用法学习: 1. runout: I. In the context of the automotive industry, "in runout" means a car model is in its final phase of production and sales before being permanently discontinued or replaced by a new generation. When a vehicle line enters "runout," dealerships are actively clearing out remaining factory stock to make room for future models. The current-generation Renault Koleos is in runout after a stellar run as one of Renault Australia's most popular models, with more than 21,000 examples sold. II. an act or instance of expiring or becoming depleted the runout of a union contract. a runout in office supplies. III. Something that has been run out. The landslide had a long runout. note: In geology and natural hazard engineering, runout means the total distance a landslide travels from its source to its final resting place. A "long runout" means the falling rock, mud, or debris moved exceptionally far horizontally, often defying standard friction model. The freeway guardrail runout around this object is shorter than recommended. note: In civil and highway engineering, runout length refers to the theoretical distance needed for an errant vehicle that has veered off the highway to come to a safe stop. When a report states that the guardrail runout is "shorter than recommended," it means the barrier does not extend far enough upstream (in front of the object) to capture a car drifting off the road at high speeds. The runout length is defined as the distance from the hazard to the point where a vehicle is assumed to leave the road. Obviously, the longer the runout length, the longer the guardrail. III. The end portion of the groove of a phonographic record, after the recorded sound. 2. rubric [ˈruː.brɪk] I. 规则. 准则. a set of instructions, especially on an exam paper, usually printed in a different style or colour. A rubric is a set of rules or instructions, for example the rules at the beginning of an examination paper. Either she had been poorly prepared by her teachers or the exam rubric was unclear. Read/Follow the rubric carefully. Essay writing is a core part of American high school, mainly in English and history classes. It's drilled 练习, 训练 heavily because it's also the format for timed writing on exams like AP tests. Teachers grade with rubrics 打分规则 covering thesis, evidence, organization, and grammar, and often require drafts and revisions. Grammar, spelling, and sentence variety count toward the grade — most teachers grade on a rubric splitting points among thesis, evidence, organization, and mechanics. II. A rubric is a title or heading under which something operates or is studied. The aid comes under the rubric of technical co-operation between governments. 3. Balkanisation is the process of breaking a larger region, state, or system into smaller, mutually hostile, and independent entities. balkanization = balkanisation [ˌbɔːl.kə.naɪˈzeɪ.ʃən] disapproving I. the process of dividing a region or group into smaller regions, groups, etc., especially ones that are unfriendly to or fight with each other, or the process of becoming divided like this. If you disapprove of the division of a country into separate independent states, you can refer to the Balkanization of the country. We can't accept the fragmentation or balkanization of the country. He insists that America is different because it does not have the same type of balkanization as seen in the history of Europe. Some fear the government's concessions to a rebel organization will lead to a Balkanisation of the nation. The ABC presenter asked Mr Joyce whether he agreed with Senator Hanson's characterisation of Muslims after Senator Hanson said in the program: "Muslims breed, and the taxpayer pays". Mr Joyce responded by saying problems arose when communities failed to assimilate, arguing "Balkanisation" created divisions that were "at odds with the egalitarian ethos of Australia". II. the process of causing or allowing a system or culture to become divided between different groups or areas of interest, especially ones that compete or disagree with each other, or the process of it becoming divided like this: The poll confirms how deeply the balkanization of the media is, he said. What we are seeing is the Balkanization of the Internet, she claims. balkanize [ˈbɔːl.kə.naɪz] I. to divide a region or group into smaller regions, groups, etc., especially ones that are unfriendly to or fight with each other, or to become divided like this: He stated that the assassination was part of a conspiracy to balkanize the country and the region. "I'm afraid we are going to either balkanize or become a fascist dictatorship," she says. II. to cause or allow a system or culture to become divided between different groups or areas of interest, especially ones that compete or disagree with each other, or to become divided like this: He wanted to break the barriers of specialization that he felt were balkanizing Western education. They divided the company into several independent operating businesses, which served to further Balkanise the sports group. 4. repeal: 废止法律(立法行为). abolish: 彻底废除制度/体系, 废止制度, 习俗或系统性的事物. 彻底消灭. Revoke: 撤销许可/决定/命令, 用于具体授权或裁决. overturn: 推翻(法院)判决, 司法专用. Nullify: 宣告无效, 强调法律上失效. rescind [rɪˈsɪnd]: 撤销, 废除. 常用于撤销法令,决议或协议. 语气较为正式. The board decided to rescind its earlier resolution. repeal [rɪˈpiːl] 废止法律条文, 废除(法律) If a government repeals a law, it causes that law no longer to have any legal force. If the government repeals a law, it officially ends it, so that it is no longer valid. The government has just repealed the law segregating public facilities. That year was the 60th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition. The official insisted on anonymity on a call with reporters to preview the president's actions and said Mr Trump signed three proclamations to launch the tariffs under Section 338 of the 1930 Trade Act. Several Democratic politicians last year proposed repealing the section because they said Mr Trump could use it to destabilise the economy. 