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. 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.

lay low, lie low;

用法学习: 1. lay (one) low 卧床, 放倒, 撂倒 To render one unable to move or leave their bed. The car accident laid her low for a couple of months. My husband won't be able to come in to work today—he's been laid low by the flu. lie low 放低, 低调. (经常误为 lay low) I. To be, make oneself, or remain hidden or inconspicuous; to avoid being found, detected, or scrutinized by others. I'm sorry I haven't been around to see you lately, but with the police investigating the company I thought it would be better to lie low for a while. 误用的例子: I'm sorry I haven't been around to see you lately, but with the police investigating the company I thought it would be better to lay low for a while. Jim and Colby are laying low with the goods. Once the heat from the cops eases up, they'll send the stuff over to us. II. By extension, to keep to oneself; to avoid interactions with others. I think I'm just going to lie low at home this weekend, I don't really feel like going out at all. 2. A block party is a large, outdoor public gathering organized by residents of a single neighborhood or city block. It often involves temporarily closing a street to vehicle traffic so neighbors can socialize, eat, and celebrate together. A block party or street party is a party in which many members of a single community congregate, either to observe an event of some importance or simply for mutual solidarity and enjoyment. The name comes from the form of the party, which often involves closing an entire city block to vehicle traffic or just a single street. Many times, there will be a celebration in the form of playing music, games, dance and activities with food such as popcorn machines and barbecues. When multiple streets become cordoned off, those are referred to as street fairs. These gatherings are especially popular during holidays or local celebrations and may range from informal get-togethers to large public events. The tradition has evolved globally, with local variations reflecting cultural, historical, and political contexts. 3. Lock picking 溜门撬锁 is the practice of unlocking a lock by manipulating the components of the lock device without a key. Although lock-picking can be associated with criminal intent, it is an essential skill for the legitimate profession of locksmithing, and is also pursued by law-abiding citizens as a useful skill to learn, or simply as a hobby (locksport). In some countries, such as Japan, lock-picking tools are illegal for most people to possess, but in many others, they are available and legal to own as long as there is no intent to use them for criminal purposes. 4. transpire [trænˈspaɪər] (BECOME KNOWN) If it transpires that something has happened, this previously secret or unknown fact becomes known: It may yet transpire that ministers knew more than they are admitting at the moment. As it later transpired, she had known him at school. a. When it transpires that something is the case, people discover that it is the case. It transpired that Paolo had left his driving licence at home. As it transpired, the Labour government did not dare go against the pressures exerted by the City. b. When something transpires, it happens. Some speakers of English consider this use to be incorrect. Nothing is known as yet about what transpired at the meeting. transfix [trænsˈfɪks] 一动不动的, 目瞪口呆, 呆若木鸡, 僵直, 僵住了, 吓呆了, 呆住 (UNABLE TO MOVE) to make a person or animal unable to move or stop looking at something because they are so interested, surprised, or frightened. If you are transfixed by something, it captures all of your interest or attention, so that you are unable to think of anything else or unable to act. We were all transfixed by the images of the war. Her eyes were transfixed with terror. For hours he stood transfixed. The conference delegates were transfixed by her speech. transverse [trænzvɜːrs] Transverse is used to describe something that is at right angles to something else. in a position or direction that is at an angle of 90° to something else: The main roof beams are given extra support by the smaller transverse beams. traverse [trəˈvɜːs] 横穿, 穿行, 穿越, 穿过 to move or travel through an area: Stanley traversed the continent from west to east. Bounded on the east by Lake Winnebago, the county is traversed by the Wolf and Fox rivers. Moving sidewalks traverse the airport. Tallaght, a bustling county town in South Dublin, sits in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains and is traversed by 穿城而过 the River Dodder. I traversed the narrow pedestrian bridge. ...a steep-sided valley traversed by streams. institute verb. If you institute a system, rule, or course of action, you start it. to start or cause a system, rule, legal action, etc. to exist: She is threatening to institute legal proceedings against the hospital. We will institute a number of measures to better safeguard the public. Hormone replacement therapy is very important and should be instituted early. Anthropic said it had instituted several safeguards for its newest models to "greatly reduce the likelihood" that they are "misused for tasks related to cybersecurity," noting they've received complaints from users about those guardrails being too strict. Anthropic also noted it has worked with the US government to "red team" Fable's safeguards and that no model is completely resistant to any jailbreak. red team 佯装敌方, 佯装敌人, 佯装进攻方 computing, business specialized in a war game (= a pretend military battle for the purpose of training) or simulation (= a model of a set of problems or events that can be used for training or practice), for example of an attack on a company's computer systems, a group of people that acts as an enemy or tries to find weaknesses in a company's security: The red team uses simulated enemy tactics and equipment to challenge friendly forces (the blue team). The red team attempts to overcome your security controls and gain access to data. blue team 佯装防守方, 佯装自己人 military, computing, business specialized in a war game (= a pretend military battle for the purpose of training) or simulation (= a model of a set of problems or events that can be used for training or practice), for example of an attack on a company's computer systems, a group of people who play a friendly role or who defend against attack: Red and blue teams have been part of US military training for years. There may also be a blue team, a group of cybersecurity employees who are responsible for defending an organization's networks against attack. char [tʃɑːr] 烧成灰, 烧成炭 (BURN) I. to burn and become black or to burn something so that it becomes black. If food chars or if you char it, it burns slightly and turns black as it is cooking. Toast hazelnuts on a baking sheet until the skins char. Halve the peppers and char the skins under a hot grill. The chops should be cooked over moderate heat to prevent excessive charring. Grill the peppers until the skin starts to char. II. If a woman chars for someone, she works as their cleaner. I'm calling round at the Rodings to ask if Mrs Higgins will char for you. charred [tʃɑːrd] 烧成炭了的 Charred plants, buildings, or vehicles have been badly burnt and have become black because of fire. ...the charred remains of a tank. 4. placid [ˈplæs.ɪd] 悠然的, 不慌不忙的. 平静的, 冷静的, 舒缓的, 不紧不慢的 having a calm appearance or characteristics. calm and peaceful: a placid child. The placid lake was perfect for canoeing. a slow-moving and placid river. the placid pace of village life. She was a very placid (= calm and not easily excited) child who slept all night and hardly ever cried. a. A placid person or animal is calm and does not easily become excited, angry, or upset. She was a placid child who rarely cried. Marcus remained placid in the face of her outburst. 'No matter, we will pay the difference,' Helena said placidly. The cow in the nearby field was still chewing placidly on its cud. b. A placid place, area of water, or life is calm and peaceful. ...the placid waters of Lake Erie. He had been leading a placid life for the past eight years. With President Donald Trump's arrival this week at the French spa resort Évian-les-Bains for a summit of top world leaders, the placid lakeside setting 悠然自得的 may disguise a somewhat more stormy atmosphere. flaccid [ˈflæs.ɪd] 软弱无力的 I. soft or weak rather than firm. You use flaccid to describe a part of someone's body when it is unpleasantly soft and not hard or firm. I picked up her wrist. It was limp and flaccid. The penis is usually in a flaccid state. II. disapproving weak and not effective: The programme included a lacklustre and flaccid performance of Berg's violin concerto. 5. torture 拷打, 拷问, 折磨人 verb I. If someone is tortured, another person deliberately causes them great pain over a period of time, in order to punish them or to make them reveal information. French police are convinced that she was tortured and killed. Three members of the group had been tortured to death. They never again tortured a prisoner in his presence. ...alleged cases of torture and murder by the security forces. Half of the prisoners died after torture and starvation. He revealed the secret under torture. Many prisoners died under torture. I had thought this was a medieval torture that had mercifully disappeared. II. 精神折磨. To torture someone means to cause them to suffer mental pain or anxiety. He tortured himself for years with the thought that he could have stopped the boy from running into the road. He would not torture her further by trying to argue with her. She tortured herself with fantasies of Bob and his new girlfriend. In reality, however, the president's relationship with the G7 has been tortured for years, stretching back to tension-filled summits during his first term. Most of the time, his fellow leaders — who represent the United States' staunchest allies — have tried to gloss over his jabs. But some have begun hitting back. noun. I. If you say that something is torture or a torture, you mean that it causes you great mental or physical suffering. a very unpleasant experience: The rush-hour traffic was sheer torture as usual.  Waiting for the result was torture. The friction of the sheets against his skin was torture. Learning–something she had always loved–became a torture. II. Torture 上刑, 受刑 is also the act of injuring someone or making someone suffer in an effort to force that person to do or say what you want to be done or said: The museum has many examples of instruments of torture 刑具. torture chamber a room where somebody is caused extreme physical pain, esp in order to extract information, break resistance, etc.  