用法学习: 1. observant I. 明察秋毫的. 观察入微的. 善于观察的. noticing everything that happens. quick to notice or perceive things. "her observant eye took in every detail". The burglary was foiled by an observant neighbor. II. obeying religious laws. an observant Jew. Graceland: How is he complicated他怎么复杂了? Hmm, how much time you got? You are not a shrink, aren you? What gave me away你怎么知道, 你怎么发现的, 什么泄露了天机. Well, there's no "doctor" in front of your 名字前 name on the door. I thing you bought this book for me. And if you were a shrink, I wouldn't feel like I was being interrogated. 新闻短句: While many people are growing increasingly fanatical about their smart phones, one woman has risen above the pack 脱颖而出, 超越前人(rise above something I. Lit. to move up above something. The huge sun rose above the horizon and spread its red glow across the sea. II. Fig. 超越. 超脱. 摆脱. [for one] to ignore petty matters and do what one is meant to do in spite of them. to not allow something unpleasant to influence you She rose above personal tragedy by following the principles of self-reliance, discipline, and education. Phillips had little hope of rising above poverty. He was able to rise above the squabbling and bring some sense to the proceedings. Jane was never able to rise above her petty dislikes. III. (tower over) 高耸云天. To extend upward; be prominent over something: The tower rises above the hill. III. 鹤立鸡群 To be superior to something or someone: Her performance rises above that of her peers.) with an extreme response to her mobile failing on the train. In a video uploaded to Facebook this week, the young woman has a remarkable breakdown on the Hong Kong's MTR system after her phone battery goes flat. Despite the woman's desperate screams 绝望的大叫 and attempts to bring the device back to life, her fellow passengers don't seem concerned at all. The woman proceeds to stamp her feet 跺脚 and wail uncontrollably, and is again ignored by every passenger on the busy carriage. It's not the first time a public transport passenger has thrown a tantrum. In January, a woman threw a shameless hissy fit after missing her Ferry at a Canadian terminal. The viral video shows the woman shrieking at the top of her lungs and stomping her feet 跺脚 like an inconsolable 失控的, 不受控的 child. 2. just the ticket = that's the ticket 再合适不过了, 正合心意, 正是你要找的, 正是你要的, 正合你意, 正合所需 Fig. to be just the perfect thing. This soup is just the ticket for a quick lunch. A good, hot cup of coffee will be just the ticket. If you have a fairly substantial investment portfolio and are thinking about growing it further but don't have the money to do so, a margin loan may be just the ticket. Broadly speaking广义的说, a margin loan or margin lending is a form of gearing that lets you borrow money to invest in approved shares or managed funds, using your existing cash, shares or managed funds as security担保. But while there are many benefits associated with margin loans, there are also plenty of risks associated with this type of lending. In fact, the risks associated with margin loans are so extreme that is critical for all investors – regardless of how seasoned 熟练, 老练, 老手 or successful you are – to really understand margin lending before testing the waters in this space. Because you're using the margin loan to buy shares and share prices move frequently, you are exposed to the risk that the shares might fall/plummet in value贬值. In other words, you could face huge losses if the market falls. Exactly what is needed; exactly right. For example, This van is just the ticket for carrying all our luggage, or That's the ticket 就是那样, 正是那样 - you're handling that chain saw very well. The second phrase dates from the early 1800s, and the first is slightly newer. The exact allusion is disputed-it could be to a winning lottery ticket, a price tag for merchandise, or, as one writer suggests, a corruption of the French word etiquette for "appropriate behavior." just what the doctor ordered 要什么有什么, 想什么来什么 Fig. exactly what is required, especially for health or comfort. That meal was delicious, Bob. Just what the doctor ordered. Bob: Would you like something to drink? Mary: Yes, a cold glass of water would be just what the doctor ordered. (that's the) way to go 就是这样才对, 就是要那样, 这样就对了 Inf. a phrase encouraging someone to continue the good work. As John ran over the finish line, everyone cried, "That's the way to go!" "Way to go!" said Mary when Bob finally got the car started. 3. Liam Hemsworth gets testy ( easily annoyed and impatient. ) when he thinks a reporter called him by his brother's name. 