用法学习: 1.
institutional I. Institutional means relating to a large organization, for example a university, bank, or church.
NATO remains the United States' chief institutional anchor in Europe. The share price will be determined by bidding from institutional investors.
Unbelievable is not just a portrait of institutional 社会机构的 failure; it’s also a portrait of institutional success. II. Institutional means relating to a building where people are looked after or held.
Outside the protected environment of institutional care he could not survive. III. An institutional value or quality is considered an important and typical feature of a particular society or group, usually because it has existed for a long time.
...social and institutional values. IV. If someone
accuses an organization of institutional 有机的, 系统的, 体系的 racism or sexism, they mean that the organization is deeply racist or sexist and has been so for a long time.
...the Macpherson report, which accused the Metropolitan Police of institutional racism.
...the Government's policy still appeared to be institutionally racist.
fallible [fælɪbəl] 不完美的, 可能犯错的 (fallibility) adj If you say that someone or something is fallible, you mean that they are not perfect and are likely to make mistakes or to fail in what they are doing. not perfect, and likely to be wrong or make mistakes.
a fallible legal system. Everyone is fallible.
They are only human and all too fallible. The system has proved fallible time after time. Human reason is a fallible guide. Errors may have been made due to human fallibility. The fallibility of science is one of the great betrayals of our times.
I found it to be a compelling yarn, and not much in a true-crime kind of way, but more as a human story about people's fallibility and projections and missed perceptions. On so many levels, it was just a really compelling story about the human condition. 2.
Unbelievable: The team had to
organize all the information into eight installments to keep the series
as faithful 忠实于原著 as possible to the source material, even as they changed details of the personal lives of the detectives and victims involved. Grant and the writers Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman
observe the inherent tension in the detectives'
building doubt and Marie's
waning 渐渐消失的 confidence. The men speak over Marie, take advantage of her confusion, and
pressure her with loaded questions. Yet the series never
characterizes the detectives as villains. They may have been
determined to validate their own biases 证实自己的偏见, but they were also officers with regrettably little training in sex crimes. "I didn't think there was any point in telling a story in which a young woman is victimized by someone who is just
a snarly ( snarling; bad-tempered; cross. snarky said in a way that is intended to make someone feel stupid or bad. unpleasant and scornful. snarl 低吼, 怒吼 I. When an animal snarls, it makes a fierce, rough sound in its throat while showing its teeth. He raced ahead up into the bush, barking and snarling. The dogs snarled at the intruders. With a snarl, the second dog made a dive for his heel. II. If you snarl something, you say it in a fierce, angry way. 'Let go of me,' he snarled. I vaguely remember snarling at someone who stepped on my foot. 'Aubrey.' Hyde seemed almost to snarl the name. His eyes flashed, and his lips were drawn back in a furious snarl. noun. A snarl is a disorganized mass of things. She was tangled in a snarl of logs and branches. A radio-link automatically advises it of traffic snarls and plots a detour. ), evil guy who doesn't give a shit about women," Grant said. "Far more interesting to me is a guy who's a good husband, probably a good dad, probably good to his friends, who, working within the system handed to him as it's constructed,
ends up making incredibly bad choices." In fact, "I hope you're there with the cops in their doubt [during the
interrogation scene]," she continued. After all, if she'd made the
confrontation black and white—with the detectives as
the vile bad guys—there'd be
no room for self-reflection 自省, 自我反省.
"[To make viewers] say, 'Oh, that guy's an asshole, I wouldn't do that,
I don't need to look at myself, I don't need to look at the ways I
contribute
to this cultural travesty'—that's
the easiest thing in the world! But to make people really
uncomfortable?" She paused and shook her head. "I consider that
discomfort a big success." The scene
culminates in Dever's Marie "flipping a switch"(
So they wait. They wait her out. Watching as she stares at her lap, where her hands continue to twist and turn. Then, suddenly, they stop. She places her palms down on her thighs. A shift. She looks up at them. Her gaze is even. Eyes not skittering 眼神不在迷离游移 anymore. Suddenly super calm. )—a move, as the real-life Marie described it to Miller and Armstrong, in which she
compartmentalizes her emotions when stressed. On-screen, Cholodenko
illustrates Marie's mind-set by deploying a ringing-in-the-ears sound effect as the camera zooms in on Marie, who abruptly stops crying. "I felt like, how do you show that cinematically when
it's something so internal?" Cholodenko admitted. "
My objective 我的目的是 was to show that she
goes from this place of presence and unity with herself
to a place where she has to wrestle internally 内部抗争, 内心抗争 and disassociate." "One thing that I think is
massively distressing in our culture is how we treat
military veterans 老兵 and their
lack of reintegration into society," Grant said. "That would have been a really interesting thing to dig into a little bit, but that's a different show."
skitter 飘忽, 游离, 游弋, 眼神游移 If something skitters, it moves about very lightly and quickly. to move somewhere quickly and lightly.
A button sprang off his shirt and skittered across the floor. Yellow butterflies skittered among the bushes.