Death flights (Spanish: vuelos de la muerte) are a form of extrajudicial killing in which victims are dropped to their deaths from airplanes or helicopters and their bodies land in oceans, large rivers or mountains. torture porn informal a genre of horror films in which sadistic violence or torture is a central aspect of the plot. torture flight a flight used to carry out extraordinary rendition. Extraordinary rendition 强行引渡, 非常规引渡 is a euphemistically-named policy of state-sponsored abduction in a foreign jurisdiction and transfer to a third state. The best-known use of extraordinary rendition is in a United States-led program during the war on terror, which circumvented the source country's laws on interrogation, detention, extradition and/or torture. Extraordinary rendition is a type of extraterritorial abduction, but not all extraterritorial abductions include transfer to a third country. Extraordinary rendition began under the administration of President Bill Clinton and continued under the administration of President George W. Bush, which abducted hundreds of "illegal combatants" for U.S. detention and transported them to U.S.-controlled sites as part of an extensive interrogation program that included torture. Extraordinary rendition continued under the Obama administration, with targets being interrogated and subsequently taken to the U.S. for trial. slaughter noun. I. 屠杀. the killing of many people cruelly and unfairly, especially in a war:  ...a war where the slaughter of civilians was commonplace. The annual slaughter of wildlife in Italy is horrific. Hardly anyone in the town escaped the slaughter when the rebels were defeated. We must find ways of reducing the slaughter which takes place on our roads (= death of many people in car accidents) every year. II. 屠宰. the killing of animals for meat: The geese are being fattened for slaughter. slaughterhouse 屠宰场 mainly US. III. an occasion when one team is very easily defeated by the other: Saturday's game was an absolute slaughter 屠戮. verb. I. to cruelly and unfairly kill a lot of people: Thousands of people were slaughtered in the civil war. We must find ways of reducing the slaughter on the highways (= deaths of many people in car accidents). II. to kill an animal for meat: The animals are slaughtered in spring. III. to defeat someone very easily. In sports and other competitions, to slaughter is to defeat easily: The Red Sox slaughtered the Yankees in last night's baseball game, winning 12 to 0. England slaughtered Germany 5–1 at football. like lambs = like lambs to the slaughter 不反抗的, 待宰的羔羊一样, 听话的, 乖巧的, 顺从的, 乖乖的 If someone does something or goes somewhere like a lamb to the slaughter, they do it without knowing that something bad is going to happen and therefore act calmly and without fighting against the situation. If you say that people do something like lambs or like lambs to the slaughter, you mean that they do what someone wants them to do without complaining or fighting. The pair surrendered to him like lambs. We follow their every word like lambs to the slaughter. note: "Like sheep to the slaughter" — and its numerous variants, such as "like a lamb to the slaughter" — is a simile that refers to facing a negative situation clueless of its consequences. It is a popular simile, and has been used in various contexts throughout history. onslaught 侵袭 a very powerful attack. If you refer to an onslaught of something, you mean that there is a large amount of it, often so that it is very difficult to deal with. The onslaught of orders should keep aircraft manufacturers busy for some time. ...the constant onslaught of ads on American TV. It is unlikely that his forces could withstand an enemy onslaught for very long. With the nice weather, the beach towns are expecting an onslaught of tourists. onslaught on/against 袭击, 攻击 An onslaught on someone or something is a very violent, forceful attack against them. The attackers launched another vicious onslaught on their victim. The rebels responded to a military onslaught against them by launching a major assault. ...a media onslaught. Scotland's onslaught on Wales in the second half of the match earned them a 4–1 victory. 6. acrid [ˈækrɪd] I. an acrid smell or taste 刺鼻的 is very strong, bitter, and unpleasant in your nose and throat. stinging, acrid fumes of burning rubber. II. an acrid remark expresses criticism in a cruel way. extremely or sharply stinging or bitter; exceedingly caustic. acrid remarks. Things seemed to get off to a good start last year between Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, at least compared to the acrid relationship Trump had with Carney's predecessor Justin Trudeau. But disputes over trade and a forceful speech Carney delivered earlier this year in Davos led Trump to change his view, and he's lately taken to calling the leader "Governor Carney," a nod to the president's threat to make Canada the 51st US state. vocabulary: Acrid is almost always used to describe a smell, and it ain't a pretty one. Acrid is the nasty sting that you feel in your nose when you walk by a building that just burned down — it's sulfur mixed with smoke. You can also use acrid to describe someone's tone or general demeanor when they are being nasty. Someone about to do something evil might first give an acrid sneer, or speak in a chillingly acrid tone of voice, or even shudder as if they'd just bit into something with an acrid taste. 7. juke [dʒuːk] US slang (of a player in American football, football, or other sports) to change direction quickly to avoid being blocked, tackled (= made to fall to the ground), or touched by an opponent: The wide receiver juked the defender at the line of scrimmage and was able to get open in the end zone to catch the touchdown pass. The running back juked around the cornerback and was able to pick up another ten yards and a first down. a. to outmaneuver by a feint or other deceptive movement. to make a move intended to deceive (an opponent). b. to outmaneuver someone in such a manner. noun. 假动作. a fake or feint, usually intended to deceive a defensive player. juking the stats 篡改数据, 伪造数据 "Juking the stats" is the act of manipulating data, tweaking metrics, or altering how figures are calculated to meet specific performance targets or present a more favorable (and often false) picture to the public. feint [feɪnt] 声东击西. 虚张声势. 假动作骗过 verb. to pretend to move, or to make a move, in a particular direction in order to deceive an opponent, especially in sports such as football or boxing: Callas feinted to pass the ball and then shot it into the net. He feinted a shot to the left. One person bumped into me as a feint while the other stole my wallet. noun. I. an action in which someone pretends to move, or makes a move, in a particular direction in order to deceive an opponent, especially in sports such as football or boxing: He produced a brilliant feint, passed two defenders, and smashed the ball into the net. II. 声东击西. 虚张声势. an action taken in order to deceive someone about what you intend to do, for example in war or politics. an action or movement intended to take attention away from something else: We had been kept unsure of his plans by feints. During the advance, the French had been kept unsure of Marlborough's destination by feints. US officials now dismiss his visit as just another feint. fake [someone] out 骗过 I. informal North American trick or deceive someone. to trick somebody by making them believe something that is not true. to deceive or outmaneuver as by a feint, bluff, or deceptive act. Simon fakes him out by saying no at first, before revealing he was just kidding. She faked me out by acting friendly and then stole my job. II. to surprise, as by a sudden reversal They thought we weren't coming back, but we faked them out by showing up during dinner. Usage notes: The object of this verb is usually placed between fake and out. Often used in a sporting context to indicate a situation in which a player is lured out of position or put off stride by a misleading movement by an opposing player. fakeout 假动作. 骗术. 骗人的.  (informal) A trick or deception. head fake 头部假动作 I. (sports) A player's movement of the head as if to change direction, hoping to mislead pursuers. II. (by extension) Any analogously misleading situation, such as a brief rise before a fall on the stock market. They're gone. Cam. All the children are gone. What children? I was running in the park, and I noticed that none of the kids Lily usually plays with were there. Well, it's still early. But then I ran into Lori. Boobs Lori or adult-braces Lori? Great-shoes Lori. Oh, I like her. And she said that they all sent their kids to preschool. What?! We agreed to wait till next year. It was a fake-out to make sure that their kids got a spot. Those skinny bitches. We have got to get her into school, Cameron, or else she's gonna fall behind. Don't you think I know that? This is perfect. Oh, leave it to the gays to raise the only underachieving Asian in America. Okay, here you go. Guys, breakfast. 8. a ways away 很长距离, 很大差距, 很远 (informal) A ways means a long distance. "A ways away" is a casual, widely understood phrase meaning a good physical distance or a long time off. It is considered a classic colloquialism, especially in American English. "We can reach our destination, but it's still a ways away." -- R.E.M., "Driver 8". While we are still a ways away from the release of the Harry Potter TV series, currently set for 2027, there is undeniable hype behind the upcoming HBO Max original series. 产科停业: SA Health has paused birthing services 产科服务 at two Mid North hospitals due to a workforce shortage, less than two months after doing the same at Kapunda. The decision was made "due to a shortage of permanently staffed essential midwives to safely cover all three sites", according to a statement released yesterday. Until July 31, pregnant women who expected to give birth at the Crystal Brook and Jamestown hospitals will be redirected to the Port Pirie Regional Health Service, between 25 and 45 minutes away. Eight expectant mothers have been notified and the department has urged anyone else expecting to give birth over the next six weeks to notify the Port Pirie hospital. Both affected hospitals will still offer antenatal (pregnancy or prenatal care) 产前 and postnatal 产后 care 看护 during the closure. "We'll have our midwives rotating through to ensure we have a safe number … and we can pull all of our resources into Port Pirie, where we have got plenty of capacity to take on increased demand. "The women will then be discharged back to Crystal Brook or Jamestown hospitals once they're stable, or they'll be discharged home with follow-up support." Dr Ryan said in the short-term, the health network is working on "upskilling and credentialing" midwives who had not practised "for a number of years". 9. 世界杯事故: As Evans faced the camera, he could be seen making a circle with his thumb and finger or an upside-down "OK" symbol against his thigh. The short clip quickly went viral with many fans accusing the referee of promoting white supremacy. In recent years the symbol has been adopted by members of the far right as a "White Power" salute. In 2019, the gesture — with thumb and forefinger 第二个指头, 第二个手指 touched in a circle and other fingers outstretched 伸出来, 伸直 — was designated a hate symbol by the New York-based Anti-Defamation League. An official who was caught making the same gesture during the live broadcast at the 2024 Olympics in Paris had his accreditation revoked. Evans, who is officiating at his second World Cup after also being a part of the VAR team in Qatar in 2022, has yet to publicly comment on the incident.

