepreneurs. verb. [rɪˈmɪt] I. If you remit money to someone, you send it to them. Many immigrants regularly remit money to their families. II. 退回重审. 打回重审. In an appeal court, if a case is remitted to the court where it was originally dealt with, it is sent back to be dealt with there. The matter was remitted to the justices for a rehearing. realm [relm] I. An abstract sphere of influence, real or imagined. Pink sang live hanging off the side of a building while Selena put on a performance by lip syncing. Why are these two even in the same REALM 同一时空? II. (fantasy, role-playing games) An otherworldly dimension or domain — magical, ethereal, or otherwise — usually in reference to one ruled or created by a mystical character. peer of the realm a member of the class of peers who has the right to sit in the House of Lords. in the realm of dreams 在梦想统治的领域, meaning in the area, where the dreams rule. The way I hear this word most often is for exaggeration, especially when used in the negative. So I might say that an object is not even in the realm of $1000 or that something is not even in the realm of possibility. The reason this works with exaggeration is that realm conveys a large area. It also sounds so definite. beyond/within the realm[s] of possibility impossible/possible: It's not beyond the realm of possibility that some schools may have to cut sports altogether. "Do you think he could step down?" "I think it's within the realm of possibility, yes."  Studies have suggested TTS affects four to six people per million vaccinations, or somewhere in the realm of one in every 200,000 people. confines [ˈkɑnˌfaɪnz] I. the borders or edges of a place. They spent most of their time within the confines of the school. II. the limits of something such as an activity or way of life. You can't really discuss politics within the confines of a novel. the wild grass and weeds that grew in the confines of 范围内 the grandstand. away from the confines 禁锢 of the British class system. I can't stand the confines of this marriage. The movie is set entirely within the confines of the abandoned factory. within the confines of the classroom. ) to the term now, so use with caution. Bailiwick also can mean a geographical area over which someone or some body has legal or political control, though this is a less common meaning nowadays. It derives from the combination of the Old English term bailiff, meaning a local officer with certain powers, and wic, meaning a village. Britain's central criminal court, the famous Old Bailey, is so named because it lay on the ancient bailey or wall that defined the original City of London. bailiwick [ˈbeɪlɪwɪk] 专业, 知识领域 I. the area over which a bailiff has jurisdiction. II. a person's special field of interest, authority, or skill. the area that a person or an organization is interested in, is responsible for, or controls: He had been commenting on matters that were, strictly speaking, outside his bailiwick. bailiff [beɪlɪf] I. A bailiff is a law officer who makes sure that the decisions of a court are obeyed. an official who takes possession of someone's property when they cannot pay their debts: They threatened to call in the bailiffs to recover the family's debts. They didn't pay their rent, so the landlord called/sent in the bailiffs. Bailiffs can take a person's furniture or possessions away if the person owes money. II. A bailiff is an official in a court of law who deals with tasks such as keeping control in court. III. A bailiff is a person who is employed to look after land or property for the owner. vocabulary: A bailiwick is an area of knowledge in which a person or institution has control or expertise — as in "My bailiwick 研究领域, 擅长的领域 is international relations." There is a faintly old-fashioned, even pedantic air 意味( [pəˈdæntɪk] giving too much importance to details and formal rules, especially of grammar. ambit [æmbɪt] 范围  The ambit of something is its range or extent. the range or limits of the influence of something: They believe that all the outstanding issues should fall within the ambit of the talks. Her case falls within the ambit of moral law. QAS (Queensland Ambulance Service) and police were at the address yesterday in relation to the deceased, in relation to mental health concerns. The nature of the activities involved in treating him yesterday is now subject to the ambit of this investigation as well. brief noun. I. [mainly British, formal] If someone gives you a brief, they officially give you responsibility for dealing with a particular thing. She joined the company less than two years ago with a brief to turn the studio around. II. a lawyer who will speak for someone in a court of law My brief advised me to plead guilty. III. 指令. instructions that explain what someone's work or task is. a set of instructions or information: It was my brief to make sure that the facts were set down accurately. His brief was to streamline the group's financial services operation. give sb/prepare a brief We have prepared a brief for a full study by a consultant. IV. a document that shows the facts of a legal case that will be argued by a lawyer in a court: to prepare/file/submit a brief 要点, 大纲. V. briefs a piece of underwear worn by men or women, covering the area between the waist and the tops of the legs: cotton briefs. verb. If someone briefs you, especially about a piece of work or a serious matter, they give you information that you need before you do it or consider it. We had already been briefed about/on what the job would entail. A department spokesperson briefed reporters. The Prime Minister has been briefed by her parliamentary aides. in brief If you refer to something in brief, you are referring to a shortened version of it with few details. You can say in brief to indicate that you are about to say something in as few words as possible or to give a summary of what you have just said. In brief, take no risks. ...and now sport in brief. brief against/in favour of someone/something to supply potentially damaging or negative information regarding someone, as to the media, a politician, etc. If someone, especially a politician, briefs against another person, he or she tries to harm the other person's reputation by saying something unfavourable about them. to make information about someone or something public, with the intention of criticizing/praising him, her, or it: On several occasions government officials briefed against their own ministers. Ministerial colleagues were briefing against him. creative brief a document that gives details of what should be considered when something is being designed or advertised: In any marketing campaign, a good creative brief will focus your efforts and sharpen your message. design brief a written description of what a new project or product should do, what is needed to produce it, how long it will take, etc.: An effective design brief is the single most critical factor in ensuring that a project is successful. watching brief if someone has or is given a watching brief on something, someone has asked them to check on and give a report about what is happening in a particular situation or in a particular business, etc.: have/keep/maintain a watching brief on sth Potential investors are keeping a watching brief on the fund. province I. A province is a large section of a country which has its own administration. ...the Algarve, Portugal's southernmost province. II. The provinces are all the parts of a country except the part where the capital is situated. The government plans to transfer some 30,000 government jobs from the capital to the provinces. III. If you say that a subject or activity is a particular person's province 兴趣所在, you mean that this person has a special interest in it, a special knowledge of it, or a special responsibility for it. Arvo avoided committing himself. 'I'm afraid that's not my province,' he replied. Industrial research is the province of the Department of Trade and Industry. 

区别: Purview (监管范围, 管理范围, 权力范围, 法律, 法令覆盖的范围) = Coverage (What is mentioned in the rulebook). Remit [ˈriː.mɪt] (职责范围, 工作范围) = To-do list (What your boss asked you to do today). Realm (知识领域, 知识范围) = Universe (A massive field of knowledge). Bailiwick = My specialty 专业范围 (The one thing I'm the expert in). Ambit (权力, 法律的边界) = Border (The outer fence of your authority). Brief (一次任务的指令) = Assignment (The specific project you were hired for). Province (兴趣范围, 地盘) = Turf (My lane, not yours). Mandate 授权范围, 权力范围 = Power (The gun and the badge to get it done).  