6. preamble [ˈpriː.æm.bəl] 前言 I. publishing specialized an introduction to a speech or piece of writing. an introduction to a speech or piece of writing. an introductory statement in a document—such as a law, constitution, or resolution—that explains its purpose and underlying philosophy. Derived from Latin, it acts as a "preface" that outlines goals or historical context. A preamble is an introduction that comes before something you say or write. The controversy has arisen over the text of the preamble to the unification treaty. II. colloquially used to describe an action that precedes or introduces another event. something that happens before or leads to something else: 'I would like you to return to the villa as soon as possible,' she said without preamble. The agreement between the warring parties to talk may be a preamble to peace. III. A preamble is an introductory statement in a document—such as a law, constitution, or resolution—that explains its purpose and underlying philosophy. the preamble to the Constitution. 7. under lock and key 锁的好好的 I. locked away safely. If something or someone is kept under lock and key, they are in a container or room which has been securely locked. The books were normally kept under lock and key in the library vault. He is currently under lock and key at Eastmoor secure unit in Leeds. Her jewellery is securely under lock and key at the bank. II. If a person, especially a criminal, is under lock and key, they are being kept in a place from which they cannot escape, usually a prison. be/get in on the ground floor 从一开始就参与 involved in something from its beginning. If you get in on the ground floor, you become involved in a business or plan in the early stages, in order to gain an advantage. A supplier wants to get in on the ground floor and grow with the business. He was able to get in on the ground floor of the computer industry. He was sure that he was getting in on the ground floor with the next big thing. Can someone tell me how you get in on the ground floor of a deal like that? acute [əˈkjuːt] I. If a bad situation is acute, it causes severe problems or damage. You can use acute to indicate that an undesirable situation or feeling is very severe or intense. The war has aggravated an acute economic crisis. The report has caused acute embarrassment to the government. The labour shortage is becoming acute. She felt acute 非常糟糕的 embarrassment/anxiety/concern at his behaviour. The problem of poverty is particularly acute in rural areas. Acute disappointment is the intense, often physical sensation that hits when reality clashes sharply with your expectations. II. An acute pain or illness is one that quickly becomes very severe. An acute illness is one that becomes severe very quickly but does not last very long. Compare chronic. ...a patient with acute rheumatoid arthritis. ...an acute case of dysentery. acute abdominal pains. an acute attack of appendicitis. III. used to describe intelligence, senses, etc. that are very good, accurate, and able to notice very small differences: acute eyesight/hearing. an acute sense of smell. a woman of acute intelligence/judgment. IV. If a person's or animal's sight, hearing, or sense of smell is acute, it is sensitive and powerful. In the dark my sense of hearing becomes so acute. V. If you say that someone is acute or has an acute mind, you mean that they are quick to notice things and are able to understand them clearly. Into her nineties, her thinking remained acute and her character forceful. His relaxed exterior hides an extremely acute mind. Everything he writes demonstrates the acuteness of his intelligence. 8. TBBT: Raj: Oh, my pleasure, and don't worry about your presentation today. You're gonna be great. Howard: Yeah, you're gonna knock it out of the park. TBBT: Bernadette: Want to pause the video game and help me clean up? Howard: I am cleaning up. Look at the mess the Joker made of Gotham City. Bernadette: Come on, it's your friend who's coming to stay here. Howard: Raj grew up in India. Trust me, he's seen worse. Bernadette: Howie. Howard: I promise I'll help out the rest of the week. Bernadette: The rest of the week? You said it was just gonna be a night or two. Howard: Yeah, but if I told you a week, would you have said yes? Bernadette: No. Howard: Then you left me no choice. Bernadette: I love Raj, but that's a long time for a house guest. Howard: I know, but they're tenting his building. He can't find a hotel he likes that allows dogs. Bernadette: He's bringing Cinnamon? Howard: For a whole week, the nerve of some people. The nerve of (someone) 臭不要脸的, 真不要脸啊, 无耻, 真是无耻啊! An exclamation of shocked disapproval regarding something someone said or did. They thought I would just go along with their plan to cut my pay while giving me more responsibility. The nerve of them! The nerve of you—how dare you suggest something so horrible! 9. cantilever [ˈkæn.tə.liː.vər] I. (engineering, construction) 斜臂支撑. a projecting beam or member supported at only one end. A beam anchored at one end and projecting into space, such as a long bracket projecting from a wall to support a balcony. A cantilever is a long piece of metal or wood used in a structure such as a bridge. One end is fastened to something and the other end is used to support part of the structure. ...the old steel cantilever bridge. cantilever arch, cantilever arm, cantilever armchair, cantilever beam, cantilever bracket, cantilever brake, cantilever bridge, cantilever crane, cantilever fin, cantilever frame, cantilever girder, cantilever landing gear, cantilever moment, cantilever monoplane, cantilever mounting, cantilever roof, cantilever roof bar, cantilever sheet-piles, cantilever single-strut landing gear, cantilever span, cantilever spring, cantilever timbering, cantilever tower crane, cantilever truss, cantilever-type, drilling mast, cantilever wall, cantilever wing. II. 单点支撑的. 