world cup 2026 - FIFA's hydration break farce the ultimate insult for weary football fans: But such a special thing comes at a cost. Perhaps it always has, and it is simply inflation that has brought the deal to a tipping point. Our love of football, then, has found itself mired in a cost-of-living crisis. We put up with the aggressive commercialisation of every inch of the game, every thread on every jersey an advertisement. We have no choice but to grimly ignore when star players commit or are accused of horrible deeds, because the wheel keeps turning(the wheels are turning 历史的车轮一刻也不停歇 said to mean that a process or situation is continuing to develop and progress. Things have begun developing, unfolding, or progressing. If you're going to act, you have to do it now, but once the wheels are turning, there is no going back. A: "What's the status of our new deployment strategy?" B: "The wheels are turning, we're just waiting for some feedback on how well it's being received." the wheels fell off 一切乱了套, 分崩离析, 一败涂地 Something failed, often after or amidst a laborious, tiring process. Things go disastrously wrong; a situation devolves into ruin or chaos. But it's this point in the film where the wheels fall off the story, and the whole thing ends up looking like a big, unfunny joke. Where the wheels fall off for most people is the failure to set aside any meaningful savings towards a pension or a mortgage. The coach said, "We were doing well for a while, but they got tired and then the wheels fell off". until the wheels fall off Until it is no longer possible to continue with some activity or pursuit. Amid growing speculation over the athlete's possible retirement, he made it clear in a press conference that he will keep playing until the wheels fall off. It seems like the author of the hugely popular book series is going to keep riding its success until the wheels fall off. ) independently of our beaten-down morals. We've copped the buzzkill of VAR, the broken financial pyramid that handicaps the European game, a World Cup in November, the FIFA Peace Prize, Gianni Infantino telling us to "chill", mass corruption for mass corruption's sake, and everything else in between. Because the strains have all been at the margins(on the margins (of something) = on the fringes a person on the margins of a situation or group has very little power, importance, or influence. If someone is on the margins of a group of people, they are part of that group, but different in important ways, and if someone is on the margins of an activity, they are only slightly involved: He spent the 1980s on the margins of British politics. on the margins of society We need to reach out to those on the margins of society. The organization sought input from employees on the margins of the company. Life can be difficult for those who live on the margins. Despite being on the margins of the discipline, his academic work is extremely thorough and well-researched.), we've largely been able to keep hold of the core 守住初衷, 守住最核心的, 守住最重要的, 守住本心(to retain possession of a concept, message, or principle's basic and most important part without losing sight of it amidst peripheral details.). But with one single initiative, one insulting and patronising concoction, we might finally have found the end of the world's tether. The hydration breaks. Everyone knows what they are, and everyone knew what they were the second FIFA announced them. Even your mate who is still checking if gullible really is misspelled in the dictionary was quick to see through this cynical ploy immediately. FIFA says these three-minute breaks, called at the referee's discretion midway through each half, are purely to protect the players from the stifling North American heat of summer 2026. Their real purpose, as almost everyone has long-since deduced, is to effectively break the game up into quarters, providing broadcasters the chance to beam an extra batch of commercials to the billions watching around the world. This latest, most gratuitous 不必要的 cash grab hurts most because it strikes at the heart of football's most endearing quality: its natural cadence and tempo, the uninterrupted rhythm that means a goal could come for either team at any moment. So when you get to somewhere around the 22nd minute of a game just starting to find its groove 渐入佳境, its tactical mechanisations beginning to emerge and the legs of its players now free and firing, and it suddenly stops, and instead you are watching an ad for a gambling company or a fast food chain or a deodorant, it feels like a cold bucket of water on the head. The breaks are tangibly 肉眼可见的 impacting games, too. One of the stories of the World Cup was unfolding when Curaçao found an historic equaliser against Germany and briefly had the four-time champions on the ropes ( on the ropes 处于困境, 即将失败, 即将完蛋 doing badly and likely to fail. in serious trouble or likely to fail: For a while, our business was on the ropes. I think the business is finally on the ropes.), only for the quarter-time break to completely alter the momentum 打乱势头, 打乱节奏 of the match. It feels so artificial and so unnatural, made worse by the shoddy pretence. There was no remit [rɪˈmɪt] for this(a person, department, or organization does not have the authority, responsibility, or official scope to deal with a specific task or problem. remit something to somebody/something to send a proposal, plan, or problem back to someone for them to make a decision about The court remitted the matter to the agency for reconsideration.), and it's unfathomable that a change this significant can be brought in on the whim of FIFA and its most scrutable ( able to be understood or discovered by careful examination: The company is one of this country's most successful but least scrutable organizations. Your calculations should be completely scrutable, so that another researcher can reproduce your results.) leader. Our suspension of disbelief( suspension of disbelief 别质疑, 暂忘逻辑, 不管逻辑, 忘掉逻辑 the act of behaving as if you believe that what you are seeing, hearing, or reading is real or true, although you know that it is not: willing suspension of disbelief Theatre, as they say, requires the willing suspension of disbelief. It requires a major suspension of disbelief to not notice that Clark Kent and Superman resemble each other. suspend (your) disbelief to behave as if you believe that what you are seeing, hearing, or reading is real or true, although you know or believe that it is not: Most people are willing to suspend disbelief for an honest, well-written story. This show requires us to suspend our disbelief so that we become convinced that the people in front of us are not actors. wiki: Suspension of disbelief is the avoidance—often described as willing—of critical thinking and logic in understanding something that is unreal or impossible in reality, such as something in a work of speculative fiction, in order to believe it for the sake of enjoying its narrative. Historically, the concept originates in the Greco-Roman principles of theatre, wherein the audience ignores the unreality of fiction to experience catharsis from the actions and experiences of characters. ) can only go so far. There is a point of no return, beyond which a portion of the watching world will grow tired of being conned and tune out. Even so, they will likely never tune out in numbers great enough to slow the momentum of the game's powerbrokers. There is no sport in which the disparity between the devotion of and care for its fans is greater than football. The hope must be that this specific rort, ad breaks disguised as drinks breaks, does not permeate 遍及, 蔓延, 波及, 渗透 [ˈpəːmieɪt] ( to spread through something and be present in every part of it: Dissatisfaction with the government seems to have permeated every section of society. A foul smell of stale beer permeated the whole building. The table has a plastic coating which prevents liquids from permeating into the wood beneath. a. If an idea, feeling, or attitude permeates a system or permeates society, it affects every part of it or is present throughout it. Bias against women permeates every level of the judicial system. An obvious change of attitude at the top will permeate through the system. b. If something permeates a place, it spreads throughout it. The smell of roast chicken permeated the air. Eventually, the water will permeate through the surrounding concrete. ) the club leagues we obsess over or the other international tournaments we savour. US head coach Mauricio Pochettino has publicly expressed his distaste for the breaks, and his words may well carry more weight than those of the fans. But even if hydration breaks do become a relic of this World Cup, a very American quirk within a very American tournament, there will always be another scheme. Another dollar to be made, another piece of the game's essence to be hacked up and sold off in chunks. Meanwhile, deep down the food chain, we cling on desperately to the remaining parts that still make us feel human, while resenting but inevitably succumbing to 屈服于 ( succumb I. If you succumb to temptation or pressure, you do something that you want to do, or that other people want you to do, although you feel it might be wrong. Don't succumb to the temptation to have just one biscuit. The Minister said his country would never succumb to pressure. II. If you succumb to an illness, you become affected by it or die from it. A few years later, Katya succumbed to cancer in London. I was determined not to succumb to the virus. ) the ones that make us feel like mere customers.