1. Purview (authority, 监管范围, 管理范围, 权力范围) (Scope vs. Action). Meaning: The range of a document, law, or organization's operations. It answers what is covered. Authority: Comes from the wording of a legal statute, contract, or constitution. Use: "That environmental issue falls within the purview of the EPA." (It is covered by their rules). Key distinction: It is about coverage, not action. You can be within the purview but never actively do anything about it. Purview — suggests the range of what someone oversees or understands. Often implies authority to review or supervise. "That decision falls outside the purview of this committee." That's outside my purview. Pricing decisions are within the marketing team's purview.

2. Remit (assigned responsibilities) (Action vs. Scope). Meaning: The specific tasks, duties, and responsibilities handed to someone to execute. Authority: Assigned by a superior (a manager, a government minister, a board of directors). Use: Very common in British and Commonwealth English. "The committee's remit is to investigate supply chain failures and propose solutions." Key distinction: While purview is passive (what is covered), remit is active (what you must do). Remit — implies a formally defined or assigned task/responsibility. Very common in British and Australian workplaces. "Hiring decisions are outside my remit — speak to HR." Investigating complaints is within the committee's remit. That's beyond my remit.

3. Realm (domain or sphere) (Abstract vs. Concrete). Meaning: A kingdom (historically) or a broad, expansive field of activity or thought. Authority: Doesn't come from a boss; it comes from the nature of the subject itself. Use: Often metaphorical. "He is a giant in the realm of theoretical physics." / "This decision belongs to the realm of politics, not economics." Key distinction: It is vast and fluid. You wouldn't use it for daily office tasks; you use it for huge conceptual fields. Realm — broader and more abstract. Less about formal authority, more about a sphere or domain of existence/ideas 领域, 地界 (domain or sphere). "That's more in the realm of philosophy than science." "We're entering the realm of speculation here." That's in the realm of physics. Artificial intelligence has entered the realm of healthcare.

4. Bailiwick (expertise) (Expertise vs. Duty). Meaning: A person's specific area of knowledge, skill, or personal jurisdiction. Authority: Comes from the individual's own expertise. Historically, it was the area a sheriff (a bailiff) controlled. Use: Slightly old-fashioned but still used. "I can handle the marketing, but data analytics is not my bailiwick." Key distinction: It implies a narrow, specialized niche that you personally own because you know it better than anyone else. Bailiwick — Originally a legal term, now means someone's specialty. personal area of expertise or comfort zone, often used self-deprecatingly or humorously. "Tax law isn't really my bailiwick — you'd better ask an accountant." Cybersecurity isn't my bailiwick. Industrial automation is his bailiwick.

5. Ambit (scope or limits) (Boundary vs. Center). Meaning: The outer limits, circumference, or scope of a law, authority, or power. Authority: Defined by spatial or legal boundaries. Use: Formal and a bit legalistic. "The case falls outside the ambit of the federal court's jurisdiction." Key distinction: While purview covers the whole playing field, ambit specifically refers to the edges or borderlines of that field. Ambit — emphasises the outer boundaries or limits of something, often used in legal or policy writing. "This regulation 归...管 falls within the ambit of the Consumer Protection Act." This falls outside the ambit of the investigation.

6. Brief (assignment) (Task vs. Authority). Meaning: The specific instructions, case, or assignment given to a professional (a lawyer, a consultant, a graphic designer). Authority: Given directly by a client or senior colleague for a one-off job. Use: Highly professional. "The lawyer took on the brief for the defense." / "The creative team is working to the client's brief." Key distinction: It is temporary and specific. A remit can be permanent (an ongoing role); a brief ends when the project is delivered. Brief — implies a set of instructions or defined scope given to you by someone else. You receive a brief; you don't define it yourself. Common in creative industries, law, and consulting. "Redesigning the logo is outside our brief." "The lawyers were given a brief to review the contract."

7. Province (specialized field 专业领域) (Natural Territory vs. Assigned Job). Meaning: A subject, activity, or responsibility that naturally belongs to or is controlled by a particular person or group. Authority: Derived from tradition, expertise, or acknowledged ownership. Use: Slightly formal. "Medical diagnosis is the province of the doctor, not the pharmacist." / "Deciding on taste is not the province of a government committee." Key distinction: It implies exclusivity—this is my turf, stay in your lane. Province — suggests something naturally or traditionally belonging to a particular person or group — almost like a birthright or natural territory. Slightly literary. "Matters of the heart are more the province of poets than scientists." "Child welfare has traditionally been the province of the mother." Finance isn't my province. Diplomacy was his province.

8. Mandate (official authorization: been empowered or instructed to do. purview 指权力范围.) (Permission vs. Duty). Meaning: The official permission, authority, or command given to an elected official or body to carry out a policy. Authority: Comes from voters (political), shareholders, or a clear top-down order. Use: Very political or corporate. "The prime minister has a clear mandate to reform the tax system." / "Our team has a mandate to cut costs by 10%." Key distinction: It implies active power and public consent. You don't just have a mandate; you are expected to use it forcefully to make changes. Mandate — emphasises authorisation — that someone has been given explicit permission or instruction to act. Carries a sense of legitimacy and accountability. "The board gave him a clear mandate to restructure the company." "That's beyond our mandate as an advisory body." The committee has a mandate to investigate. The agency's mandate is consumer protection.