'Pull him out!' Teen daredevil 不怕死的 who died when his motorbike slammed into ramp at 120kph during world record practice jump 'didn't hear or ignored' warning seconds before takeoff that he wasn't going fast enough: A crew member tried to stop a 19-year-old professional motocross rider from attempting a record breaking jump moments before he fatally crashed, an inquest has heard. Gilks did not make the distance 飞得不够远 and crashed into the landing ramp causing his chest to impact 'heavily' with the top of the handlebars. The unconscious teen was rushed to John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition and despite 'significant medical intervention', he never regained consciousness. The report found that while the 'inherently 天生固有的, 与生俱来的 dangerous' sport cannot be performed without risk, there were factors that could have been addressed to 'mitigate the risk'. He said organisers should have liaised with the local council, police or other authorities to regulate safety procedures for the jump. 'No reputable commercial undertaking would engage in such a high risk activity without a formal, documented risk assessment and risk management plan.' 'None seems to have been undertaken in this case,' the coroner added. It was recommended that motocross jumps should have to conform 'to safety standards applied to similar motor vehicle sports such as motocross racing.' The report also drew attention to the concrete strip leading up to the take-off ramp. It was found to be uneven and poorly aligned which could have stopped Gilks from achieving maximum speed. 4. An aeronautics company has patented a new seating design based on human tessellation (A tessellation ( tessellated [ˈtesəˌleɪtəd] 密不透风的. 不透缝隙的密铺的 formed or decorated in a pattern that is made with small pieces of glass or stone. ) of a flat surface is the tiling of a plane using one or more geometric shapes, called tiles, with no overlaps and no gaps. In mathematics, tessellations can be generalized to higher dimensions and a variety of geometries. A periodic tiling has a repeating pattern. Some special kinds include regular tilings with regular polygonal tiles all of the same shape, and semi-regular tilings with regular tiles of more than one shape and with every corner identically arranged. ) that looks pretty on paper but seems profoundly uncomfortable in real life. Patented last month by French firm Zodiac Aerospace, the "Economy Class Cabin Hexagon", is designed to use the already hellishly cramped 狭小的 conditions of budget air travel more efficiently by employing a kind of hive design. Unfortunately, it would appear that the minds responsible for the idea were more concerned with creating a pleasing geometric diagram than pleasing any potential future passengers, who would presumably have no choice but to stare each other in the eye for the duration of 全程 the flight. One also wonders whether this particular hexagonal nightmare might be difficult for passengers to extricate(free (someone or something) from a constraint or difficulty.) themselves from in the event of an emergency, be it catastrophic or simply gastronomic. Although registering a patent hardly guarantees production (as will probably be the case with Boeing's widely-skewered( skewer n. 烤串. a long piece of wood or metal used for holding pieces of food, typically meat, together during cooking. "thread the meat on to large skewers and grill over a gentle heat". v. I. fasten together or pierce with a pin or skewer. "skewered meat and fish". II. informal subject to sharp criticism or critical analysis. "politicians are used to being skewered". ) "force field" design), Zodiac's effort here has already drawn criticism from certain wags in the media who have deemed it a conceptual travesty 荒谬绝伦. 5. unscripted dialogue不按剧本的, 临时发挥的, 临场发挥的. 电话占线: The line is engaged/busy(US用busy多点, UK and AU用engaged多点). If you are working on reception somewhere and you take a call from someone who wishes to speak to someone else whose line is engaged, you might say "I'm sorry, his line is engaged at the moment. Would you like to hold?". engaged I. (formal) busy doing something. engaged (in something) They are engaged in talks with the Irish government. They were engaged in conversation. engaged (on something) He is now engaged on his second novel. I can't come to dinner on Tuesday—I'm otherwise engaged 有安排, 有机会, 有事儿, 忙, 脱不开身 (= I have already arranged to do something else). II. having agreed to marry somebody. When did you get engaged? an engaged couple. engaged to somebody. She's engaged to Peter. They are engaged to be married (= to each other). III. (British English) (North American English busy) (of a telephone line) being used. I couldn't get through—the line's engaged. I phoned earlier but you were engaged (= using your phone). the engaged tone/signal 占线音, 忙音(dial tone拨号音). IV. 