World Cup 2026 - Elijah Just scores twice for New Zealand, with Chris Wood assisting 助攻 both goals: Iran twice came from behind in Los Angeles as they denied New Zealand a first win at a World Cup. Motherwell forward Elijah Just gave New Zealand a flying start as he thumped home a half-volley after Chris Wood held up the ball and knocked it into his path. New Zealand continued to show promise but, as has already often been the case at this World Cup, the first hydration break midway through the first half proved costly as the momentum swung and Iran found a way to level 扳平 when Ramin Rezaeian flicked the ball past Max Crocombe. Before their leveller, Iran's star forward Mehdi Taremi had come close to finding an equaliser when he struck the post 打到门框 with an powerful drive from outside the box. After making it 1-1, Iran also had a goal ruled out for offside. New Zealand took a while to get going in the second half but Just popped up once more to put his side back in front 再度领先 as he combined with Wood again and lofted the ball over Alireza Beiranvand. But Iran found a way to restore parity 追平 when Mohammad Mohebbi met Rezaeian's cross and guided a header in off the inside of the post. While officials have long said that Iran would be able to compete in the United States, it has not been until very recently that any final concerns have been laid to rest. Even once their participation was beyond doubt, politics have dominated the build-up to Iran's World Cup campaign. Until this week, the host nation, the United States, had been at war with Iran. An agreement to halt hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz was only announced on Sunday. Some members of Iran's staff have not been granted visas for the US, while they have had to train in Mexico instead of their originally planned base in Arizona. Once the game started, though, the focus was firmly on the football as one of Asian football's heavyweights 强队 were an imposing presence from the off, with the attacking talent of Taremi a particular threat. They played slick, well-drilled 训练有素的 football in the final third and showed a constant sense of urgency as they took an attack-minded game to New Zealand. It was far from one way though, with New Zealand racking up 14 shots to Iran's 17 - and neither side able to find a winner. In fact, the All Whites had the game's most intriguing player in forward Just, whose display backed up his fine club form from 2025-26 when he scored seven and assisted 助攻 eight for Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership. His link-up with Wood caused problems throughout and his two well-taken goals were reward for a performance full of creativity. It is the type of World Cup display that attracts potential suitors, but afterwards Just was concentrating solely on his nation's prospects. "One goal was nice, two was not something I could ever have dreamed of," he said. "This team is really special, but we know how tough our other opponents (对手, proponent 倡导者) are. "We have a lot of work to do." On June 15, 2026, Just became the first player from New Zealand to score a brace ( 双杀. 双闪. 双响, 梅开二度. To "score a brace" in sports like soccer (football) means a single player has scored exactly two goals in a single match. It precedes a hat-trick, where a single player scores three goals during a game. If Lionel Messi, for example, were to score two goals against Real Madrid, he has scored a brace. Likewise, Cristiano Ronaldo netted a brace in a UEFA Nations League match against Sweden in September 2020 to take his international goals tally for Portugal to 101. ) in the FIFA World Cup, when he scored in their 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage opener against Iran which ended in a 2–2 draw.

单词比较: trick, artifice, ruse, stratagem are terms for crafty or cunning devices伎俩 intended to deceive. 

trick, the general term, refers usu. to an underhanded act designed to cheat someone, but it sometimes refers merely to a pleasurable deceiving of the senses: to win by a trick. Like trick, but to a greater degree.

artifice [ˈɑːtɪfɪs] 手段, 阴招, 黑手 emphasizes the cleverness or cunning with which the proceeding is devised. (the use of) a clever trick or something intended to deceive: Amazingly for Hollywood, she seems almost entirely without artifice. Weegee's photographs are full of artfulness, and artifice. an artifice of diabolical ingenuity.

ruse [ru:z] 障眼法, 声东击西的招数. 花招. 瞒天过海 n. an action intended to mislead, deceive, or trick. A crafty stratagem; a subterfuge. He used a ruse to get past the sentry. We gained entrance by a ruse.

stratagem ['strætidʒəm] 计策 n. a plan or trick, esp one to deceive an enemy. Stratagem (deception), an attempt to swindle a person which involves gaining his or her confidence 赢得信任. A deceptive tactic designed to gain the upper hand. Typically, involves underhanded dealings and obfuscation. While Collins does include a love triangle, a coming-of-age story, and other YA-friendly elements in the mix, they serve as a Trojan horse to smuggle readers into a hopeless world where love becomes a stratagem and growing up is a matter of basic survival. Her stratagem for dealing with her husband's infidelities was to ignore them. He was a master of stratagem. Trade discounts may be used as a competitive stratagem to secure customer loyalty. Barry devised several stratagems for escape. His stratagem gave the army command of the hill. Etymology: The word traces back to the Greek word stratēgein, meaning "to act as a general". Historically, it referred to a military maneuver designed to fool enemy lines. Usage: While still used in military and gaming contexts, it is widely used in everyday life (e.g., a business stratagem to corner a market, or a personal stratagem to avoid a difficult conversation).

subterfuge ['sʌbtə,fju:dʒ] 花招, 幌子 I. a stratagem employed to conceal something, evade an argument, etc. A deceptive stratagem or device. An indirect or deceptive device or stratagem; a blind. Refers especially to war and politics. a trick or a dishonest way of achieving something. Subterfuge is a trick or a dishonest way of getting what you want. Most people can see right through that type of subterfuge. The party has predictably rejected the proposals as a subterfuge. It was clear that they must have obtained the information by subterfuge. Japanese subterfuge in World War II nearly caused the Americans to lose the war. How's the spy hunt going? Uncovered any subterfuge? II. an action taken to hide something from someone: His excuse sounded more like subterfuge than a real reason.

feint I. 虚晃一枪. 假动作. 晃过去. denotes a deceptive act calculated to distract attention from one's real purpose. to pretend to move, or to make a move, in a particular direction in order to deceive an opponent, especially in sports such as football or boxing. In sport or military conflict, if someone feints, they make a brief movement in a different direction from the one they intend to follow, as a way of confusing or deceiving their opponent. I feinted to the left, then to the right. They feinted and concentrated forces against the most fortified line of the enemy side. He placed the ball and tried a couple of feints. He feinted to the left, then turned right. Callas feinted to pass the ball and then shot it into the net. He feinted a shot to the left. One person bumped into me as a feint while the other stole my wallet. noun. I. an action in which someone pretends to move, or makes a move, in a particular direction in order to deceive an opponent, especially in sports such as football or boxing: He produced a brilliant feint, passed two defenders, and smashed the ball into the net. II. an action taken in order to deceive someone about what you intend to do, for example in war or politics: During the advance, the French had been kept unsure of Marlborough's destination by feints. US officials now dismiss his visit as just another feint. feint-ruled paper 信纸, 横格纸 writing paper with light horizontal lines printed across at regular intervals. Ruled paper (or lined paper) 带横格的纸 is writing paper printed with lines as a guide for handwriting. The lines often are printed with fine width and in light colour and such paper is sometimes called feint-ruled paper. Additional vertical lines may provide margins, act as tab stops or create a grid for plotting data; for example, graph paper (squared paper or grid paper) is divided into squares by horizontal and vertical lines. Graph paper, coordinate paper, grid paper, or squared paper 方格纸 is writing paper that is printed with fine lines making up a regular grid. It is available either as loose leaf paper or bound in notebooks or graph books. It is commonly found in mathematics and engineering education settings, exercise books, and in laboratory notebooks. The lines are often used as guides for mathematical notation, plotting graphs of functions or experimental data, and drawing curves.

A ruse is a single lie. A stratagem is a military-style plan. Subterfuge is a secret hiding tactic. And artifice is master-level cunning.