The rats skittered around them in the drains and under the floorboards. Pieces of paper were skittering along the sidewalk.
discouraged 气馁, 灰心, 垂头丧气 having had one's confidence and determination reduced. feeling that it is useless to try to do something.
He sounded discouraged by the lack of progress in the talks.
I felt discouraged and wondered whether the task I had set myself was worth the effort. Don't be discouraged.
pertinent [ˈpɜrt(ə)nənt] 相关的, 切题的, 有关系的, 有关的, 相关的 relevant to something. Something that is pertinent is relevant to a particular subject.
She had asked some pertinent questions. Pertinent information will be forwarded to the appropriate party. ...knowledge and skills pertinent to classroom teaching. '
If we pay players, how far do we go?' Gresson asked pertinently.
Where had they learned all this, or, more pertinently, why had they remembered it? I do not see the pertinence of most of this material.
He was determined to ask Mrs. McMahon a few pertinent questions.
pertinent to:
information pertinent to the airplane crash.
impertinent [ɪmˈpɜrt(ə)nənt] 目中无人的, 斗胆的, 大胆无礼的 rude and not showing respect for someone, especially someone older or more senior. If someone talks or behaves in a rather impolite and disrespectful way, you can say that they are being impertinent.
Would it be impertinent to ask where exactly you were?
I don't like strangers who ask impertinent questions.
an impertinent question/child. I didn't mean to be impertinent.
obtrusive 太醒目的, 太扎眼的, 太辣眼睛的, 太显眼的 attracting attention in a way that is not pleasant or welcome. If you say that someone or something is obtrusive, you think they are noticeable in an unpleasant way.
'You are rude and obtrusive, Mr Galbraith,' said Tommy. These heaters are less obtrusive and are easy to store away in the summer.
Hawke got up and walked obtrusively out of the building.
I would prefer a sign that's less obtrusive.
unobtrusive [ˌʌnəbˈtrusɪv] 不引人耳目的, 不显眼的, 不引人瞩目的, 不招摇的 not attracting much attention or causing much reaction from other people. If you describe something or someone as unobtrusive, you mean that they are not easily noticed or do not draw attention to themselves.
The coffee table is glass, to be as unobtrusive as possible. He managed the factory with unobtrusive efficiency.
They slipped away unobtrusively. Unobtrusively, the other actors filed into the lounge.
Staff offer unobtrusive and efficient service.
What is the difference between intrusive and obtrusive? The distinction between these words, and those between each of them and their synonyms, are subtle but useful.
To be intrusive is to involve oneself into the affairs of others, generally in an objectionable manner, tactlessly but not necessarily in a way that calls attention to oneself.
To be obtrusive, by contrast, is to interfere without regard for propriety or subtlety. They therefore can apply to the same situation, but
intrusive emphasizes the effect on the recipient of the attention, while
obtrusive focuses how the attention is perceived from the outside. The common element in intrude and obtrude is -trude, from the Latin word trudere, which means "to thrust." Ob- means "toward," and in- is self-explanatory;
protrusive, from protrude(
protrusive 凸出来的 [prəˈtruːsɪv] tending to protrude or project outwards. "his protrusive eyes are abnormally sensitive to light". thrusting or propelling forward. "protrusive movements"), featuring a prefix meaning "forward," also means "pushy" but is used less often in this context. (Yet another word featuring the stem is extrude, which means "to thrust out"; the adjectival form is
extrusive(
relating to or denoting rock that has been extruded at the earth's surface as lava or other volcanic deposits. Extrusive rock refers to the mode of igneous volcanic rock formation in which hot magma from inside the Earth flows out (extrudes) onto the surface as lava or explodes violently into the atmosphere to fall back as pyroclastics or tuff. This is as opposed to intrusive rock formation, in which magma does not reach the surface.).).
crummy [ˈkrʌmi] dirty, unpleasant, or of poor quality.
"a crummy little room". crummy idea. Something that is crummy is unpleasant, of very poor quality, or not good enough.
When I first came here, I had a crummy flat. The house is so old and crummy it's falling apart.
chummy [ˈtʃʌmi] people are friendly with each other, especially in a way that stops other people from joining the group. get chummy with someone (=become very friendly with someone): I can't see him getting chummy with Bill – they have absolutely nothing in common. "she's become rather chummy with Ted recently".
Raj: Thanks for the lift. Howard: What's wrong with your car? Raj: I'm
having my windows untinted. Howard: Why? Raj: Got a hot girlfriend now. I
want the haters to know. Howard: What are you talking about? No one's
paying attention to you. Raj: Wow. How's that Hater-Ade taste, bro? Hey,
this isn't the way to work. Howard: I just want to pop in and make sure
Ma's okay. Raj: I thought Stuart was looking after her. Howard: He was,
but now that her cast is off,
he moved out. And honestly, I'm kind of glad. It was getting a little
weird. Raj: How so? Howard: I don't know, they're, chummy. Raj: Like us?