rat tail;

用法学习: 1. A rat tail 小辫子, 小辫辫 is a polarizing haircut featuring a long, thin strand of hair growing downward from the back of the head, leaving the rest of the hair short or styled into a fade. Originally popular in the 1980s punk subculture, the tail is frequently braided or dyed and has recently seen a trendy, rebellious comeback among Gen Z. 2. An algal [ˈæl.ɡəl] bloom 水藻丛生 or algae [ˈæl.ɡiː] bloom(algal [ˈæl.ɡəl] adj (algae noun.) relating to algae (= very simple plants that grow in or near water and do not have ordinary leaves or roots): Sewage nutrients do increase algal growth in the harbour. algal bloom Large algal blooms began appearing with increasing regularity in the shallow, coastal sea at the mouth of the Mississippi. green alga plural green algae one of very many kinds of algae (= very simple plants without ordinary leaves or roots that grow in or near water) that grow mostly in fresh water, but also including some kinds of seaweed (= sea plants): Patches of green algae floated on the water. Green algae in a pool can attract mosquitoes. ) is a rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae in fresh water or marine water systems. It may be a benign or harmful algal bloom. Algal bloom is often recognized by the discoloration in the water from the algae's pigments. The term algae encompasses many types of aquatic photosynthetic organisms, both macroscopic multicellular organisms like seaweed and microscopic unicellular organisms like cyanobacteria. Algal bloom commonly refers to the rapid growth of microscopic unicellular algae, not macroscopic algae. An example of a macroscopic algal bloom is a kelp forest 海藻林, 海带林( kelp is a specific subgroup within the much broader algae family.). Algal blooms are the result of a nutrient, like nitrogen or phosphorus from various sources (for example fertilizer runoff or other forms of nutrient pollution), entering the aquatic system and causing excessive growth of algae. An algal bloom affects the whole ecosystem. An algal bloom is a rapid, dense accumulation of microscopic, plant-like organisms (algae or cyanobacteria) in water systems. They are triggered by warm temperatures, stagnant water, and an excess of nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen. They can make water look foamy, soupy, or abnormally colored. Depending on the algae, the water may turn green, blue-green, red, or brown. 3. hang-up call A type of nuisance call where the caller repeatedly dials another number and abruptly hangs up when the receiver picks up. hang-up: I. a source of mental or emotional difficulty. a source of annoying difficulty or burden; impediment; snag. The most serious hang-up the project has is a shortage of funds. She has a lot of hang-ups about money. II. 心结. a preoccupation, fixation, or psychological block; complex. His hang-up is trying to outdo his brother. III. a fixture, object, or decoration that can be affixed to a wall, ceiling, other objects, etc.. He brightened up the room with flower baskets and other hang-ups. hang up I. (tr) to put on a hook, hanger, etc. please hang up your coat. II. to replace (a telephone receiver) on its cradle at the end of a conversation, often breaking a conversation off abruptly. III. informal to cause to have an emotional or psychological preoccupation or problem. He's really hung up on his mother. 4. civil 友善的, 和善的, 民事非刑事的, 民事非军事的, 世俗非宗教的 I. You use civil to describe events that happen within a country and that involve the different groups of people in it. ...civil unrest. II. 民事非军事的. You use civil to describe people or things in a country that are not connected with its armed forces. ...the U.S. civil aviation industry. III. 世俗的, 非宗教的. You use civil to describe things that are connected with the state rather than with a religion. not military or religious, but relating to the ordinary people of a country: Helicopters are mainly used for military rather than civil use. civil unrest. civil society. civil disorder. civil government. After ten years of military dictatorship, the country now has a civil government. civil ceremony. We weren't married in church, but we had a civil ceremony in a registry office. They were married on August 9 in a civil ceremony in Venice. ...Jewish civil and religious law. IV. You use civil to describe the rights that people have within a society. ...a United Nations covenant on civil and political rights. V. Someone who is civil is polite in a formal way, but not particularly friendly. polite and formal. being polite, courteous, and respectful in a formal way, without necessarily being warm or friendly. It is often used to describe maintaining basic, acceptable manners—even when you are in a tense situation or dealing with someone you dislike His manner was civil, though not particularly friendly. As visitors, the least we can do is be civil to the people in their own land. The man nodded civilly to Sharpe, then consulted a notebook. ...civility to underlings. VI. 民事的. 非刑事的. relating to private arguments between people or organizations rather than criminal matters: civil court. The matter would be better dealt with in the civil court rather than by an expensive criminal proceeding. civil suit. civil case. civil law. civil action. keep a civil tongue in your head used to tell someone to stop being rude. not have a civil word to say about someone 没有一句好话, 想不起一点好来(not have a bad word to say about/against somebody if no one has a bad word to say about a particular person, everyone likes and respects that person.) to not be able to think of anything good to say about someone. note: civil 和善的, 和气的 implies merely a refraining from rudeness [keep a civil tongue in your head]; polite suggests a more positive observance of etiquette in social behavior [it is not polite to interrupt]; courteous 彬彬有礼的 suggests a still more positive and sincere consideration of others that springs from an inherent thoughtfulness [always courteous to strangers]; chivalrous [ˈʃɪvlrəs] 骑士般的 implies disinterested devotion to the cause of the weak, esp. to helping women [quite chivalrous in her defense]; gallant [ˈɡæl.ənt] 绅士的 suggests a dashing display of courtesy, esp. to women [her gallant lover]. respectful, deferential, gracious, complaisant, suave, affable, urbane, courtly. civil, affable, courteous, polite(反义词: boorish, churlish.) all imply avoidance of rudeness toward others. civil suggests a minimum of observance of social requirements. affable suggests ease of approach and friendliness. courteous implies positive, dignified, sincere, and thoughtful consideration for others. polite implies habitual courtesy, arising from a consciousness of one's training and the demands of good manners. 4. infirmary [ɪnˈfɜː.mər.i] 医务室 a room in a school, college, or university where students who are injured or feeling ill can go to a nurse for treatment. II. UK old use a hospital. It is now used mainly in the names of hospitals. Some hospitals are called infirmaries. Mrs Hardie had been taken to the infirmary in an ambulance. ...the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford. Leeds General Infirmary. the Royal Infirmary. ad-seg = AdSeg 单独关押, 隔离室, 隔离间 (Canada, US) Abbreviation of administrative segregation: solitary confinement in prison. In a prison or jail context, ad seg (short for administrative segregation) refers to a form of solitary confinement or separated housing used to separate specific inmates from the general prison population. Ad seg is utilized for the following primary reasons. Safety and Protection: Housing an inmate away from the general population for their own safety (protective custody) or because they pose a severe threat to others. Pending Investigations: Holding an inmate in isolation while staff investigate a suspected rule violation, a crime, or gang activity. Security Management: Isolating individuals who disrupt the facility or represent a high-security risk. While administrative segregation is primarily a safety and management tool, it is often used interchangeably with the general term "solitary confinement". It typically means an inmate is kept in a single cell for up to 23 hours a day, with very limited access to recreation, personal property, and social contact. 