单边支撑的. a long bar that is fixed at only one end to a vertical support and is used to hold a structure such as an arch, bridge, or shelf in position: a cantilever bridge. III. A beam anchored at one end and used as a lever within a microelectromechanical system. cantilever circuit. cantilevered [kæntɪliːvərd] 悬空的 A cantilevered structure is constructed using cantilevers. Fitted with, or constituting, a cantilever; projecting out laterally from a wall or similar support and thus hanging without other supports. ...a cantilevered balcony. Miami's skyline is rapidly changing, with a downtown skyscraper boom that was set in motion a decade ago after the Federal Aviation Authority began approving projects set at a new maximum allowable height of 1,049 feet. But that's not the only reason the city and its surrounding neighborhoods, long known as a lively metropolis of late nights and ocean views, have become a developer's playground. Hospitality, automobile and fashion brands — and confusingly, even Frida Kahlo' estate — are all vying to build luxurious branded condos and hotels in Miami's low-tax, little-unionized and business-friendly environment. Some other splashy projects include billionaire Ken Griffin's new global headquarters for the financial firm Citadel Group and Delano Residences, which will offer the Southeast's first cantilevered observation deck. wiki: A cantilever is a structural element that is firmly attached to a fixed structure at one end and is unsupported at the other end. Sometimes it projects from a vertical surface such as a wall. A cantilever can be in the form of a beam, plate, truss, or slab. When subjected to a structural load at its far, unsupported end, the cantilever carries the load to the support where it applies a shear stress and a bending moment. Cantilever construction allows overhanging structures without external support. "To be someone's playground 娱乐场" is an idiom meaning one person freely uses, manipulates, or toys with another person or situation, often without restraint. It can also literally refer to an outdoor area where someone—such as a child or a pet—plays. a place where a particular group of people enjoy themselves: This area of the coast is the playground of the rich and famous. But that's not the only reason the city and its surrounding neighborhoods, long known as a lively metropolis of late nights and ocean views, have become a developer's playground. an idle mind is the devil's playground 人闲是非多 proverb When one has nothing to do, one is more likely to get into trouble. Whenever I'm off from school for the summer, my grandmother tries to get me to sign up for group camps and activities, always reminding me that an idle mind is the devil's playground. Well, it's no surprise to me the boy is doing drugs and stealing. He dropped out of high school and didn't do anything with his life! An idle mind is the devil's playground, after all. An idle mind is the devil's playground, so is it any surprise they started causing mischief after being left to their own devices for so long? 10. champagne taste and a beer wallet = champagne taste on a beer budget 心比天高命比纸薄 Expensive or extravagant tastes or preferences that are beyond one's economic means. I only earn minimum wage, but I can't stop buying designer clothes and eating at the best restaurants—I guess I've got champagne taste and a beer wallet! A: "Of course Ralph wants to stay at a lavish hotel. How exactly does he plan to pay for it, though?" B: "Good question. You know he's always had champagne taste and a beer wallet." When you have champagne taste and a beer wallet, you really need to look out for and take advantage of sales. stump up [British, informal] If you stump up a sum of money, you pay it, often unwillingly. to pay an amount or type of money for something, especially unwillingly: stump up (something) for something It can be cheaper to stump up for a new washing machine than to get your old one repaired. stump up the cash (尤指不情愿地)掏腰包, 付钱 Chissano said Western governments should stump up the cash to fund land redistribution. Customers do not have to stump up any cash for at least four weeks. 11. Two and a half men: I'm ready to order. Of course. Apologies for the frivolity. What would you like? My ex is going to be out of town, so I'll have the kids. Whoa, whoa, whoa, Lydia, no one loves the little ones more than old Uncle Charlie, but don't you think it might be a bit soon for me to meet your kids? Oh, I don't want you to meet them. Why not? Because I'm very careful about who I expose them to. What's that supposed to mean? Charlie, please. Why can't I expose myself to your kids? I mean, why can't I meet your kids? Please don't make me hurt your feelings. You can't hurt my feelings. All right, fine. You're a professional boy toy, a perpetual adolescent 永远长不大 ( A "perpetual adolescent" describes an adult who exhibits prolonged immaturity, avoiding the responsibilities and emotional weight typically associated with adulthood. Also known as the puer aeternus (eternal youth) in Jungian psychology, this behavioral pattern often stems from a reluctance to embrace structural life milestones. ) leading a dissolute ( dissolute [dɪs.ə.luːt] 腐化的, 堕落的, 放纵的, 放荡的 (of a person) living in a way that other people strongly disapprove of. showing a lack of good character and morals; immoral: a dissolute life. He led a dissolute life, drinking, and womanizing till his death.) life. You may have your uses, but you're not the kind of man I want around my children. 12. fallow [ˈfæl.əʊ] 休养生息 adj. I. Fallow land is not planted with crops, in order to improve the quality of the soil. Fallow land has been dug or ploughed but nothing has been planted in it, especially so that its quality or strength has a chance to improve. ...great red barns in empty fallow fields. The fields lay fallow. lie fallow Farmers are eligible for government support if they let a certain amount of land lie fallow. Chemicals and heavy metals used in decades past have built up in the fjords too. "We've been measuring pesticides at a site that has been fallow for 20 years and it was still there," he says. "It doesn't dissolve. It doesn't just disappear. There's no magic here. What's thrown into the water stays in the water. It's quite simple." II. A fallow period of time is one in which very little happens. used to describe a period of time in which there is not much business activity: fallow period 静养期, 安静期 After a long fallow period, the author has brought out a new book. There followed something of a fallow period professionally, until a job came up in the summer. The corporation has gained market share recently, but only after a long fallow period. 