1. Ruse (The Quick Distraction): Meaning: A specific, often spontaneous action intended to mislead or distract someone in the moment. Scope: Narrow and short-term. It's a one-off trick. Intent: Usually defensive—to escape a situation, avoid answering a question, or win a minor advantage. How obvious? It's often easy to see through if the other person is paying close attention. Example: Pretending to look at your watch and saying "Oh, look at the time!" to escape a boring conversation. In war, it's faking a retreat to draw the enemy into an ambush. 2. Stratagem (The Calculated Military Plan): Meaning: A carefully planned, long-term maneuver designed to outwit an opponent and achieve a specific, major objective. Scope: Broad and strategic. It involves multiple steps over a period of time. Intent: Offensive or competitive—to win a campaign, secure a deal, or defeat a rival. How obvious? Often genius; the opponent usually only realizes they were outmaneuvered after it's too late. Example: A general pretending to attack a city from the south (a ruse) while secretly marching his main army around the north to cut off supply lines. The entire plan is the stratagem. In business, it's a multi-year product launch strategy designed to bankrupt a competitor. 3. Subterfuge (The Secretive Hiding): Meaning: Deception used to hide, escape, or avoid detection. It involves creating a false front to protect the truth. Scope: Ongoing and protective. It's less about attacking and more about maintaining a secret. Intent: Defensive or evasive—to keep your true identity, location, or intentions hidden. How obvious? It is deliberately sneaky and covert; if discovered, the whole operation collapses. Example: A spy using a fake passport and working as a diplomat to hide their real mission. In everyday life, it's an employee claiming to "work from home" while secretly interviewing for other jobs. 4. Artifice (The Masterful Craftsmanship): Meaning: Cleverness or cunning so refined that it becomes an art form. It implies high intelligence, skill, and careful construction. Scope: Broad and foundational. It's not just a trick; it's a trait or a masterfully built illusion that can last for years. Intent: Can be neutral, defensive, or offensive—it's about demonstrating superior skill to achieve an outcome. How obvious? It is often elegant and hard to detect, because it is woven into the very fabric of a situation. Example: A con artist who spends five years building a fake identity, creating fake financial records, and marrying into a wealthy family just to pull off a single heist. The entire elaborate setup is artifice. In art, it's the masterful technique a painter uses to make a flat canvas look three-dimensional. 

buzzy;