厕所有人的. (British English) (of a public toilet/bathroom) being used opposite vacant. occupy I. 占用. 占上了. if someone occupies a room, building, area of land, seat, bed, or other place during a period of time, they use it. The Smith family has occupied this farm for over a hundred years. All the seats on the bus were occupied. a. if something occupies a space or a period of time, it is present in it or fills it. Warehouses occupied most of the site. Commercial photography occupied much of his time. II. 占领. to be in control of a place that you have entered in a group using military force. The region was quickly occupied by foreign troops. an occupying army/force. a. to move into a public place and stay there for a period of time in order to show that you strongly disagree with a policy, law , etc. An estimated 3,000 people assembled at Battery Park with the intention of occupying Wall Street. I spoke at length with various religious folk during my time in Occupy London. III. 占据高位. 身居高位. to have a particular job or position in an organization or system, especially an important one. Members of the group occupy positions of power in the country. IV. to keep someone busy at an activity. I need some way to occupy the kids for an hour. keep someone occupied: You keep him occupied down here while I check upstairs. be occupied with something: He's still fully occupied with writing his report. occupy yourself (with something): You need to find something to occupy yourself with when you retire. V. formal if something occupies your mind, thoughts, or attention, or if it occupies you, you think about it a lot. These thoughts occupied my mind, though I tried to sleep. The problem has been occupying me all week. be occupied with something: My mind's been too occupied with moving to think about a vacation. glass eye 人工眼球, 假眼: At one time a "glass eye" was really made of glass. Today, a prosthetic eye is generally made of hard, plastic acrylic. The prosthetic eye is shaped like a shell. The prosthetic eye fits over an ocular implant. 6. Friends: Ross: Okay, Rach, before anything happens I wanna lay down a couple of ground rules. This is just about tonight. I won't go through with ( go through with something 进行下去, 完成某事 to do something that you have planned or agreed to do, especially after not being sure you want to do it. I can't believe he went through with the divorce. go through something I. to experience a difficult or unpleasant situation: I've been going through a bad patch recently. You'd think his children would be more sympathetic towards him after all he's gone through (= the many bad things he has experienced). II. 检查, 一个一个查 to examine something that contains a collection of things carefully in order to organize them or find something. to examine or search something very carefully. Someone had broken into the office and gone through all the drawers. Collins went through every legal book she could find. I'm going through my wardrobe and throwing out all the clothes I don't wear any more. Remember to go through the pockets before you put those trousers in the washing machine. III. [intransitive/ transitive] if a law goes through, or if it goes through a law-making institution, it is officially approved. Do you think the changes to the budget bill will go through? a. if something such as a request, proposal, or contract goes through, it is officially accepted or approved. IV. [transitive] 用完, 用光, 用尽. 花光. to use, spend, or eat all of something, especially quickly. He’d gone through all his money by the end of the first week of his vacation. V. [transitive] 过一遍. to practice all of something such as a speech, song, or play. Let's go through your lines one more time. VI. if a thought or idea goes through your mind, you consider it for a short time. VII. to perform a set of actions that you regularly perform. go through a routine/ritual 做完, 完成: She went through her daily routine of clearing the breakfast table before settling down to handle the correspondence. VIII. to follow an official system for dealing with a type of problem or request. Even existing employees had to go through the whole application procedure again. Your application must go through the proper channels.) this if it'll raise the question of "us". I just want this to be about what it is. And what is that, Ross? The physical act of love. What, are you crazy? So you weren't trying to entice me just now with your nakedness? Oh, God. You saw me? You weren't trying to entice me with your nakedness? You actually thought I wanted to have sex with you? I'm sorry, but, Ross, you kicked off your shoes! Can we just forget this ever happened? Of course, you're right. Friends: Chandler: Can I give you your present now? Monica: Okay! Chandler: Oh, don't tell me I did this. Monica: I love "I forgot the present" fake-out( fake someone out 装假骗过去, 掩人耳目, 欺骗, 瞒过去( trick sb into, manipulate sb into, give sb to understand that, be given to understand that) to deceive someone; to fool someone. You really