5. stall verb. I. [I or T] If an engine stalls, or if you stall it 憋灭了, 憋熄火了, it stops working suddenly and without you intending it to happen: A car may stall due to the driver braking too suddenly. I stalled the car twice during my driving test but still managed to pass. II. [I] to delay taking action or avoid giving an answer in order to have more time to make a decision or get an advantage: She says she'll give me the money next week but I think she's just stalling (for time). If you stall, you try to avoid doing something until later. Some parties have accused the governor of stalling. Thomas had spent all week stalling over his decision. III.  If you stall a person 拌住, 拖住, 拖着, you delay them or prevent them from doing something for a period of time: I managed to stall him for a few days until I'd got enough money to pay back the loan. mainly us The thief broke into the office while his accomplice stalled off 绊住, 牵住, the security guard. So, what if David's innocent? That's why they build prisons. They're all innocent. If you really came here to talk to Hilde Winslow, then why'd you wait so long to tell us? Hmm?Because she's stalling 拖住, 吸引注意力. Burroughs is inside. IV. to stop making progress: Japan's economic growth has stalled 停步不前, 停滞不前, with industrial production contracting in June for the fourth straight month. V. If you stall an event, you delay it or prevent it from making progress: Commandos stalled 阻挡住, 抵挡住 the enemy attack by destroying three bridges. Fears are growing that a tax increase may stall economic recovery. noun. I. a large table or a small shop with an open front from which goods are sold in a public place: In the village market, the stalls are piled high with local vegetables. II. a small closed area within a farm building in which there is space for one animal to be kept. III. )in BRIT, usually use cubicle) a small area of a room that is separated from the main part of the room by walls or curtains: shower stall 隔间 There was one bathroom with a shower stall in the corner. the stalls I. rows of fixed seats in a church, often with the sides and backs connected: Members of the public were invited to sit in the choir stalls. II. (US the orchestra) the seats on the main floor of a theatre or cinema, not at a higher level: As he came onto the stage, a woman threw flowers from the stalls. set out your stall to show before you begin something what you intend to do or what you are able to do: She set out her stall firmly and precisely, and had very clear ideas what she wanted to do. The visiting team set out their stall from the opening minutes of the game. 5. at sb's behest/ at the behest of sb 在...命令下, 在...要求下 If something is done at someone's behest, it is done because they have ordered or requested it. because someone has asked or ordered you to do something: The budget proposal was adopted at the mayor's behest. Both posts were removed at the school's behest. The policy document was produced at the behest of the Prime Minister. Police will allege the cocaine seized at Londonderry was imported into Australia near Midge Point in North Queensland, and transported to Sydney at the behest of a Sydney organised crime group. 6. slop 泼洒 verb. to cause a liquid to flow over the edge of a container through not taking care or making a rough movement: 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. slops (also slop) liquid or wet food waste, especially when it is fed to animals: We feed the slops to the pigs. II. 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? III. 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 slop is slowly killing the internet! slop around (something) = slop about (something) to relax and do very little: Jeans are all right just for slopping around the house, but I don't wear them for work. slop out 倒马桶 When prisoners slop out, they empty the containers they use as toilets during the night in the rooms where they sleep. sloppy I. 湿哒哒的. very wet or liquid, often in a way that is unpleasant: The batter was a bit sloppy so I added some more flour. She covered his face with sloppy kisses. II. 泥泞的. (of ground, especially a track for racing) very wet and soft: In the show-jumping, accuracy was difficult on the rain-soaked, sloppy ground. Maybe it will rain and the track will be sloppy. III. disapproving not taking care or making an effort. If you describe someone's work or activities as sloppy, you mean they have been done in a careless and lazy way. He has little patience for sloppy work from colleagues. His language is disjointed and sloppy. They lost because they played sloppily. Miss Furniss could not abide sloppiness. Spelling mistakes always look sloppy in a formal letter. Another sloppy pass like that might lose them the whole game. IV. Sloppy clothes are large, loose, and do not look neat: At home I tend to wear big sloppy sweaters and jeans. V. informal disapproving expressing feelings of love in a way that is silly or embarrassing. If you describe someone or something as sloppy, you mean that they are sentimental and romantic. It's ideal for people who like a sloppy movie. ...some sloppy love-story.  a sloppy love song. sloshy [ˈslɑʃi] adj. of or pertaining to slosh; slushy. That sloshes or splashes. slosh 晃荡, 拍打, 稀里哐当的 I. (of a liquid) to move around noisily in the bottom of a container, or to cause liquid to move around in this way by making rough movements: I could hear you sloshing around in the bath. We sloshed through the puddles. She sloshed (= poured without care) some more brandy into her glass. (of a liquid) to hit against the inside of a container, or to cause liquid to move around in this way:  The water sloshed around the bridge. The label recommends sloshing the mouthwash around in the mouth for 30 seconds. The champagne sloshed and spilt. Water sloshed over the sides of the pool as the children jumped in. John sloshed juice on his jacket by pouring too fast. II. If you slosh through mud or water, you walk through it in an energetic way, so that the mud or water makes sounds as you walk. The two girls joined arms and sloshed through the mud together. slosh on(to) (someone or something) I. To spill or slop over the side of something and onto someone or something else. The boat was rocking so badly that water had started sloshing on us. You need to stop moving so quickly or the soup will end up sloshing onto the plate. II. To cause a liquid to spill or slop over the side of something and onto someone or something else. The waiter kept sloshing drinks onto the customers. slushy [ˈslʌʃ.i] 雪泥的 I. Slushy snow is partly melted. Slushy ground is covered in dirty, wet snow. Here and there a drift across the road was wet and slushy. II. If you describe a story or idea as slushy, you mean you dislike it because it is extremely romantic and sentimental. Slushy language is too emotional and romantic: a slushy romantic novel. slush 雪泥 noun. I. snow that is lying on the ground and has started to melt. The city's streets were covered with dirty, gray slush. II. mainly US a thick drink made from crushed ice and a sweet liquid: a cherry/cola slush. III. language or writing that is too emotional and romantic and does not have any real importance or meaning. note: A slushy (also spelled slushie and less commonly slushee) is a type of drink made of flavored ice and a drink, similar to granitas but with a more liquid composition. It is also commonly called a slush, slurpee, or frozen drink. A slushie can either be carbonated or non-carbonated; the carbonated version is sometimes called a frozen carbonated drink. 