13. TBBT: Can I interest you in a cappuccino (interest someone in something Someone might ask if they can interest you in something when that person is trying to persuade you to buy something or is offering you something: Can I interest you in our new range of kitchen fittings, madam? I don't suppose I can interest you in a quick drink after work, can I?)? When did you start selling those? Oh, someone left it here, but it's still warm. Want to say four bucks? No, thank you. Oh. Everything okay? Well... I secretly experimented on my friends, and now none of them want to be my best man. So, you know, normal wedding drama. Sorry. Probably have to use my stupid brother. So get ready for a wedding toast delivered by his armpit. Well, if you really don't want to use your brother, I'd be your best man. Really? Yeah, we're friends. Plus, it'd be nice. Never really been called the best before. Or a man, for that matter. Okay, well, uh, thank you, Stuart. That's a very generous offer. My pleasure. I understand the best man usually receives a present. That's true. Can never have too much clarity 再多都不算多(too much of a good thing 好的东西太多了也会厌倦, 再好的东西也会厌 the fact that something pleasant becomes unpleasant because you have or do too much of it. A warning against excess. Ugh, I definitely ate too much candy last night. Believe me, you can have too much of a good thing! How many times have you been to the spa this month? You can have too much of a good thing, you know! have too much of a good thing You can have too much of a good thing.). 14. component noun. The components of something are the parts that it is made of. Enriched uranium is a key component of a nuclear weapon. The management plan has four main components. They were automotive component suppliers to motor manufacturers. adj. The component parts of something are the parts that make it up. First we have to break the system down into its component parts. They manufacture component parts 组成部件 for engines. Component parts are the individual pieces, elements, or modules that combine to build a larger, working whole. When you look at any system, machine, or object, its component parts are the specific items you can separate, identify, and put together to make the entire thing work. TBBT: Well, what if we take emotion out of the process, and base it on empirical metrics ( Empirical metrics are standards of measurement based on direct observation, real-world data, and experimentation rather than theory or pure logic. They quantify practical outcomes by tracking actual behavior or performance in a system. empirical [ɪmˈpɪr.ɪ.kəl] 实践的, 基于实际的, 基于实践的 (不是基于理论的) Empirical evidence or study relies on practical experience rather than theories. based on what is experienced or seen rather than on theory. empirical data. empirical evidence. This theory needs to be backed up with solid empirical evidence. empirical study Empirical studies show that some forms of alternative medicine are extremely effective. There is no empirical evidence to support his thesis. ...empirically based research. They approached this part of their task empirically. empirical analysis/research/study The diagnosis of a business problem should be based both on empirical analysis and on theoretical analysis. empirical evidence/data/finding. Empirical research 实践研究 is research using empirical evidence. It is also a way of gaining knowledge by means of direct and indirect observation or experience. Empiricism values some research more than other kinds. Empirical evidence (the record of one's direct observations or experiences) can be analyzed quantitatively or qualitatively. )? Then we aren't really making the decision; the data is. So we can hurt our friends' feelings without taking any responsibility? Me likey. But how do we apply quantitative metrics to something as subjective as choosing a wedding party? That decision only seems subjective. In reality, people in a wedding party perform very specific functions, and some will perform those better than others. If I may use a superhero analogy... You may not. Okay, I'll use real people. Um, if a certain dog-like loyalty is useful, then it's Leonard, hmm? If, uh, having a PEZ dispenser filled with TUMS is an advantage, Wolowitz, yeah. If a best man with fake testicles hanging from his truck is important, well, then, my brother's back in the running. Okay, I see your point. So we break down each of the roles into their component parts, and then design specialized tests for each. Exactly. Boy, if I had known getting married was going to involve so much science, I'd have proposed years ago. 15. munitions [mjʊˈnɪʃ·ənz] 军火, 武器 Munitions are military weapons, ammunition, and equipment used in war, such as guns, bombs, and missiles. military weapons such as guns and bombs. Munitions are military equipment and supplies, especially bombs, shells, and guns. ...the shortage of men and munitions. ...a munitions factory. The army used precision-guided munitions to blow up enemy targets. a munitions depot. a munitions factory. Ammunition 弹药: Bullets, shells, and explosives fired from weapons. Weapons: Guns, rockets, missiles, and larger systems. Military Gear 军需品, 军事装备: Specialized equipment and supplies used for combat. 16. waxy I. 蜡样的. slightly shiny; looking or feeling like wax: ...the waxy coating on the insect's body. He had a waxy complexion and looked ill. The plant has thick waxy leaves. Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance that circulates in the bloodstream. II. Waxy potatoes (starchy, floury) are firm inside and do not break into pieces when they are cooked (Floury potatoes are dry and break into small pieces when they are cooked.): Waxy potatoes are the best for salads. Peel and slice some waxy red potatoes. Choose small waxy potatoes for the salad.