faked me out. I never would have guessed it was you. The student tried
to fake out the teacher. To
fool someone into expecting that you will act in one manner, only to
act in another: He faked me out by looking to the right but jumping to
the left. The lights came on briefly to fake out the audience, but then
they went out and the band returned to the stage.)! How about "I did forget the present, forgive me" not fake-out? You can give it to me when we get back. Sidewalk人行道: There's no sidewalk on the bridge. upright 腰杆笔直的, 笔挺的. 挺直的. sitting or standing with a straight back. The dog was sitting upright on its hind legs. sit/stand bolt upright (=suddenly sit or stand very straight): Jenny sat bolt upright when she heard the noise. pull/draw yourself upright 坐直. 站直 (=stand or sit up straight): Farrell drew himself upright and shook hands with us. a. in or into a straight standing position. Pictures were propped upright against all the walls. b. in or into a steady correct position. We struggled to keep the boat upright. adj. I. straight and tall. an upright vacuum cleaner. Prop up the canvas in an upright position. II. 奉公守法的. 老实巴交的. 诚实守信的. someone who is upright always behaves in an honest way. an upright citizen. He used to go out with Miley Cyrus pre-twerk, when she was still Hannah Montana and dating her was a mark of one's uprightness. III. British an upright chair has no arms (=the parts on the sides that you rest your arms on. mark 标记, 象征, 标志, 表示 I. something that shows that a person or thing has a particular quality. mark of: The mark of a good film is that it leaves you talking about it. a mark of respect: The race was postponed as a mark of respect. II. an official sign on something that shows who made it, who it belongs to, or that it is of a particular standard or quality. carry a mark (=have a mark on it): We suggest you only buy toys that carry the safety mark. III. the place that you try to hit. find/hit your mark: His third shot found its mark. miss your mark 拖靶: The bullet missed its mark, embedding itself in a tree. IV. a particular level, stage, total etc that something reaches. the halfway mark: Chicago was the halfway mark on our trip across the country. reach a mark: Average earnings have not yet reached the £25,000 mark. V. mark for/in: What were his marks for the last test? give someone/get a high/low/good/poor mark: You can't afford to get another low mark in Spanish. top marks (=the highest mark): She got top marks for history. VI. 污迹. 污点. an area of an unpleasant substance such as dirt or oil on the surface of something that is different in colour from the rest. There was a greasy mark on his shirt. leave a/your mark (on something): I. The sauce has left a mark on the cloth. II. to have a very strong and noticeable effect on someone or something, usually a bad one that lasts for a long time. Years of war have left their mark on these pretty islands. make your/a mark (on something) to change something, or to do something important, so that people notice and remember you. He's only been here four days but he’s already made his mark. a burn/scorch/bite/scuff/scratch mark 疤痕. 伤疤: There were burn marks on her hands. Mark 1/2/3 etc I. a type of vehicle, machine etc with slightly different features from those of an earlier or later type that has the same name and is made by the same company. Like the Mark 3, the Mark 4 has a luxury interior. II. British a particular level of heat produced by a gas oven. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5. be quick/slow off the mark 起步快/慢 to react quickly/slowly so that you /get/lose an advantage. Some companies have been quicker off the mark than others. stamp your mark on something 留下自己的印记, 印迹, 印痕 to affect or change something in a way that allows people to recognize your influence. She has stamped her own mark on the British film industry. close to/near the mark almost correct. His guess was very close to the mark.) devious [ˈdiviəs]
狡猾的, 不实诚的, 不诚信的, 说话不算数的, 不老实的. 不诚实的. 坏心眼的. 不正大光明的. 不光明正大的. 说一套做一套的 dishonest and clever.