7. TBBT: Bernadette: Why are they staring? Amy: Who cares? Just soak it in 融入进去(to mentally absorb, fully appreciate, and experience your surroundings or situation. It is a figurative expression—like a sponge absorbing liquid—often used when enjoying an atmosphere, viewing a beautiful scene, or letting important news fully register in your mind.). Hello, boys. Stuart: Oh, hey. Could you please stop staring? They're just girls. It's nothing you haven't seen in movies or in drawings. Penny: Hey, Stuart. Stuart: What brings you guys here? Bernadette: We were looking for a recommendation about comic books. Stuart: Oh, well, I recommend you don't open a store and sell them. Penny: No, we were just wondering why the guys like this stuff so much, so we thought we'd give it a try. Stuart: Oh, okay. What do you think you might be into? Superhero, fantasy, graphic novels, manga… I swear I will turn a hose [həʊz] on you. Friends: Chandler: Nothing! This is the nine millionth ring store we've been too and I can't find the perfect ring! (Goes over to another display counter and starts pointing at rings.) Ugly ring! Ugly ring! Ugly ring! (Notices that one of the jewelers is watching him.) It's a beautiful selection. (The jeweler walks away slowly.) Phoebe: Okay, so maybe you don't get her a ring. Maybe you do something different. Y'know? Maybe you get her an engagement bracelet, y'know? Or an engagement tiara? Or—ooh! An engagement Revolutionary War musket! (Picks one up from the display in the corner. Chandler: Y'know, I'm so glad I picked you to help me with this. Phoebe: Huh? Can you just imagine getting down on one knee and handing her this gorgeous piece of weaponry? Chandler: Yeah, I'm gonna stick with the ring. (Goes to another display counter.) Oh, this one's nice! (Pointing to another ring.) I like this one! Sir? Uh, kind sir? Can I see this one? Phoebe: (coming over after returning the musket) Wait a minute, no, this is, this is the reason you brought me. Okay? I know how to haggle. So let me handle this from here on out. Male Jeweler: Can I help you? Chandler: Uh-uh, yes. I would like to see that ring please. Phoebe: Or not, whatever. Male Jeweler: This ring is from the 1920s, it's a one and a half carat diamond with sapphires on either side. Chandler: Sir, can I ask you to umm, could you…hold out that ring and ask me to marry you? Male Jeweler: Okay. (Holds out the ring, deadpan.) Will you marry me? Chandler: (choking up) Oh my God that's it, that's the ring! How much is it? Phoebe: Chandler, I will handle this! (To the jeweler) How much is it? Male Jeweler: 8,600. Phoebe: We will give you $10. Male Jeweler: (angrily) Are you interested in this ring?! Chandler: Yes! Yes, but I can only pay $8,000. Male Jeweler: Okay, I can let it go at eight. Phoebe: We stand firm at $10. Male Jeweler: (ignoring her) How would you like to pay? Chandler: Uh, credit card. (Reaches for it then realizes) Oh no! No-no, but I left my credit card with Joey. (To Phoebe) Okay, I'll go get it. You guard 守护着, 守着, 看好了 the ring. Phoebe: Okay. (To the jeweler) Listen, I'm sorry about before. Do you have anything here for $10. Male Jeweler: Uh yes, I have these two rather beautiful $5 bills. (Holds them up from his pocket.) Phoebe: I'll give you $1 for them. 8. belt and braces 冗余系统, 双保险, 万无一失 ( a belt and braces approach [British]) (belts and suspenders US) UK informal the use of two or more actions in order to be extra careful about something, although only one is really necessary. a situation in which you do something extra in order to make sure that something is safe or works properly He described airport security as a belt and braces approach, at huge cost to industry. I wrote to them and phoned as well - belt and braces, I admit. Redundant systems, affording mutual backup in the event of one failing. involving or employing multiple methods or procedures to achieve a desired result especially out of caution or fear of failure A small, personal estate-planning company accurately applied belt-and-suspenders thinking when it created an instructional service for insurance salesmen to teach them how to "push" its financial plans. He believes in a belt and suspenders, booking flights from two different airports on different airlines for important trips. 9. circulate I. to go around or through something, or to make something go around or through something. If a piece of writing circulates or is circulated, copies of it are passed round among a group of people. The document was previously circulated in New York at the United Nations. Public employees, teachers and liberals are circulating a petition for his recall. This year anonymous leaflets have been circulating in Beijing. ...an inquiry into the circulation of 'unacceptable literature'. circulate a letter/memo/proposal. Hot water circulates through the pipes. Hot water circulates through the heating system. I've circulated a good luck card for everyone to sign. If something such as a rumour circulates or is circulated, the people in a place tell it to each other. Rumours 流传, 四起, 传播 were already beginning to circulate that the project might have to be abandoned. I deeply resented those sort of rumours being circulated at a time of deeply personal grief. II. to move around at a party, etc., talking to different people. If you circulate at a party, you move among the guests and talk to different people. Let me get you something to drink, then I must circulate. I try to circulate at a party and not just stay with the friends I came with. III. biology Blood circulates 循环 inside the body by moving from the heart through the arteries and back to the heart through the veins. When something circulates, it moves easily and freely within a closed place or system. ...a virus which circulates via the bloodstream and causes ill health in a variety of organs. Cooking odours can circulate throughout the entire house. Use a fan to aid the circulation of air in the room. ...the principle of free circulation of goods. IV. to send something such as information, ideas, or documents from one person to another: Management will be circulating a supplementary report at the budget meeting. News of her retirement quickly circulated around the office. 10. disarming 让人不设防的, 让人放松警惕的 If someone or something is disarming, they make you feel less angry or hostile. Leonard approached with a disarming smile. When you meet him, he is disarming as he talks about himself. He is, as ever, business-like, and disarmingly honest. She looked at him directly and occasionally smiled disarmingly at him. exuberance [ɪɡˈzjubərəns] I. the quality of feeling energetic, or the behaviour of someone who feels this way. Exuberance is behaviour which is energetic, excited, and cheerful. Her burst of exuberance and her brightness overwhelmed me. He maintained a youthful exuberance 精力充沛, 精力旺盛, 旺盛精力. One thing that stands out is her exuberance and zest for life. If you talk about the exuberance of something, you like it because it is lively, exciting, and full of energy and life. The sheer exuberance of the sculpture was exhilarating. "He had 'irrational exuberance' for baseball, the Washington Commanders, tennis, golf, and music, especially jazz. He will be remembered for his brilliance and his kindness. Being his life partner was the joy of my life." Investors hung on his sometimes inscrutable observations. In the most well-known such remark, Greenspan sent financial markets reeling on December 5, 1996, when he suggested with just two words — "irrational exuberance" — that stock prices were too high. II. the fact that plants are strong and growing quickly: They marvelled at the exuberance 郁郁葱葱, 茂盛, 旺盛成长 of the rainforest. The flowering plant beds change from neatness to riotous multi-coloured exuberance. exuberant I. (especially of people and their behaviour) very energetic. (esp. of people and their behavior) very energetic, and showing the happiness of being alive: He is an exuberant dancer.  Young and exuberant, he symbolizes Italy's new vitality. II. (of plants) strong and growing quickly. 11. a fishing expedition [ˌɛkspɪˈdɪʃn] (通常指秘密地)收罗信息, 资料 (用于调查揭示真相) mainly US an attempt to discover the facts about something by collecting a lot of information, often secretly. If someone goes on a fishing expedition, they attempt to find evidence that someone has done something illegal or interesting, but without saying that this is the purpose of their search: The investigators' request for the company's accounts is simply a fishing expedition - they have no real evidence of wrongdoing. This was so obviously a fishing expedition from the start to see if there was anything the police could charge me with. on a fishing expedition The opposition accused the government of going on a political fishing expedition. It was clear she was on a fishing expedition, asking about strange and unusual entries.