Angus Taylor took a minute to figure parliament out: The horror of finding out that one's competitor is quite so richly endowed with natural advantages is a common and unifying human experience. And when Angus Taylor in 2012 walked away from an absurdly successful and remunerative ( remunerative [rɪˈmjuː.nər.ə.tɪv] I. paying a lot of money: a highly remunerative (= well paid) job. Charity work is not very remunerative. highly/less/more remunerative. The deficits could lead central banks to move funds from the US to more stable and remunerative markets. II. 付薪水的. 带薪的. providing payment for work. Remunerative work is work that you are paid for. A doctor advised her to seek remunerative employment. This policy preserves the option of remunerative work for workers with disabilities. remunerate [rɪmjuːnəreɪt] If you are remunerated for work that you do, you are paid for it. He is poorly remunerated for all the work he does. You will be remunerated and so will your staff. ...an adequately remunerated job. ) consulting career to contest the seat of Hume for the Liberal Party, the headlines didn't exactly say, "Rich. Handsome. Rhodes scholarship. Your basic nightmare." But they weren't all that far off( not far off/out/wrong 差不离, 差不多 Partially or nearly correct; close to the truth. A: "What did that TV cost you? $3,500?" B: "Not far off—$3,750." A: "I've always suspected that he was stealing money from the company." B: "You're not far off. He's been using its offshore accounts to hide his earnings from the IRS." ). The Liberal Party certainly welcomed him as a great recruit. But some in the deeper end of the party's talent pool viewed this new entrant with interest grading into ( grade into to pass or change slowly from one thing, state, or color into another without a sudden break. It describes a smooth, continuous shift where the end of one thing blends gently into the start of the next. grade verb. I. If something is graded, its quality is judged, and it is often given a number or a name that indicates how good or bad it is. to separate people or things into different levels of quality, size, importance, etc.: be graded by 分级 The fruit is washed and then graded by size. The books are graded according to the difficulty of the language. Dust masks are graded according to the protection they offer. South Point College does not grade the students' work. ...a three-tier grading system. The fibre is graded and packed into bales for transport to factories for spinning, dying, and milling. be graded on sth He said that principals and superintendents would be graded on leadership and school performance. be graded for sth Inside the world's largest covered building, the flowers are graded for quality and catalogued by computer. II. (UK mark 打分, 评分) to give a score to a student's piece of work: to grade work/papers. noun. I. 级别. The grade of a product is its quality, especially when this has been officially judged. ...a good grade of plywood. ...a grade II listed building. ...weapons-grade plutonium. ...aviation fuel and high-grade oil. low-grade He's suffering from some kind of low-grade (= slight) infection, which he can't seem to get rid of. high-grade There's some really high-grade (= high quality) musicianship on this recording. on a grade 同样的级别 UK Bill has been on the same grade (= his job has been of the same level of importance, or he has had the same level of pay) for several years now. aircraft/human/weapons, etc. grade The scooters are made from aircraft grade aluminium alloy and weigh just 2.76kg. II. Your grade in an examination or piece of written work is the mark you get, usually in the form of a letter or number, that indicates your level of achievement. What grade are you hoping to get? There was a lot of pressure on you to obtain good grades. III. Your grade in a company or organization is your level of importance or your rank. Staff turnover is particularly high among junior grades. a pay/salary grade 职级. IV. In the United States, a grade is a group of classes in which all the children are of a similar age. When you are six years old you go into the first grade and you leave school after the twelfth grade. Mr White teaches first grade in south Georgia. V. [US] (uk = gradient) A grade is a slope. steep grade 陡坡 The next hill has a really steep grade. She drove up a steep grade and then began the long descent into the desert. VI. Someone's grade is their military rank. I was a naval officer, lieutenant junior grade. make the grade If someone makes the grade, they succeed, especially by reaching a particular standard. She had a strong desire to be a dancer but failed to make the grade. ) caution. The party room at the time already had two Rhodes scholars: Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull. And the propensity ( propensity [prəˈpensəti] 嗜好, 倾向, 爱好 a natural tendency to behave in a particular way. A propensity to do something or a propensity for something is a natural tendency that you have to behave in a particular way. Mr Bint has a propensity to put off decisions to the last minute. She hasn't reckoned on his propensity for violence. propensity to something: ways of reducing children's propensity to aggression. propensity for something: Their propensity for violence is virtually limitless. Mr Iddles told the inquest Father O'Keeffe was responsible for sexual assaults on young boys, many of whom had relayed his propensity for violence. propense [prəˈpɛns] = propensive [prəˈpɛnsɪv] adjective inclining forward. vocabulary: A propensity is a natural tendency to behave in a certain way. We all have propensities — things we tend to do. Dogs have a propensity to