用法学习: 1. buzzy [ˈbʌz.i] 讨论度高的, 最后活力, 最有人气, 最多人讨论的 I. exciting, especially because a lot of people are present and a lot of things are happening. If a place, event, or atmosphere is buzzy, it is lively, interesting, and modern. The cafe has an intimate but buzzy atmosphere. There's always a buzzy atmosphere in the restaurant. it describes something generating a lot of excited conversation, media attention, or anticipation.  "There's always a buzzy atmosphere in that new restaurant," or "That was a buzzy new movie". After signing dozens of books and happily posing for selfies with excited fans from his sold-out Sydney Writers' Festival discussion about one of the year's buzziest books, there are two things about which I'm gagging to ask man-of-the-moment Josh Silver before he's whisked off by publicists to continue his packed tour. Buzz has built on both sides of the globe. It was named one of the BBC's 12 must-reads for 2026 and ABC Arts listed it in April's top reads.. II. making a continuous low sound, like that of a bee (= a yellow and black insect that makes honey and can sting you): Despite the sound check, the sound started off buzzy and hissy. The buzzy engines generate lots of noise and vibration. a buzzy bee. 2. homestead 农耕用地 I. mainly US a house and the surrounding area of land, usually used as a farm. a house and the surrounding area of land, esp. land obtained from the government which is lived on and used for farming. II. in the past, land given by the government for farming. in the past, to build a house and grow crops on land given by the government. Developers are on the verge of taking over the family homestead. III. property that is your permanent home and not a second home or property that you rent to someone else: In some states your homestead can't be touched by creditors - no matter when it was purchased. 3. the field 现场 a place where you are working or studying in real situations, rather than from an office, laboratory, etc.: He was a working reporter in the field, not some anchorman in a studio. I spoke to an aid worker who had recently returned from the field. You'll find that things aren't as straightforward out in the field as they are in the classroom. I had thought that most of my time as an archaeologist would be in the field, not behind a desk at a museum. take the field 上场 to go onto the field at the start of a game: There were loud cheers as the Irish team took the field. field 领域 an area of activity or interest: He became very successful in the the field of history/science/medicine. Are you still in the same field 这一行 (= are you doing the same type of work)? not be your field (also be outside your field) to be something you do not know much about: Programming really isn't my field - you'd better ask Phil. field 竞争对手 all the competitors taking part in a race or activity: The race started with a field of eleven, but two horses fell. The cross-country race started with a field of 85 competitors. strong field We have a strong field this afternoon. ahead of the field 领先其他所有选手 Jones finished ahead of the field. field verb. I. to catch or pick up the ball after it has been hit in a game such as cricket or baseball, and to try to prevent the other team from scoring: He fielded 抢到球 the ball well. Our team is fielding first. II. to deal with a question, often by not answering it directly: He fielded some awkward questions very skilfully. III. to have or produce a team of people to take part in an activity or event. To field also means to have a person or a team play a sport: The university fields teams in 14 sports. The company fielded a group of experts to take part in the conference. In May alone, Ukraine's Min­istry of Defence cer­ti­fied 175 new weapons sys­tems for oper­a­tional use, nearly 93 per cent of them designed and built entirely within Ukraine. Ger­many approved fewer than 20 new sys­tems in the whole of 2024 – its fast­est year on record. The US fields up to five new plat­forms per year, with pro­cure­ment cycles that aver­age a dec­ade. someone's field of vision 视野 the whole area that someone can see. leave the field open for someone =UK leave the field clear for sb 给其他人让路 to stop competing with someone, making it possible for them to succeed: John decided not to apply for the job, which left the field open for Emma. 3. pay someone no mind 别管他, 不理会, 别搭理, 别理("Don't bother with him": slightly more dismissive, natural in speech. "Just ignore him.": plain and direct. "Don't pay him any attention". "Don't mind him" — softer, sometimes used when someone is being odd or annoying but not malicious. "Don't engage with him" — more formal, often used in writing or advice contexts. Don't worry about him. ) to refuse to listen to what someone is saying or to notice what someone is doing. To ignore someone or something. Don't sweat it. Pay no mind. Don't sweat his malarkey. Pay him no mind. "My friend said, Arch Linux is gay." "There's just a weird group of Arch haters that've been hanging around the forum for a couple months now. Pay no mind" He kept talking but she paid him no mind. Throngs of office workers would stream past, eyes fixed to phones or dead ahead – anywhere but the dishevelled young man in front of them. He paid them no mind. He'd return from breakfast, a bag of breadcrumbs in hand, and head straight to the flock of pigeons that also called the St James tunnel home. The routine was so ingrained that Joe Trueman, a former rough sleeper who now busks at the tunnel, coined a nickname for hi: the birdman. interminable [ɪnˈtɜː.mɪ.nə.bəl] 无休止的, 无尽的, 没完没了的 continuing for too long and therefore boring or annoying: If you describe something as interminable, you are emphasizing that it continues for a very long time and indicating that you wish it was shorter or would stop. ...an interminable meeting. an interminable delay. He talked to me interminably about his first wife. his interminable stories. One day last December, as Sydney sweltered through its interminable heatwave, the ritual stopped. 4. swivel [ˈswɪv.əl] 定点旋转 verb. I. to (cause to) turn around a central point in order to face in another direction. turning around a central point to face in another direction: a swivel chair. a swivel lamp. She swivelled her chair round and stared out across the back lawn. His chairs can swivel, but they can't move up or down. She swivelled round to look out of the window. The ostrich swivelled its head in our direction. II. to turn around from a fixed point in order to face in another direction, or to turn something in this way. If you swivel in a particular direction, you turn suddenly in that direction. He swivelled round to face Sarah. Kennedy swiveled around in his seat. He swiveled his face toward Jack. III. If your head 转头, 扭头 or your eyes swivel in a particular direction or if you swivel them in a particular direction, you quickly look in that direction. Roger swivelled his head to look at her. swivel-eyed 眼珠乱转的, 疯狂的, 极端的 informal UK an insulting way to describe someone as crazy or as having very extreme ideas. To describe someone who is crazy, unhinged, or holds extreme, fanatical views. It implies that a person’s eyes appear to move wildly or erratically, projecting a crazed, irrational expression typically driven by intense anger, obsession, or fanaticism The press has characterized him as a swivel-eyed fanatic. 'Swivel-eyed loons' insult helped us to achieve Brexit: Swivel-eyed. We Eurosceptics were always supposed to be swivel-eyed. Sometimes when our detractors really meant to insult us, they'd call us swivel-eyed loons. David Cameron echoed this insult when prime minister. call someone up 征用, 征召, 调令 I. to order someone to join a military organization or to ask someone to join an official, especially national, team. to order someone to join the armed forces or to start taking part in a military operation: He was called up at the beginning of the war. He was called up when the war began. Lucie Saint was called up for the final against Brazil. Clarke has a core of solid citizens, with a dash of youth. The 20-year-old Findlay Curtis was his youngest choice, until Billy Gilmour was ruled out and Tyler Fletcher, 19, a veteran of just 17 minutes of league football, was called up. Tyler Fletcher's late call-up lowered the squad's average age, but they remain one of the oldest teams at the World Cup. II. to telephone someone: He used to call me up in the middle of the night . I just wanted to call up and say "thanks." call something up 调出, 搜出 to find and show information on a computer screen. to find and show information on a computer screen: Airplane mechanics use laptops and a wireless network that can instantly call up repair manuals, parts lists, airplane records, etc. You can use the search facility to call up all the occurrences of a particular word in a document. call-up 召唤 = US also draft I. an order to join a military organization: December has been one of the heaviest months for call-ups of National Guard members. She was very upset when her boyfriend received his call-up (papers). II. an invitation to play in an official, especially national, team: Le Tissier was delighted when he received his England call-up. 5. prosaic [prəˈzeɪ.ɪk] 单调, 无聊, 枯燥, 乏味, 没趣 without interest, imagination, and excitement. ordinary and not especially interesting or unusual:If only she'd been called Camilla or Flavia instead of the prosaic Jane. He asked if I'd got my black eye in a fight - I told him the prosaic truth that I'd banged my head on a door. Only a few prosaic tables and chairs remained by the time we got to the auction. His instructor offered a more prosaic explanation for the surge in interest. The truth is more prosaic. Arabian jam is also known as angels' hair preserve, or more prosaically as carrot jam. His father wrote briefly and prosaically. the mainstay of something 支柱, 主要支撑, 主要部分, 最基础的部分, 最基本的东西, 最重要的东西 the most important part of something, providing support for everything else. a chief support. agriculture is a mainstay of the economy 支柱. Fish and rice were the mainstays of the country's diet. This principle of collective bargaining has been a mainstay in labor relations in this country. Cattle farming is the mainstay of the country's economy. The white blouse will be the mainstay of your wardrobe this summer. In the early 1900s, farming was the mainstay of the national economy. Antibiotic therapy is the mainstay of treatment for many infections. How I found bliss in dish No. 140 at Huong Viet: I hadn't really planned this lunch­time trip to the Eden Cen­ter in Falls Church. It just fell into place 自然而然的发生, 事赶事就碰巧了 through a pro­cess of elim­in­a­tion. The Eden Cen­ter main­stay reminded me to look for the ecstatic in the pro­saic 小确幸. How a Vietnamese hot pot dish reminded me to look for joy in small moments 小确幸. 6. rudderless [ˈrʌd.ə.ləs] 漫无目的的, 没有方向的, 迷惘的, 没有目标的 (of an organization) without anyone in control and therefore unable to take decisions. A country or a person that is rudderless does not have a clear aim or a strong leader to follow. The country was politically rudderless for almost three months. ...a feeling in the country that the Government was drifting rudderless. triumphalism [trʌɪˈʌmfəlɪz(ə)m] describes an attitude or behavior characterized by boastful pride, arrogance, and the feeling of superiority. It typically applies when someone celebrates a victory, dominance, or the success of their nation, religion, or ideology in a way that is intended to show off or upset those who have been defeated. The attitude or belief that a particular doctrine, culture, or social system, particularly a religious or political one, is superior and that it will or should triumph over all others. triumphalist 洋洋自得, 洋洋得意的 adj. disapproving showing pleasure and satisfaction because you have won or done better than someone. Triumphalist behaviour is behaviour in which politicians or organizations celebrate a victory or a great success, especially when this is intended to upset the people they have defeated. ...a triumphalist celebration of their supremacy. a triumphalist victory parade. The government became alarmed by the triumphalist tone of his comments. noun. someone who shows pleasure and satisfaction because they have won or done better than someone: He accused the bishop himself of being a triumphalist. Market triumphalists see lower taxes as a sort of medicine that cures all ills. lacuna [ləˈkjuː.nə] 欠奉的部分, 缺失的部分, 缺席的部分, 没写的部分, 没有提及的部分 plural lacunae or lacunas an absent part, especially in a book or other piece of writing. If you say that there is a lacuna in something such as a document or a person's argument, you mean that it does not deal with an important issue and is therefore not effective or convincing. There are still major lacunae in the material available. There are other gaps, too. While he has been voci­fer­ous on Rus­sia's viol­a­tion of Ukrain­ian sov­er­eignty, he has said very little of sim­ilar crimes in the Middle East; on the world-his­toric chal­lenge of decar­bon­iz­a­tion, the silence is near abso­lute. The lacunae are not wholly unsur­pris­ing. In Mr. van Mid­de­laar's Machiavel­lian world­view, every crisis arrives as a bolt from the blue, both unan­nounced and unset­tling. 