TV Series - Bergerac: Rachini says Julien was there three weeks ago and he didn't have a good night. On Tuesday night, Julien called and asked if she could raise him a stake 贷款给他. The call occurred at 8:22 p.m. and lasted seven minutes. Rachini told him they had reached the end of their friendship. As they leave, Jim says she just drove a bus through 戳破 Arthur's alibi. When was Julien last here? Three weeks ago. Let's just say he did not have a good night. OK, was that when you told him you were calling in his debt 收账, 收款, 要求还款? No. That was Tuesday night. He called, asked if I could raise him a stake. Said he'd got a sure tip on the horses and if it came in ( 后边有解释. if the tip came in, my horse comes in, the bet came in (paid off, came through)), he could clear his debts. So he called you? When was this? Here we go. 8.22pm, seven-minute call. Is that a landline number? Old school. We're gonna need that. If I'm not under caution, I don't need to give you anything. But I'll tell you what. I'll take a screenshot and send it over. Did you give him the stake? He already owed me 250. Even I have my limits. So you threatened him? I said we'd reached the end of our friendship. How he chose to interpret that is up to him. can drive a truck through something = could drive a truck through (something) 漏得像筛子( memory/mind like a sieve If you have a memory or mind like a sieve, you forget things very easily. Milwaukee Bucks' Defense Is Leaking Like A Sieve: 足球: Gutless. Lose a goal and they give up. Defence is like a sieve. No tracking back, anticipation nil. Do these players want to play for Hibs or just the money? tracking back 回防: In soccer, tracking back means when an attacking or midfield player sprints or runs back toward their own goal to help defend after their team loses possession. ) Could easily show or exploit the flaws in something. If you can drive a truck through something such as an agreement, contract or argument, it has serious weaknesses or faults. Oh please, I could drive a truck through that lawyer's incoherent argument, and I plan to do just that in court tomorrow. I really thought we had a sound take on the issue. But apparently the other debate team could drive a truck through it—and boy did they. Are you seriously trying to justify plagiarizing that paper? Well, I could drive a truck right through that argument—where should I start? In my view, Miller's fiscal plan is so thin you could drive a truck through it. Note: You can also say that something has weaknesses big enough to drive a truck through. Clearly, there were loopholes in the system big enough to drive a truck through. stake noun. I. a share in something, esp. a financial share in a business, or an emotional investment in something. a share or a financial involvement in something such as a business: He holds a 20% stake in the company. Parents have a large stake in their children's education. hold a stake in/of He holds (= owns) a 40 percent stake in/of the company. have a stake in something If you have a stake in something, it is important to you because you have a personal interest or involvement in it: Employers have a stake in the training of their staff. a 15%/3%/10%, etc. stake His 22% stake makes him the retailer's biggest shareholder. have/hold/own a stake (in sth) The Chief Executive has a controlling stake in the company worth €58m. acquire/buy/sell a stake (in sth). increase/raise/reduce a stake (in sth). II. the amount of money that you risk on the result of something such as a game or competition. In an activity or competition, the stakes are the costs or risks involved in competing: The City continued to play for high stakes in shares of the airline. Given the high stakes for both hardware makers and software suppliers, neither side is likely to give up easily. Global competition has raised the stakes of doing business. high-stakes She spent two weeks in Las Vegas playing high-stakes blackjack at the casinos. the stakes [plural] In an activity or competition, the stakes are the reward for the person who wins or succeeds in it: The team is playing for enormous stakes - the chance to play in the final. the Stakes used in the names of horse races in which the prize money is provided by all the owners of the horses that are competing in the race: The Twixt Stakes is held at Laurel Park Racecourse. the beauty, popularity, etc. stakes UK a situation where someone is judged on how much of a particular quality they have: in the beauty, popularity, etc. stakes 颜值不高, 不受欢迎, 欢迎度不高 The prime minister is not very high in the popularity stakes (= he is not very popular) at the moment. III. a strong stick or metal bar with a pointed end: Stakes in the ground marked the outline of the new building. The stakes are pushed or hammered into the ground and can be used for supporting a plant or forming part of a fence. the stake 木桩, 木柱 in the past, a wooden post to which people were tied before being burned to death as a punishment: burned at the stake 耻辱柱 In medieval Europe, people accused of heresy were often burned at the stake. verb. I. to risk an amount of money: stake something on something 赌上 At the roulette table, he staked $10,000 on number 21. II. to hold up and support something by fastening it to stakes: Tomato plants should be staked 爬架子, 搭架子 (luffa trellis 丝瓜架) soon after they are planted. (A tomato trellis is a support structure designed to keep plants growing vertically. This practice improves airflow, prevents pests, and increases fruit yields. Popular methods include the Florida Weave, Single-Stem String Trellising, and traditional Tomato Cages or Stakes.). III. to risk harming or losing something important: He has talent and ambition, and I'd stake my reputation on his success. at stake if something like money, a job, or someone's reputation is at stake, it is in danger of being lost because of a particular situation: The company's reputation is at stake and they need to act quickly and decisively. Up to 300 jobs are thought to be at stake at head office. stake a/your claim to state that you have a right to something and that it should belong to you: Foreign companies across a range of sectors seek to stake a claim in China's fast-growing economy. stake a claim to/for/on sth to announce that something belongs to you: Stacy staked her claim to her uncle's fortune. Various countries are trying to stake their claims to the oil under the polar ice cap. stake something out 监视 I. to watch a place continuously in order to catch criminals or to see a famous person. to secretly watch a place, esp. for illegal activity: A group of reporters staked out the hallway, hoping to catch the singer on her way out. The police staked out the hotel where the two terrorists were reported to be staying. II. to establish or make clear your opinion or position on something: Two of the president's chief advisers have staked out opposite positions 表明立场 on this issue. New software companies are going to find it hard staking out a position 占据一席之地 in an already crowded market. III. to claim ownership of or a particular interest in something: All politicians will stake out lowering taxes as their very own idea. stake somewhere/something out 占据, 占地方 to mark the limits of an area or a piece of land with wooden sticks in order to claim that you own it. to show clearly that you claim the right to own, control, or use a particular area, for example by putting personal things there: Each gang in the city has staked out its territory and defends it from other gangs. They arrived early for the concert and staked out a place 占地盘, 占地方 at the front of the queue. stake someone to something 提供, 供应 to provide someone with a particular thing or with what is needed to get it: The governor has promised to stake the city's homeless to what they need for a fresh start. go to the stake for something 冒风险, 冒险, 以身涉险 to defend an action, opinion, or belief despite the risks that are involved: She was prepared to go to the stake for her views. pull up stakes 搬家, 拔寨 US informal (UK up sticks) to take all the things that you own and go and live in a different place: This is the fourth time in five years that we've had to pull up stakes. stake something on something 赌上... to risk harming or losing something important if an action, decision, or situation does not have the result you want or expect: I think she'll be head of this company in five year's time - I'd stake my reputation on it. equity stake the part of a company that a person or organization owns, represented by the number of shares they have: Investors provide capital in exchange for equity stakes. take/acquire/have an equity stake (in sth) The investment bank intends to take an equity stake in the firm as part of its involvement with the takeover. a small/large/significant equity stake. raise/up the stakes I. 增加赌注. 