Deviating; not straightforward or honest, not frank; not standard. a devious plot to overthrow the government. be up to no good 不干好事, 不干正经事, 做坏事, 无恶不作的, 游手好闲的 informal to be behaving in a dishonest or bad way: He certainly looked as if he was up to no good. She thinks her husband has been up to no good because she found long blonde hairs on his jacket. the straight and narrow 老实本分的, 守法公民, 老实人, 老实巴交, 奉公守法, 循规蹈矩 humorous If you keep on the straight and narrow, you behave in a way that is honest and moral. a straight and law-abiding route through life. A path of honesty; procedure according to rules and plans. The project would seriously go down the pan if Mrs. Foster weren't here to keep it on the straight and narrow. The threat of a good beating should keep him on the straight and narrow. You would have thought John Cryer would be the straight and narrow one compared to Charlie Sheen. Apparently he is into prostitutes as well. go down the pan(tubes/plughole/the drain) (idiomatic, UK) To fail or degenerate rapidly. The project would seriously go down the pan if Mrs. Foster weren't here to keep it on the straight and narrow. keep to the straight and narrow 老实本分的, 奉公守法的, 不越雷池一步的 Fig. to behave properly and correctly; to stay out of trouble. If you keep to the straight and narrow, you can't help but win in the end. I always keep to the straight and narrow. down-to-earth 不总是幻想的, 脚踏实地的, 一步一个脚印的, 不总想着走捷径的 practical and sensible. Practical; realistic; pragmatic. He had a down-to-earth attitude that translated into a straightforward, but effective strategy. come down/back to earth to start normal life again after a time of great happiness or excitement. bring someone back down to earth (with a bump) 拉回活生生的现实 to make someone suddenly remember the real situation or things that they have to do, after they have been so happy or excited that they forgot. Losing the match brought them back down to earth with a bump. have one's feet on the ground (idiomatic) In a manner characteristic of a practical person; sensibly. We think we can trust John with this new position as he has his feet on the ground. earthbound I. confined to the Earth. II. unimaginative or mundane. III. heading towards Earth. head in the clouds 晕晕乎乎的, 白日做梦的, 不切实际的 I. (idiomatic) Having fantastic or impractical dreams; thinking impractically. II. (idiomatic) Daydreaming; thinking about matters other than the present reality. the bare bones the most basic parts of something, without any detail We believe we have the bare bones of an agreement. Reduced to its bare bones, the theory states that animals adapt to suit their surroundings. Let's get down to the bare bones. How much do you get for one episode? Friends: Ross: I know I divorce a lot of women. Never thought I'd be divorcing you. Rachel: I know. I always thought if we got married, that'd be the one that stuck. And it wouldn't be a secret. Ross: and we wouldn't have our wedding dinner at Pizza Hut. Did I even treat 买单? Rachel: No, it was on the house. It was a newlywed special. Ross: That may be the most depressing thing I've heard. 7. Debbie Downer 负面的人 (informal, pejorative) A naysayer; one whose negative remarks depress or dissuade others. Etymology: Name of a character on Saturday Night Live who spoils social gatherings by bringing up negative topics. 中风抢救: He is calling for more public health interventions to improve stroke awareness, and highlight the importance of fast medical help. "There's been really some amazing advances in our ability to cure patients with acute stroke 急性中风 in the last six months, and we can do a lot more for patients," he said. "But, the critical thing is awareness. "Understand the FAST message - Face, Arms, Speech Time. "If someone has sudden onset of weakness of face or arm, or they lose their speech, then time is of the essence." Hunter researchers are calling on the medical community to quickly redesign stroke care services in the region. Professor Levi says calling 000 immediately can lead to a stroke patient being cured. "Time is very important," he said. "The earlier that we receive the patient, and the earlier that we can do our assessments, our scanning, the quicker we can get the clot 血栓塞, 血块 out. "The evidence is that if we can get people in quickly, give them these treatments, you can really cure one in every three strokes that you see." 8. do the dirty on sb. 见不得人的勾当 UK informal Cheat or betray someone. to behave unfairly towards someone, usually without their knowledge. to behave unfairly or very badly towards someone, often without them knowing. And then he did the dirty on her and went and had an affair with her best friend. He can't forgive her for doing the dirty on him and having an affair with his best friend. do someone dirty (idiomatic) To deliberately treat someone in an unfair or harmful manner. to treat unfairly or reprehensibly, as by cheating or slandering. dirty business 龌龊事, 肮脏事 I. the practice of unethical methods. II. (slang) anal sex. do someone's dirty work to do an unpleasant or dishonest job for someone so that they do not have to do it themselves. He never fired the staff himself, but got someone else to do his dirty work. 9. 