bark, and many people have a propensity for getting annoyed by it. If you have a propensity for something, then it's something that comes naturally to you or something you just do a lot. Some people have a propensity to laugh. Other people have a propensity for making others laugh, or for being generous, or for getting angry. It's hard to change your propensities. Sometimes a propensity is a bad thing, as in a criminal with a propensity for theft or murder. ) for Oxford blue-on-blue violence ( blue-on-blue 拔刀相向, 自相残杀 relating to an attack in which soldiers, etc. are injured or killed by their own army or by soldiers on the same side as them. Describing an instance of accidental violence between members of the same group. Primarily heard in UK. I don't think Joe was shot by our enemies—I think it was blue on blue. A: Miscommunication between the two military units meant each was unaware of the other's presence in the area of conflict." B: "So these soldiers' deaths were blue on blue?" Sure, we occasionally have injuries that are blue on blue, but you all are blowing this into a bigger problem than it really is. The number of blue-on-blue deaths has risen steadily during the present campaign. friendly fire 自己人的炮火 during a war, shooting that is hitting you from your own side, not from the enemy: Three soldiers were killed by friendly fire when a mortar bomb hit their truck. ) was well established between them. Suspicion of the triple-threat Taylor existed across both camps; Abbott at various points fancied that Taylor was plotting with Turnbull, while Turnbull thought Taylor was aligned with Abbott. Taylor had never experienced a leadership coup before. In the Liberal Party, these are crepuscular ( crepuscular [krɪˈpʌs.kjə.lər] I. 曙光的, 暮光的 relating to or like the time of day just before the sun goes down, when the light is not bright. Crepuscular means relating to twilight. ...peering through the crepuscular gloom. II. (of animals) active or appearing at the time of day just before the sun goes down, or just after the sun rises, when the light is not bright: Deer are crepuscular, meaning that they are most active at dawn and at dusk. ) affairs, ungoverned by the cleaner factional lines that dictate loyalty in the Australian Labor Party. "I realise now I got overtures ( overture I. a communication made to someone in order to offer something: peace overture. friendly overture. diplomatic overture. The country has rejected U.S. diplomatic overtures numerous times in the past. sexual overture. romantic overture. overture of Jack seemed to be unaware of the other boys' overtures of friendship. peace overture Neither side in the conflict seems willing to make peace overtures. make an overture If you make overtures to someone 向某人暗示, you behave in a friendly or romantic way towards them. He had lately begun to make clumsy yet endearing overtures of friendship. If only the West had been more responsive to his peace overtures in the fifties. Her invitation should not be understood as making a romantic overture. informal So he's been making overtures (= showing a sexual interest), has he? II. 序曲, 前奏曲 a piece of music that is intended as an introduction to an opera or play, or as a short piece to be played as part of a concert. Rossini's "William Tell" overture is often performed as an independent concert piece. The orchestra kicked off the fireworks show with the ever-popular "1812" overture by Tchaikovsky. opera overture. concert overture. overture to The concert began with the overture to "The Magic Flute". )," he says. "It was not always obvious. So, people would sound you out to see if you had a grievance or you're unhappy with something … And I thought, 'That's very nice of them to ask!' The deposed Abbott rang Taylor to commiserate(commiserate [kəˈmɪzəreɪt] 深表同情 (when: intr, usually foll by with) to feel or express sympathy or compassion (for). to express sympathy to someone who is unhappy about something. To feel or express sympathy: commiserated over their failure. to commiserate with someone over a loss. When I lost, he commiserated with me. Friends called to commiserate when they found out I hadn't got the job. "I know how you feel," he commiserated. commiserate with someone to share one's misery with another person who is also miserable. I stopped by Bruce's house to commiserate with him on being laid off. ), observing with characteristic joviality ( joviality [ˌdʒəʊ.viˈæl.ə.ti] the quality in a person of being friendly and in a good mood, or of a situation being enjoyable, friendly and pleasant: There was an air of joviality in the room. She had a forced joviality that made us suspicious. jovial [ˈdʒəʊ.vi.əl] 开心的, 好心情的 adj. (of a person) friendly and in a good mood, or (of a situation) enjoyable because of being friendly and pleasant. If you describe a person as jovial, you mean that they are happy and behave in a cheerful way. Father Whittaker appeared to be in a jovial mood. ...his old expansive joviality. 'No problem,' he said jovially. He seemed a very jovial guy. a jovial time/evening/chat. ) that at least he now was convinced Taylor was not among the plotters. Which I wasn't," recalls Taylor, dryly. "So yeah, that was pretty much the sum of it." One of his early triumphs — as a junior burger ( The term "junior burger" is used in political slang as a minor derogatory jab meaning a lightweight, insignificant, or junior-grade person. It gained notable attention when Australian politician Anthony Albanese used it during a 2022 election debate to dismiss a rival minister. Is "junior burger" an Australianism? The question arose after the first leaders' debate, tweeted by ABC's own language pulse-checker, Tiger Webb. What did it mean? Who first cooked it? Anthony Albanese used the term during the showdown, deploring the Coalition's handling of the Solomon Islands issue. After news of China signing a security pact with our neighbours, Albo aimed for the ScoMo schnoz: "This isn't so much a Pacific step-up, it's a Pacific stuff-up." Bang – a strong blow. Rhetorical. Vernacular. He then garnished the snub by calling Senator Zed Seselja, the Pacific Minister, a junior burger. Kapow, I think. Was it a hit? Like Tiger, the audience wasn't sure. Evidently no compliment, the hamburger dig erred on the esoteric 小众的 (exoteric 大众都理解都明白的) side. As for being a federal first, the phrase debuted as a homophone in 2021, where NSW Senator Tim Ayres described former WA Liberal Senator Ben Small as "the junior burgher from Bunbury". Though arguably Ayres meant burger the snack, not burgher the citizen, Hansard had to take a punt.) at consulting giant McKinsey — was his assignment to assist the divided New Zealand dairy industry establish a better system for pricing milk. He assisted 10,000 sometimes cantankerous ( [ˌkænˈtæŋ.kər.