增加筹码. to increase the amount of money or valuables hazarded in a gambling game. to increase the prize or reward in a competition or any activity in which you are competing: The fight promoters have decided to raise the stakes in order to attract better competitors. The stakes were raised this year, meaning that poker players were competing for almost $5 million in prize money. She refused to pay unless the tournament organizers upped the stakes for women. Another couple upped the stakes by offering over £3.5m for the property. A shortage of housing has raised the stakes for estate agents. II. to make a situation more urgent or more difficult to ignore. to increase the costs, risks, or considerations involved in taking an action or reaching a conclusion. the Libyan allegations raised the stakes in the propaganda war between Libya and the United States. The stowaways are trying to raise the stakes by refusing to eat until they are given money and aid. The president has upped the stakes by sending troops to the border. This legal decision could raise the stakes for all similar employment cases. Stiffer sentences have raised the stakes for drug traffickers. The supermarket's special offers have upped the stakes in this retail war. stowaway 逃票者, 偷渡者: A person who hides on a vehicle to get a free ride is a stowaway. If your cat sneaks into the back seat of your car and travels to school with you, she's a stowaway too! The verb phrase stow away came first, meaning "conceal," from stow, or "stash." By the 1840s, stowaway was being used as a noun to mean "clandestine traveler." Anyone who sneaks onto a boat, plane, or train and hides out during the trip, stowing themselves someplace secluded, can be described as a stowaway. raise I. to increase the amount, level, or quality of something: The Bank of England was expected to raise the cost of borrowing after higher than expected inflation figures. raise salaries/prices/taxes 提价, 涨工资, 涨税 There is increasing pressure on exporters to raise prices in foreign markets. raise awareness/standards/quality 提高意识, 提高标准, 提高品质 The new government is pledging to raise standards in education. II. 提出问题. 融资. 筹集资金. to cause to exist: Her answers raised doubts/fears/suspicions in my mind. This discussion has raised many important issues/problems. The announcement raised a cheer/laugh 引起欢呼, 引起哄堂大笑. I want to raise (= talk about) two problems/questions with you. I want to start my own business if I can raise (= obtain) the money/cash/capital/funds. raise concerns/doubts/fears to mention something that you are worried or not sure about so that it can be examined and dealt with: The company announced a package of reforms to address concerns raised by shareholders. raise issues/objections/questions 提出反对, 提出疑问, 提出质疑. formal The chapel was raised (= built) as a memorial to her son. to manage to get money to invest in a business, project, property, etc.: raise capital/funds/money We will raise funds for reconstruction by disposing of assets. The share issue in the coffee company aims to raise €5m from investors eager to invest in ethical concerns. raise a loan/mortgage/stake 获得贷款, 筹集到资金 means to obtain or secure a loan — i.e. to successfully borrow money. "The company raised a loan to fund the new equipment." "He raised a loan against the property.". II. 养育, 养大. to take care of a person, or an animal or plant, until they are completely grown: Her parents died when she was a baby and she was raised by her grandparents. The lambs had to be raised by hand (= fed milk by people) when their mother died. The farmer raises (= breeds) chickens and pigs. The soil around here isn't good enough for raising (= growing) crops 种植庄稼. III. If you raise another player in a game of cards, you risk more money than that player has risked: I'll raise you. I'll raise you $50. IV. to end or stop: They agreed to raise/lift the trade embargo if three conditions were met. After three weeks the siege was raised. V. to communicate with someone, especially by phone or radio: I've been trying to raise Jack/Tokyo all day. VI. to prepare an invoice (US:  "issue an invoice" or "send an invoice". "making out an invoice" is natural and correct too — it means to write up or prepare an invoice. "Can you make out an invoice for this order?" "I'll make out an invoice and send it over." It's the same construction as: "make out a cheque" — write a cheque. "make out a receipt" — write up a receipt. "raise a purchase order", "raise a credit note". In fact "raise" is commonly used across all business/financial documents in Commonwealth English. It carries the sense of formally creating or initiating a document in a business context. "Raise a cheque" is particularly common in corporate/accounting settings — e.g. an accounts department would say "I'll raise a cheque for that payment" rather than "write a cheque", which sounds more personal/informal. ): The exporter raises an invoice 开发票 in the usual way on the overseas buyer. "I'll raise an invoice for that work today." "Please raise an invoice for the full amount." VII. to make or arrange a phone call, especially to discuss technical help, business, etc.: If you have a technical fault, you can raise a call using the in-house system. call in I. 催款, 要求还款, 催账, 催收账, 收款. 收账. 收贷 to call for payment; collect. call in a loan/debt to officially tell someone to pay back money you lent them The bank can call in the loan at any time. The family struggled because her father was unwilling to call in the debts owed to him. II. to call upon for consultation; ask for help. Management called in an independent engineering firm to determine the cause behind the roof collapse. III. to inform, report, or request by telephone. The electric company will reward customers with a credit if they call in their own meter readings. Your doctor can call in the prescription to your local pharmacy. IV. to participate in a meeting or a radio or television program by telephone. The listeners who call in to my talk show about science ask the most intriguing questions. V. to visit. We were instructed to call in to the office later to pay and complete the formal paperwork. call in on sb to visit a person or place while you are on your way to somewhere else Could you call in on Mum on your way home? VI. to withdraw from circulation. The country's leader issued a proclamation calling in 召回(recall) all gold coins and gold certificates. VII. to telephone somewhere, especially the place where you work, to tell them where you are, what you are doing etc Rachael called in sick (=telephoned to say she was too ill to come to work). come in I. to enter a room or building: Do you want to come in for a cup of tea? Hi, come in - great to see you! II. (of a bus, train, plane, etc.) to arrive at a particular place: Hasn't his train come in yet? Our flights came in within an hour of each other (Our flights landed back to back). "The train came in 进站 late (got in late, pulled in late)." "What time does your flight come in?" "The ship came in early this morning." III. (of a product) to become available: We are waiting for new stock to come in 到货. He has the book on order and expects it to come in 到货 next week. IV. (of a law, rule, or system) to be introduced and start to be used: Many thousands of people have given up smoking since this legislation came in 生效. It will be several months before the new rules come in. V. 变流行. to become fashionable or popular. When a new idea, fashion, or product comes in, it becomes popular or available. It was just when geography was really beginning to change and lots of new ideas were coming in. I wouldn't be sorry to see proportional representation come in. Flared trousers 喇叭裤 first came in during the 1970s. As with so many other fashions, the trend for dressing down at work seems to be going out almost before it has come in. VI. When news or information comes in, it is received: Reports are just coming in 信息/消息/新闻/报道开始进来 of a major accident on the motorway. VII. If you have money coming in, you receive it as income: With Dave unemployed, we don't have much money coming in at the moment. If more funding comes in, we may be able to restore some of our services. VIII. to become involved in a situation, story, or plan: We need expert advice, and that's where you come in 出场. His character doesn't come in until about halfway through the film. to become involved in a situation, plan, or discussion. If you ask where something or someone comes in, you are asking what their role is in a particular matter. Rose asked again, 'But where do we come in, Henry?' Finally, he could do no more, which is where Jacques came in. come in on sth 参与进来, 加入 If someone comes in on a discussion, arrangement, or task, they join it. Can I come in here too, on both points? He had a designer come in and redesign the uniforms. Can I come in on that issue? IX. to begin playing or singing as part of a piece of music, either for the first time or after a pause: My favourite part of the song is that moment when the horns come in. The soloist has a long wait before coming in again. The DJ has to cue up the second piece of music so it comes in on the first beat of a bar. X. When the sea or the tide comes in 涨潮, the water moves forwards to cover more of the beach. (of the ocean tide) to be rising to a higher level: By the time we got to the beach the tide had come in. come in first, second, etc. to finish a race in first, second, etc. position: Burns came in second in the 100 metres. XI. to prove to be. it came in useful. come in handy If something comes in handy, it is useful in a particular situation. That key will come in handy if you lock yourself out. The $20 check came in very handy. come in useful If an object or skill comes in useful, it can help you achieve something in a particular situation. come in from the cold = come in out of the cold I. (espionage) Of a spy: to return home after having gone undercover in enemy territory. II. (figurative) To gain widespread acceptance in a group or society, especially where there was not any before. Long an outsider in Western politics, Portugal came in from the cold after the 1974 Carnation Revolution. Return to shelter and safety, be welcomed into a group. Bill was fed up with traveling on his own for the company and hoped they'd let him come in from the cold. After years of not being invited to join, Steve was finally asked to come in out of the cold.