7. crowning (不能做表语 [predicative adjective] "that moment was crowning", "that achievement is crowning", 只能做定语 [attributive adjective]: "his crowning achievement", "her crowning moment","the crowning glory") adj. A crowning event or achievement is a particularly good or important one. being the best or most successful part of an activity or life: crowning achievement 伟大的, 加冕的, 封神的, 封王的 the crowning achievement of her long career. The concert was a crowning moment for the performer. Building the team into a winner was the crowning achievement of Rory's coaching career. When the spine-tingling trailer for Disclosure Day was released, with a "Story by Steven Spielberg" credit hinting at how close the scenario was to his heart, many of us hoped that the 79-year-old would deliver a career-crowning masterpiece: his profound last word on a question he has been thinking about and researching for most of his life. spine-tingling 令人激动的, 特别的, 让人脊背发凉的 very special and exciting. A spine-tingling film or piece of music is enjoyable because it causes you to feel a strong emotion such as excitement or fear. It was a spine-tingling and stylish thriller. ...a spine-tingling rendition of the love song. Watching Bolt win the Olympic hundred metres was one of those spine-tingling moments. boffin [ˈbɒfɪn] 科技怪咖 a British slang term for a scientist, engineer, or other person engaged in technical or scientific research and development. A "boffin" was viewed by some in the regular military or government services as odd, quirky or peculiar, though quite bright and essential to helping in the war effort through having and developing the key ideas leading to transformative military capabilities. Boffin is a primarily British, Australian, and informal term for a scientist, engineer, or technical expert. It often implies someone deeply engrossed in complex research, sometimes to the exclusion of other social or practical interests. a scientist who is considered to know a lot about science and not to be interested in other things: a technical/computer boffin. Josh O'Connor stars as Daniel, a cyber-security boffin who works for a powerful organisation called Wardex. The organisation was set up to keep information about aliens secret – so, yes, on one level Disclosure Day is a rehash of Men in Black, except without the jokes. Another plot strand 另一条故事线 features Emily Blunt as Margaret, a perky weather forecaster who suddenly finds that she can speak every language on Earth, plus one or two from elsewhere. 8. villain of the piece 大坏人, 大坏蛋, 麻烦的根源, 麻烦的核心 The villain of the piece is someone or something that is seen as being the cause of trouble on a particular occasion. If you say that someone is the villain of the piece, you are saying in a slightly humorous way that they are seen by some people as the cause of all the trouble in a particular situation. If Mr Denny is indeed the villain of the piece, as the police claim he is, he should have been more carefully watched. When the minister was forced to resign, the press was generally seen as the villain of the piece. existential [ˌeɡ.zɪˈsten.ʃəl] I. relating to a philosophy (= system of ideas) according to which the world has no meaning and each person is alone and completely responsible for his or her own actions: existential argument. existential philosopher. existential dread. His latest offering is a novel of existential dread. II. relating to existence or being alive: Existential questions requiring religious answers still persist. existential threat The biggest existential threat to humanity is probably still nuclear war. existential challenge This remote part of Western Australia represents a serious existential challenge. III. You use existential to describe fear, anxiety, and other feelings that are caused by thinking about human existence and death. 'What if there's nothing left at all?' he cries, lost in some intense existential angst 生死攸关的, 危机生存的. He said a future US administration would not come to Australia's aid in the event of an "existential attack" and would only assist in a military conflict if its own assets on Australian soil were threatened. Existential Dread/Angst: An overwhelming sense of unease, freedom, or meaninglessness that arises when contemplating the human condition, death, or isolation. Existential Crisis: A period of intense questioning where an individual intensely doubts the fundamental meaning, purpose, or value of their life. Existential Threat: A danger so severe that it threatens the very survival of humanity or a specific entity (e.g., climate change or nuclear war). vocabulary: If something is existential, it has to do with human existence. If you wrestle with big questions involving the meaning of life, you may be having an existential crisis. Existential can also relate to existence in a more concrete way. For instance, the objections of your mother-in-law may pose an existential threat to the continuation of your Friday night card game. Often the word carries at least a nodding reference to the philosophy of existentialism associated with Kierkegaard, Nietzsche 尼采, Sartre 萨特, and others, which emphasizes the individual as a free agent responsible for his actions. Existentialism is a 20th-century intellectual movement—championed by thinkers like Jean-Paul Sartre and Friedrich Nietzsche—built on the core idea that existence precedes essence. This means humans exist first, without a pre-determined nature, and must actively forge their own identity, purpose, and values through personal choices and actions. 9. prostration [prɒsˈtreɪ.ʃən] 俯伏, 拜倒, 衰竭, 筋疲力尽, 虚脱 I. the act or position of lying with the face down and arms stretched out, especially as a sign of respect or worship: Approaching the main statue, he threw himself in full prostration before it. Some people performed prostrations, a sign of respect for the teacher. "The notion that extended nuclear deterrence justifies our prostration – that the US really would be prepared to sacrifice San Francisco for Sydney, let alone Miami for Melbourne – is, and always has been, a ludicrous delusion," Evans told the inquiry. II. the state of having no strength or ability to do anything, for example because you are very ill, very tired, or very upset: She was in a bad state of exhaustion, approaching prostration. It is a severe, flu-like illness, with fever, headache, muscle pain, and prostration. prostrate [ˈprɒs.treɪt] adj. I. lying with the face down and arms stretched out, especially as a sign of respect or worship. If you are lying prostrate, you are lying flat on the ground, on your front. Percy was lying prostrate, his arms outstretched and his eyes closed. She lay there prostrate, exhausted after a long day's work. II. (also = prostrated) having lost all strength or all determination because of an illness or an extremely bad experience. If someone is prostrate, they are so distressed or affected by a very bad experience that they are unable to do anything at all. Immediately after my father's death my stepmother was prostrate. I was prostrate with grief. ...his country's prostrate economy. A woman, prostrate with grief, lay wailing on the ground. prostrate yourself 匍匐在地, 拜服再低, 拜倒 to lie with the face down and arms stretched out, especially as a sign of respect or worship. If you prostrate yourself, you lie down flat on the ground, on your front, usually to show respect for God or a person in authority. They prostrated themselves before their king. 10. repository [rɪˈpɒz.ɪ.tər.i] I. 存物库. 储物间. 储藏室 a place where things are stored and can be found. a place where things are stored: A church in Moscow became a repository for police files. a nuclear waste repository. II. 知识库. 知识源泉. a person who has, or a book that contains, a lot of information or detailed knowledge. A repository of information is a person or group of people who know a lot of information about a particular place or subject. The repository of all knowledge in the small town was the barman of the local pub. She's a repository of knowledge about our family history. The proverbs amounted to a repository of wisdom. cede [siːd] 割让 (recede 退让, secede 分裂) If someone in a position of authority cedes land or power to someone else, they let them have the land or power, often as a result of military or political pressure. to allow someone else to have or own something, especially unwillingly or because you are forced to do so. to give control or possession of something, esp. land to someone else, often unwillingly or because forced to do so: New Orleans was ceded to Spain in 1763. She says that she is finally learning to delegate, though she's still reluctant to cede control. cede sth to sb The United States has already ceded its dominance of mass production manufacturing to low-wage countries. Hong Kong was ceded to Britain after the Opium War. Only a short campaign took place in Puerto Rico, but after the war Spain ceded the island to America. The wars resulted in the cession of all French territories to the British. There were no major land cessions in the territories of Arizona and New Mexico. Ceded territory is land that has been officially and legally transferred from one state or sovereign entity to another, usually through a treaty. The term most frequently applies to international boundary transfers (such as the Louisiana Purchase) or to Indigenous lands transferred to governments via treaties, where the original inhabitants often retained specific use rights. But Radachowsky and other researchers have warned for years that illegal cattle smuggling has quickened 加速 the return of screwworm to its ceded territory in Central America. It has since spread northward to Mexico, Texas and, as of this week, New Mexico. note: The act of cession [ˈseʃ.ən] is the assignment of property to another entity. In international law it commonly refers to land transferred by treaty. Ballentine's Law Dictionary defines cession as "a surrender; a giving up; a relinquishment of jurisdiction by a board in favor of another agency." In contrast with annexation, where property is forcibly seized, cession is voluntary or at least apparently so. recede [rɪˈsid] 退却, 退下, 退让, 退走 I. to move further away into the distance, or to become less clear. to move further away into the distance, or to become less clear or less bright: As the boat picked up speed, the coastline receded into the distance until finally it became invisible. The painful memories gradually receded in her mind. McLaughlin expects to go home again when the flood waters recede. If a man has a receding hairline, he is losing the hair from the front of his head. II. If a man has a receding hairline, he is losing the hair from the front of his head. III. to get lower in value, amount, or number: Opposition to privatisation and foreign investment is receding in response to the shock of recession. Although oil prices receded somewhat in June, they rose again this week. secede [sɪˈsiːd] 独立, 分裂. ( secession [sɪsˈeʃ.ən]) I. to become independent of a country or area of government: There is likely to be civil war if the region tries to secede from the south. II. to decide not to continue to be part of a larger group or organization: The American Civil War began when the South seceded from the Union. 11. sterile [ˈster.aɪl] I. 失去生育能力的, 绝育的. 不能生育的. (of a living being) unable to produce young, or (of land) unable to produce plants or crops: It was a small oasis surrounded by sterile desert. Mules are usually sterile. One of the side effects of the drug could be to make men sterile. A century later, Coquerel's complaint met an answer. American entomologists Edward F. Knipling and Raymond Bushland found that bombarding New World screwworm pupae with gamma rays would render the males sterile. The two theorized that flooding the wild with the irradiated, impotent flies could extinguish the species entirely. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has been a critic of the US response to screwworm, demanding that the USDA begin using the Screwworm Adult Suppression System (SWASS), a type of pesticide and bait, in addition to sterile fly releases. The New World screwworm fly was the first species on which the sterile insect technique was tested and then applied in a natural environment, resulting in the control and systematic eradication of this species from the United States. II. 没有想象力的. having no imagination, new ideas, or energy. lacking in imagination, ideas, or enthusiasm: Suburban housing developments are often sterile environments. a sterile argument. III. completely clean and free from dirt and bacteria: The operation must be carried out under sterile conditions. Medical equipment must be kept sterile. 