əs] arguing and complaining a lot: He's getting a bit cantankerous in his old age. ) dairy farmers to form Fonterra, now responsible for about a third of the world's dairy exports. The factional warfare in some hotspots (Victoria, NSW, South Australia) is starting to resemble the tobacco wars. In Taylor's home state of NSW, his own right-wing grouping is enmeshed ( enmesh [enˈmeʃ] 陷入, 卷入, 深陷 to catch or involve someone in something unpleasant or dangerous from which it is difficult to escape: be enmeshed in The whales are caught by being enmeshed in nets. She has become enmeshed in a tangle of drugs and petty crime.) in an ICAC inquiry, Operation Rosny, which has made no allegations against Taylor, but is singeing ( singe [sɪndʒ] I. 闷烧 to burn slightly on the surface, without producing flames. to burn something slightly, or to be burned slightly. If you singe something or if it singes, it burns very slightly and changes colour but does not catch fire. The electric fire had begun to singe the bottoms of his trousers.Her hair was singed and her anorak was burnt. Toast the dried chillies in a hot pan until they start to singe. The candle singed his arm hairs. My sweater started to singe when I leaned over a burning candle. noun. I. a slight burn mark: The marks are burns and singes caused by molten silver in a fire that broke out on the night of 24 December, 1622. singe mark The hot iron left a singe mark on my dress. ) party operatives close to him. None of this is building or producing anything. Clegg, who is possessed of (be possessed of something 具有 拥有 to own something or have something as a quality: He was possessed of a large fortune, but sadly no brains to speak of. He was possessed of a dazzling 让人目眩神迷的, 让人意乱情迷的, 摄人心魄的 smile and brooding good looks. She was possessed of a voice of rare beauty. Even his friends would admit that he was possessed of an enormous ego. She is possessed of an exceptional talent for capturing the nuances of daily life and turning them into novels of searing honesty. possess I. If you possess something, you have it or own it. He was then arrested and charged with possessing an offensive weapon. He is said to possess a fortune of more than two-and-a-half-thousand million dollars. II. If someone or something possesses a particular quality, ability, or feature, they have it. possess knowledge/qualities/skills 具备知识, 具备技能 Sales managers must possess strong leadership qualities. ...individuals who are deemed to possess the qualities of sense, loyalty and discretion [dɪˈskrɛʃn]. This figure has long been held to possess miraculous power. III. If a feeling or belief possesses you, it strongly influences your thinking or behaviour. Absolute terror possessed her. Tsvetayeva was possessed by a frenzied urge to get out of Moscow. possessed I. If someone is described as being possessed by an evil spirit, it is believed that their mind and body are controlled by an evil spirit. She even claimed the couple's daughter was possessed by the devil. He behaved like someone possessed. II. If someone or something is possessed of a particular quality, ability, or feature, they have that quality, ability, or feature. If someone is possessed of a particular feeling or belief, they have that feeling or belief. He is possessed of the most brilliant talents. She was possessed of a terrifying sensation that the life was being squeezed slowly out of her. what possessed you to do something (what has to break inside your brain for you to do something) 发了什么疯, 中了什么邪, 怎么会? 哪股劲儿, 是什么风? If you ask what possessed someone to do something, you are emphasizing your great surprise that they have done something which you consider foolish or dangerous. (of a wish or an idea) to take control over a person's mind, making that person behave in a very strange way: Whatever possessed him to wear that appalling jacket! What on earth had possessed her to agree to marry him? enter into and control, as of emotions or ideas. (of a desire or an idea) to take control over a person's mind, making that person behave in a strange way: I don't know what possessed me to start yelling like that. What possessed you to buy this house? TBBT4: Sheldon: Mmm, all right. It would appear as if alcohol is playing keep-away with your intelligence. Good night. Please note, it is now past ten p.m. Per our roommate agreement, kindly refrain from raucous laughter, clinking of glasses, and celebratory gunfire. Penny: Okay, explain something to me. You watch Leonard put up with that guy for years and years. What has to break inside your brain for you to think (what possessed you to do something) 中邪, 发疯, 发神经, 脑子坏掉了, 吃了什么药, 中了什么邪, Oh, Krishna, I've got to get me some of that? play-away: Keep Away, also called Monkey in the Middle, Piggy in the Middle, Pickle in a Dish, or Pickle in the Middle, or Monkey, is a children's game in which two or more players must pass a ball to one another, while another player (in the middle) attempts to intercept it. The game could be considered a reverse form of circle dodgeball, because instead of trying to hit people in the middle with the ball, players attempt to keep the ball away from them. The game is played worldwide.) a quick brain and a deep interest in