新能源投资政策变化: Australia's government has opened up another front 开辟新战场 in its war on renewable energy by pulling the plug on investments in the most common form of alternative energy, rooftop and small-scale solar. As a storm raged over the Abbott government's directive to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) to no longer back wind energy projects, it emerged that it has also put a stop to solar investments other than the largest industrial-scale 工业级的 ( industrial strength Made for use by businesses or manufacturers, as opposed to home consumers, and therefore typically larger, stronger, more difficult to operate, and less attractive in appearance. The office was now large enough to need an industrial strength vacuum cleaner. (often used whimsically) Unusually large or potent. industrial-strength substances or chemicals are strong enough to use in industry. That's one industrial strength cockroach! I'll need the industrial strength bug spray. It was many decades before the war-ravaged country regained its industrial strength.) projects. The solar industry has been left fuming by a letter to the CEFC by Treasurer Joe Hockey and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann in which they direct investments in household and small-scale solar to be "excluded" from the A$10 billion fund in future. The draft investment mandate calls for "mature and established clean energy technologies … to be excluded from the corporation's activities, including extant wind technology and household and small-scale solar". There are 1.3 million rooftop solar systems in Australia and most households receive publicly-backed rebates 公共支持, 政府资助 to install, but the CEFC has made a priority projects ( top/high/main/immediate priority: Health insurance will be our top priority. set/establish/identify priorities: She needs to get her priorities straight 分清轻重缓急, 搞清楚状况 and stop playing games. He set his e-mail message's priority to high. discussion groups that set priorities for research. give something top/high priority: Safety must be given the highest priority. give priority to something: Priority will be given to children of families with low incomes. take priority (=be more important): Their marriage took priority over everything else. put/place a high priority on: The government is putting a high priority on constitutional reform. take/have priority: Buses take priority over other vehicles on the road. as a matter of urgency/priority used for saying that something must be dealt with immediately, before dealing with anything else. The new law should be introduced as a matter of urgency. prioritize We need to learn to prioritize. The committee has to prioritize the school's needs. A decision was taken to prioritize investment in alternative energy supplies. make something a priority = prioritize People might remember you if you make it a priority to tell them your name? Please take it as priority: the work itself is priority and I'm least bothered what tasks you may take after my (this) instruction. Please take it on priority: I know that you already have some tasks but then consider my (this) work on priority basis. priority seat 优先席, 老幼病残孕座位 A seat on public transport reserved for use by people with disabilities, the elderly, pregnant women and others in need.) that help people who do not own their own homes, those who live in apartments and community groups to invest in solar panels. This month, a A$100 million deal between the profit-making corporation Origin Energy to facilitate solar take up采用, 安装 was announced. Australian Solar Council chief executive John Grimes accused Tony Abbott of playing "cynical politics" after the Prime Minister insisted on Sunday that his government "supports renewables" but wants to "reduce the upward pressure on power prices". The Government tried and failed to abolish the profit-making CEFC after failing to get Senate support and its latest strike against wind and solar is expected to further scare 吓跑 renewable energy investors away from Australia, Labor and the Greens claim. "While the CEFC exists, what we believe it should be doing is investing in new and emerging technologies, certainly not existing wind farms," Abbott said. Shadow environment spokesman Mark Butler said: "These proposed changes go well beyond Tony Abbott's opposition to the aesthetic values of wind farms - it's a wholesale attack on renewable energy. "Tony Abbott is broadening his assault on renewable energy technologies putting thousands of Australian jobs and billions of dollars in investment at even further risk."