 Former US Federal Reserve chair Alan Greenspan dies aged 100: Alan Greenspan, the jazz-playing US Federal Reserve chair, who was celebrated for engineering 主导, 策动 a decade of prosperity but later shared the blame for a devastating financial crisis, has died aged 100. "Under his leadership, the Federal Reserve achieved a sustained era of price stability that supported economic growth and helped anchor the public's confidence in the institution," the central bank said in a statement on Monday, local time. Greenspan presided over a breathtaking surge in stock prices and a 10-year economic boom that started in March 1991 in his 18 and a half years at the Fed. He was celebrated as "Maestro'' and "Oracle'', an economic virtuoso whose every utterance was dissected 每一句话都被剖析 for clues on where interest rates and the economy were headed. But his reputation began to suffer almost as soon as he left the Fed in 2006. American housing prices tumbled rapidly, causing huge losses for banks that had repackaged mortgage loans into a dizzying array of complex securities. For almost two decades, it seemed that Greenspan could do no wrong. Not only in the United States but across the world, he was regarded with a mixture of reverence and awe. Many openly dreaded the day when he would leave the Fed. During the 1950s, he became a disciple of the libertarian philosopher Ayn Rand, who stuck him with the nickname the "Undertaker" ( stick someone with something 只剩下, 强塞, 硬塞 US informal to force someone to have or do something that is not very good. to burden someone with something. Please don't stick me with the stick shift again. Big power companies grab cheap supplies and stick everyone else with more expensive ones. be stuck with something/somebody to be made to accept something, do something, spend time with someone etc, when you do not want to Bill left and I was stuck with the bill. stick with something/somebody I. to continue doing something the way you did or planned to do before Let's stick with the original plans. II. to stay close to someone You just stick with me. I'll explain everything as we go along. III. to continue doing something, especially something difficult If you stick with it, your playing will gradually get better. IV. to remain in someone's memory Those words will stick with me for the rest of my life. ) for his dark clothes and quiet bearing (When used to describe a person, "quiet bearing" refers to their calm, composed, and unassuming outward demeanor. It describes how they carry themselves through the world—typically characterized by grace, inner strength, and a lack of loud, attention-seeking behavior.). On October 19, 1987, which came to be known as "Black Monday", the stock market suffered the worst one-day percentage loss in American history just two months into his term. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 22.6 per cent for reasons that remain opaque to this day. Greenspan was credited with helping restore stability. He assured Wall Street that the Fed would supply as much money to the financial system as was needed to restore calm. Stocks recovered, and the American economy emerged unscathed 毫发无损的, 毫发无伤的 by the market crash. During his tenure at the Fed, Greenspan drew praise 赢得赞誉 for presiding over what was at the time the longest economic expansion in American history. (It was later surpassed by a 128-month expansion that ran from June 2009 through February 2020.) During Greenspan's tenure at the Fed, the nation's unemployment rate briefly dropped below 4 per cent for the first time since 1970. And inflation, which had bedevilled 饱受困扰, 摆脱不掉, 纠缠, 缠绕(to confuse, annoy, or cause problems or difficulties for someone or something. If you are bedevilled by something unpleasant, it causes you a lot of problems over a period of time. His career was bedevilled by injury. The development has been bedevilled with problems. ...a problem that has bedevilled service industries for decades. Ever since I started playing tennis, I've been bedevilled by back pains.) the United States and much of the global economy during the 1970s, was remarkably dormant during Greenspan's chairmanship, something many economists thought impossible for so long a period. As Fed chair, Greenspan relished poring over obscure economic data, from monthly boxcar loadings (A boxcar 货列车厢, 货车车厢 is the North American (AAR) and South Australian Railways term for a railroad car that is enclosed and generally used to carry freight. The boxcar, while not the simplest freight car design, is considered one of the most versatile since it can carry most loads. Boxcars have side sliding doors of varying size and operation, and some include end doors and adjustable bulkheads to load very large items. Similar covered freight cars outside North America are covered goods wagons and, depending on the region, are called goods van 运货车厢 (UK and Australia), covered wagon (UIC and UK) or simply van (UIC, UK and Australia) Boxcar loading involves the strategic placement and securing of freight into enclosed railway cars to prevent shifting, damage, or pilferage during transit. It relies heavily on proper weight distribution, blocking, and bracing techniques. 集装箱: Container, Shipping container, Freight container, Intermodal container. 干货集装箱: Dry container. 冷藏集装箱: Reefer container / Refrigerated container. 开顶集装箱: Open-top container . 框架集装箱: Flat rack container. ) to steel production, all in a bid to assess where the economy was going. He would often phone economists at other government agencies to discuss details. He would rise early 起床很早 each morning for a two-hour soak in his bathtub, a time that he used to review statistics and Fed staff memos.