conservative politics, pens a regular column in The Spectator. It would be an error to conflate her views always with those of her spouse, but the glimpses we get of him periodically in her writing are instructive. On social media, he's still lampooned (lampoon ( [læmpuːn] I. If you lampoon someone or something, you criticize them very strongly, using humorous means. He entertained his readers by lampooning the pretensions of the rich. He was lampooned for his short stature and political views. II. A lampoon is a piece of writing or speech which criticizes someone or something very strongly, using humorous means. ...his scathing lampoons of consumer culture. The style Shelley is using here is that of popular lampoon.) for a Facebook blooper in the 2019 election campaign, in which "Angus Taylor MP" commented admiringly on his own post announcing a new commuter car park: "Fantastic. Great move. Well done Angus." It seemed fairly clear to any observer familiar with the functioning of electorate offices that the most likely explanation was an inexperienced staffer forgetting to log out of the boss's account and into their own before administering praise. But Taylor — who has since made an effort to embrace the gag, going so far as to produce mugs and stubbie holders featuring the infamous meme — clammed up about the precise circumstances for so long that it began to seem possible that the error was, in fact, his. "No. No, it wasn't," he clarifies. "But that fact that it wasn't is neither here nor there ( neither here nor there 无关紧要的 not important, or not connected with the subject being discussed. If you say that something is neither here nor there, you mean that it does not matter because it is not a relevant point. 'I'd never heard of her before I came here.'—'That is neither here nor there.' Whether or not he realised the fact was neither here nor there. Her age is neither here nor there – the real question is, can she do the job? ). It was my account. I'm accountable for it. And I'm gonna wear it." A fortnight ago, for instance, Clegg wrote an item canvassing the varied responses to One Nation within the Coalition, ranging from party president Abbott's openness to some sort of deal with the resurgent protest party ( resurgent [rɪsɜːʳdʒənt] 又冒出来的, 重新崛起的 adj. You use resurgent to say that something is becoming stronger and more popular after a period when it has been weak and unimportant. increasing again, or becoming popular again: resurgent inflation. Many people were critical of the resurgent militarism in the country. ...the threat from the resurgent nationalist movement. ) to Andrew Hastie's Shakespearean preference to die — if necessary — a bloody death on this political battlefield. Clegg, in her analysis, is generous about Abbott's response (it derived from "genuine respect" for Hanson, she said), and also about Hastie's ("Given One Nation declared war on him first, that seems a fair response too"). But her description of her husband's response to these twin outliers on his own side is instructive; in her telling, Taylor heard the flights of rhetoric ( "Flights of rhetoric" refers to passages of language that are highly stylized, passionate, and designed to move or persuade an audience. The phrase combines the idea of soaring, elevated language ("flights") with the art of persuasive speaking or writing ("rhetoric"). While powerful, the phrase can sometimes carry a negative connotation in modern political commentary. Critics might dismiss a speech as "mere flights of rhetoric," implying that the speaker is using beautiful, dramatic language to mask a lack of substance, realistic policies, or concrete action. flight noun. I. an occasion when something flies or moves through the air: an eagle in flight. take flight 起飞 a. (of a bird or an aircraft) to leave the ground and begin to fly: He was flapping his arms like a bird taking flight. b. to run away or leave a place:The burglars took flight when the alarm sounded. Suddenly the whole flock of geese took flight (= started flying). Modern missiles are so accurate because their flight is controlled by computer. II. a group of birds, aircraft, etc. flying together: a flight 一群 of geese/swans. III. sports specialized in cricket, the movement of the ball through the air when bowled (= thrown to the batter) by a slow bowler: He deceived the batsman with flight and dip and had him stumped. IV. (an act or example of) escape, running away, or avoiding something: flight from 逃离 They lost all their possessions during their flight from the invading army. put someone to flight 打跑 UK old-fashioned to defeat someone and force them to run away: The rebels were put to flight by the small regiment. V. a set of steps or stairs, usually between two floors of a building: We live up three flights of stairs. VI. a number of different types of wine, beer, etc. for tasting: Wine bar patrons can sample flights of wine. A wine flight is available to accompany the tasting menu at £ 35 per person. flight of fancy 天马行空的想法 an idea that shows a lot of imagination but is not practical: He was talking about cycling across the US or was that just another flight of fancy? the top flight = top-flight I. 顶级的. 高级的. of superior or excellent quality; outstanding. Stellar; excellent; of the highest level of quality or worth. of the highest caliber. We are looking for a top-flight manager for our new division. That restaurant is top-flight—you'll definitely get a good meal there. This is not a case of nepotism—Astrid won the award because her project was top flight. He's a top-flight salesmen. He always exceeds his quotas. II. the highest level in a job or sport: The Sheffield Eagles move down to the second division after two seasons in the top flight. ), but chose another way. "The always patient Angus did something much less exciting — and very Angus," she wrote. "He reached for the calculator. While thoroughly dismantling Labor's economic management, he observed that One Nation's policies simply did not add up."