12. Networking events bring people together to connect, share ideas, and build lasting business relationships. They’re not just about swapping business cards — they’re about creating genuine connections that can help your business grow. Whether you're a sole trader, a start-up finding your feet, or an established SME, networking gives you the chance to meet others who understand the challenges and opportunities of running a business. It's about finding support, sharing knowledge, and being part of a community that wants to see you succeed. At their heart, networking events are organised gatherings where professionals come together to make connections. They can range from structured corporate networking events with set agendas, to relaxed local business networking groups where conversations flow naturally over coffee. The purpose is simple: to build relationships that could lead to opportunities, whether that's new clients, collaborations, or simply advice from someone who's been there before. Unlike faceless online platforms, face-to-face networking adds a human touch that builds trust much quicker. Some events are industry-specific, while others are open to all types of businesses. What matters is finding the style that feels right for you — whether that's a relaxed business networking event in Kent or a more formal setting. 13. In macroeconomics and international finance, a country's current account 经常收支, 经常账 records the value of exports and imports of both goods and services and international transfers of capital. It is one of the two components of the balance of payments, the other being the capital account (also known as the financial account). Current account measures the nation's earnings and spendings abroad and it consists of the balance of trade, net primary income or factor income (earnings on foreign investments minus payments made to foreign investors) and net unilateral transfers, that have taken place over a given period of time. The current account balance is one of two major measures of a country's foreign trade (the other being the net capital outflow). A current account surplus indicates that the value of a country's net foreign assets (i.e. assets less liabilities) grew over the period in question, and a current account deficit indicates that it shrank. Both government and private payments are included in the calculation. It is called the current account because goods and services are generally consumed in the current period. In macroeconomics and international finance, the capital account 资本与金融收支, also known as the capital and financial account, records the net flow of investment into an economy. It is one of the two primary components of the balance of payments, the other being the current account. Whereas the current account reflects a nation's net income, the capital account reflects net change in ownership of national assets. A surplus in the capital account means money is flowing into the country, but unlike a surplus in the current account, the inbound flows effectively represent borrowings or sales of assets rather than payment for work. A deficit in the capital account means money is flowing out of the country, and it suggests the nation is increasing its ownership of foreign assets. The term "capital account" is used with a narrower meaning by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and affiliated sources. The IMF splits what the rest of the world calls the capital account into two top-level divisions: financial account and capital account, with by far the bulk of the transactions being recorded in its financial account. 14. draw something down I. to take an amount of money that has been made available: We took out a bank loan which allowed us to draw down sums of money as we needed them. II. to use part of a supply of goods; to reduce the number or amount of something: The stocks of ammunition were drawn down to almost zero. The president is discussing how quickly we should draw down our troops in the area. III. = draw down on sth to take part of an amount of money that has been made available: We took out a bank loan which allowed us to draw down sums of money as we needed them. Some of the money would come from federal money that the state is entitled to but has not drawn down. Fund managers drew down on cash reserves and bet that the bull market would continue through the summer. IV. to reduce a supply of goods, or to be reduced: Consumers continue to draw down inventories of aluminum, copper, and other metals at London Metal Exchange warehouses. During the next 100 years, US coal reserves will draw down significantly. drawdown I. a situation in which someone takes an amount of money that has been made available. a situation in which someone takes an amount of money that has been made available: a drawdown facility/plan/scheme The income drawdown plan allows you to keep your fund invested after retirement while you draw an annual income from it. Overpayments are available for drawdown at any time. One of the big dangers of income drawdown is that funds can be seriously eroded if too much income is taken out. drawdown of There was no record of a drawdown of funds from the account. drawdown from The assembly approved a $400 million drawdown from the state's emergency fund. The income drawdown plan allows you to keep your fund invested in the stock market after retirement while you draw an annual income from it. II. a planned reduction in the number of soldiers in an area: There is likely to be a phased drawdown 撤军 of US forces. Some level of troop drawdown is expected because of the strain on military reserves. III. the act of using part of a supply of something, or the amount that is used: a drawdown in sth The situation is so tight for the product and we continue to see a drawdown in stock levels. Domestic gas stocks had declined to 37% of capacity, which was a larger drawdown than analysts had expected. China is dialing back operations at the plants that turn crude oil into feedstock for materials such as plastics. And Beijing is beginning to draw down 动用 reserves. But the mystery can't be fully explained by drawdowns in China's reserves of oil. It was only in May that Chinese users began to meaningfully pull from the nation's various crude inventories, starting at about 500,000 barrels a day, says maritime risk and intelligence firm Vortexa. The U.S. drew down just over one million barrels a day from commercial crude-oil stocks last week. IV. a reduction in the value of an investment below its highest point: The fund has had two large drawdowns this year and is £9m in debt. 15. muddy I. To confuse (a person or their thinking); to muddle. The discussion only muddied their understanding of the subject. II. To damage (a person or their reputation); to sully, to tarnish. II. To make (a colour) dirty, dull, or muted. The addition of the second batch of paint muddied the bright colours to a dull and washed look. III. To make (a matter, etc.) more complicated or unclear; to make a mess of (something). IV. To make (something) impure; to contaminate. V. (obsolete) To cause or permit (someone or something) to become stuck in mud; to mire. kneecap 打惨, 摧毁, 瘫痪, 打残 I. to maim by shooting or drilling the kneecap, often as an act of terrorism. II. (transitive, figurative, by extension) To attack (someone) in a way that is excessively and needlessly damaging: to cut (someone) off at the knees. Fable comes with broad restrictions Anthropic says are aimed at kneecapping its ability to assist users with potentially dangerous activities. A wave of AI experts reacted with frustration, accusing the company of gatekeeping to harm potential competitors and muddying the ability of outside researchers to assess and use Fable to its full potential. Usage notes: The literal sense of this term is considered a misnomer by medical professionals because only a very small minority of victims suffer damage to the kneecap. 16. the math ain't mathing (slang, humorous, Canada, US) Something is incorrect or unreasonable; something doesn't add up or makes no sense. I just read that he claims to be broke but bought a private jet yesterday; the math isn't mathing. She said she hates attention but posts ten selfies a day; the math isn't mathing. note: This phrase is used to express confusion or disbelief when a situation, statement, or logic does not add up or makes no sense. It is often employed in response to contradictory information or illogical behavior observed on social media. The tone is typically humorous, sarcastic, or incredulous, highlighting the absurdity of the subject matter. A deer stand (also known as a tree stand or hunting blind) is a raised platform or enclosed shelter used by hunters to elevate themselves above the ground. This positioning conceals the hunter from the deer's line of sight, helps disperse human scent, and provides a safer angle for taking a shot. rawdog 没保护措施做事, 没有准备做事 I. to have sex with someone without a condom (= a thin rubber covering that a man can wear on his penis during sex). II. to undertake any activity without preparation, support, or protective equipment. to do an activity without anything to make it easier or help pass the time, for example to travel a long distance without phones, entertainment, or food: You can rawdog the flu by refusing medication or rawdog cooking by not using a recipe. He just rawdogged a 17 hour flight to Sydney. At its core, rawdogging is about resisting the impulse to seek constant gratification. Some rawdogging challenges, like going on a long flight without water, food, or sleep, can be bad for your health. 17. A step rail 踏步台 (also called a side step, running board, or nerf bar) is a sturdy metal bar mounted just below the doors of a patrol vehicle, usually an SUV or truck. It provides a convenient platform for officers to step on when entering or exiting the vehicle. handrail 扶手, 护栏 (guardrail) a narrow rail for grasping with the hand as a support. A step railing (or stair railing) 楼梯扶手 is a safety barrier installed alongside steps or staircases. It typically consists of a sloped handrail for grip and bodily support, combined with vertical bars or panels (called balusters or spindles) that fill the space to prevent falls. sidestep 绕过, 躲过 I. to step to the side in order to avoid something, especially being hit. If you sidestep, you step sideways in order to avoid something or someone that is coming towards you or going to hit you. As I sidestepped, the bottle hit me on the left hip. He made a grab for her but she sidestepped him. He sidestepped the blow/the tackle. II. to avoid talking about a subject, especially by starting to talk about something else: sidestep the question  Rarely, if ever, does he sidestep a question 避而不答. He was trying to sidestep responsibility. The speaker sidestepped the question by saying that it would take him too long to answer it. to avoid something: The developer tried to sidestep city building rules. She skillfully sidestepped questions about her past. A person or animal who sidesteps moves quickly to the side. sketch something out 概述, 草拟, 勾勒 I. to make a simple, quick drawing showing something: I sketched out the trees and the lake before adding texture and colour to the scene. The artist has sketched out a design for the new school. She sketched out a design for the mural. II. to give a short description of something, containing few details: She sketched out the plan in a few brief sentences. sketch someone out 感觉不舒服, 感觉不对劲 slang To make someone feel uneasy or uncomfortable; to creep someone out. To cause someone to experience an odd, unusual, and sometimes uneasy sensation: The awkward and agitated customer began to sketch them out a bit. Their strange customs sketched out the visitors. His creepy smile sketched us out. I'm OK with most bugs, but centipedes just sketch me out. That guy in the corner was really sketching us out, so we decided to leave. Try not to sketch out all the freshmen, Wayne. 18. tip your hand = tip one's mitt 泄露自己的意图, 透露自己的计划, 透露自己的动机 I. If you tip your hand, you say what you are going to do or what you believe when you have been keeping it secret. To inadvertently reveal any secret, particularly a secret that puts one at an advantage or disadvantage. to reveal a secret, one's plans, etc., often inadvertently Despite weeks of media speculation, the president refused to tip his hand about his plans for re-election. II. In card playing, to accidentally reveal one's cards or hand. mitt I. Mitts are gloves which have one section that covers your thumb and another section that covers your four fingers together. II. You can refer to a person's hands as their mitts. I pressed a dime into his grubby mitt. curious = STRANGE strange and unusual. unusual and therefore worth noticing. If you describe something as curious, you mean that it is unusual or difficult to understand. There is a curious thing about her writings in this period. The pageant promises to be a curious mixture of the ancient and modern. The naval high command's response to these developments is rather curious. Harry was curiously silent through all this. Curiously, the struggle to survive has greatly improved her health. A curious figure in a red cape and black boots darted into the building. curious-looking There was a curious-looking man standing outside. A curious thing happened to me yesterday. It's curious (that) Billy hasn't phoned when he promised he would. It's curious timing that he moved away right after this happened. Cognitive dulling 认知能力低下 is a state of mental fatigue, slow thinking, and reduced mental sharpness. It can manifest as brain fog, difficulty concentrating, memory lapses, or decision fatigue. It is often a temporary response to stress, burnout, or sensory overload, but it can also signal an underlying medical condition.