纽约街头当街抢手机: A woman in New York was filmed having her phone snatched from her fingers by a bicycle-riding thief as she absent-mindedly crossed the road. The woman was crossing at an intersection in Manhattan's East Village on Wednesday afternoon when she encountered 遭遇 the thief. Her eyes focused on the phone, she did not see the crook approach until he'd already expertly 熟练地 snatched the phone away and took off down the street through a red light. With her phone speeding down the street, the woman followed on foot as fast as she could with a taxi's dashcam recording the incident. Riding on one of New York's rentable CitiBikes, a heroic stranger took after the thief, crossing through the intersection in front of car, apologising with a wave. But the dexterous 身手好的, 手脚灵巧的 bicycle bandit managed to escape. The victim reported the theft to the New York Police Department, The Village Voice reports, but they have not stated whether she was a local or if she was tourist learning a lesson about the city's notorious mean streets. Her bike-riding avenger has yet to come forward. 南极雪崩带来极端天气: Antarctic blast begins to bite: Heavy snow falls in southern states, 90km/h blizzards 暴雪 set to batter NSW and drivers urged to stay off the roads as temperatures plummet to lowest in 15 YEARS. Emergency services are on high alert as the Antarctic blast is beginning to hit the southern and eastern coast of Australia and people have been warned to batten down the hatches( I. to fasten the entrances to the lower part of a ship using wooden boards. II. to prepare for a difficult situation: When you're coming down with flu all you can do is batten down the hatches and wait for it to pass. Usage notes: Other determiners (eg, these, those, all the) and modifiers (eg, virtual, financial) can modify hatches. Etymology: From the practice aboard a ship of sealing hatches to prevent water getting below-decks in a storm by using covers secured by strips of material, called battens, firmly attached to the frame of the hatch opening. batten down I. 做好准备. 做好万全之策. 关门闭户. 关好门窗. to make something such as a door or window safe by closing it tightly or fastening it with a piece of wood. The ship had battened down, ready for the storm. The plastic sheeting can be used to cover a roof but it has to be securely battened down. II. to get ready or to make something ready for a difficult or dangerous situation. With interest rates set to rise, it's time to batten down our budgets.) ahead of the worst of the storms overnight and into Sunday. The extreme condition are caused by a massive cold front combining with cold winds. Fire authorities are also warning people to be careful when using heaters during the extended cold snap, and are bracing for a spike in the number of call-outs( I. 登门上访. 外访. an instance of being summoned, especially in order to deal with an emergency or to do repairs. a visit to your home or office by someone providing a service, for example a plumber or a computer expert. Is there a call-out charge? "a call-out charge". II. Printing a letter, word, number, or symbol identifying an illustration or a specific part of one.) received this weekend. NSW Fire and Rescue is urging residents to check their smoke alarms and avoid bringing in outdoor heating equipment inside the home. 'We are seeing people use home-made heaters, such as terracotta pots bolted together (bolt螺栓) and placed on top of butane gas cookers, indoors,' Chief Superintendent Chris Lewis said, according to SBS. 'These types of make-shift heating devices not only put you at great risk of carbon monoxide poisoning but also starting a fire in your home.' 名人机场被截住(was detained): Explaining that the incident was over a mix up with her English-born husband accidentally travelling on his old passport, which had an expired Australian visa in it. 'They noticed at Fiji when they were checking us in, so I don't know why it wasn't picked up 发现, 看出来 on the way out,' the radio personality added with a little dig at airport officials. 'We were detained for 40 minutes at 10pm at night, just the thing you want when you're coming in at night time with a tired child,' she added. Luckily for the trio, a bridging visa was quickly sorted out with an official in Fiji calling ahead on their behalf after the gaffe was realised.