Howard: No, not like us. Creepy chummy, like you and your dog. Raj: She
feeds him out of her own mouth? Howard: I mean, he calls her Debbie, she calls him Stewie and they're all giggly 傻笑 around
each other. And believe me, when food goes in that mouth, it does not
come out. Raj: So are you worried because he's replacing you as a son or
are you worried because he's becoming her lover? Howard: First of all,
no one can replace me as a son. I'm her little matzo ball. And secondly,
my mother is well past having any kind of sex life. Raj: Okay, okay. Although many older women lead vibrant, active… Howard: I said well past it.
finicky [ˈfɪnɪki] 挑三拣四的, 挑剔的 I. 较真的 liking things
only when they are correct in every detail. Fastidious and fussy;
difficult to please; exacting, especially about details. The baby was finicky until her diaper was changed. Some children are finicky eaters. II. 难操作的. 费劲的. 费事的. more complicated than necessary and difficult to deal with. Demanding, requiring above-normal care. The lawnmower is a bit finicky in cold weather. Usage notes: The forms finickier and finickiest also exist, but are quite rare, and perhaps nonstandard. The forms more finicky and most finicky are much more common, and certainly standard. fastidious [fəˈstɪdiəs] (clean/neat freak) I.
Excessively particular, demanding, or fussy about details, especially
about tidiness and cleanliness. II. 有洁癖的. keeping your clothes,
possessions, and property very clean and neat. Overly concerned about
tidiness and cleanliness. III. 难伺候的. Difficult to please; quick to find fault. IV. 较真的. caring a lot about small details and wanting everything to be correct and neat.
meticulous 一丝不苟的, 事无巨细的, 一点不能疏忽大意的, 精细认真的 Characterized by very precise, conscientious attention to details. very thorough and with careful attention to detail. Everyone agreed that it was a piece of meticulous research. pedantic [pəˈdæntɪk] ( anal-retentive, fussy, nit-picky.) 吹毛求疵的, 太过谨慎的, 咬文嚼字的. 死扣字眼的, 较真的. 强调不重要的细节的. 过于注重形式礼仪规则的. giving too much importance to details and
formal rules, especially of grammar. Like a pedant, overly concerned
with formal rules and trivial points of learning. excessively concerned with minor details or rules; overscrupulous. "his analyses are careful and even painstaking, but never pedantic". I'm responsible for all slip ups手滑, but I'm also pretty pedantic. Without being pedantic about a slight exaggeration, do you have any useful advice? II. Being showy of one's knowledge, often in a boring manner. III. 死扣字眼的. Being finicky or fastidious, especially with language. pedant [ˈped(ə)nt] someone who gives too much importance to details and formal rules, especially of grammar. pedantry [ˈped(ə)ntri] the behaviour of someone who gives too much importance to details and formal rules, especially of grammar.
didactic [daɪˈdæktɪk] I. 爱说大道理的. 爱说教的. 爱教训人的. 好说教的. 好为人师的. intended to teach something, especially a moral lesson. Something that is didactic is intended to teach people something, especially a moral lesson.
In totalitarian societies, art exists for didactic purposes. II. behaving like a teacher, often in a way that is annoying. Someone who is didactic tells people things rather than letting them find things out or discussing things.
He is more didactic in his approach to the learning process.
cathartic [kəˈθɑrtɪk] 发脾气的, 宣泄的, 发泄性的 (lethargic) allowing you to express strong feelings that have been affecting you so that they do not upset you anymore. His laughter was cathartic, an animal yelp that brought tears to his eyes. ...a liberating and cathartic experience. catharsis [kəˈθɑrsɪs]
the process of expressing strong feelings that have been affecting you
so that they do not upset you anymore. Catharsis is getting rid of
unhappy memories or strong emotions such as anger or sadness by
expressing them in some way. He wrote out his rage, which gradually became a form of catharsis.
Taylor Swift talking about guitar string scars: Songwriting is just really a cathartic, therapeutic 治愈的, 疗伤的, 疗愈的 thing
to me, so there are a lot of things I've written about in life that are
the harder things I've had to go through. So I took that as a metaphor
for the times I was learning to play guitar.
spicy I. spicy food has a strong hot flavour. II. INFORMAL a spicy joke, story, film etc involves sex
spicy tooth if you have a spicy tooth, you like eating spicy foods.
This restaurant is great for those who have a spicy tooth.
organic I.
Organic change or development 有机的发展, 有机的变化 happens gradually and naturally rather than suddenly.
...to manage the company and supervise its organic growth. II. If a community or structure is
an organic whole 有机整体, each part of it is necessary and fits well with the other parts.
City planning treats the city as a unit, as an organic whole.
implacable used to describe (someone who has) strong opinions or feelings that are impossible to change:
an implacable enemy. implacable hostility.
preconceived [ˌprikənˈsivd] 先入为主的看法, 成见, 抱有成见 a preconceived idea or opinion is formed before you have a lot of information, experience, or evidence and is therefore probably wrong. If you have preconceived ideas about something, you have already formed an opinion about it before you have enough information or experience.
Maybe he had preconceived ideas about me. We all start with preconceived notions of what we want from life.
petty I. 微不足道的. You can use petty to describe things such as problems, rules, or arguments which you think are unimportant or relate to unimportant things. [disapproval]
He was miserable all the time and rows would start over petty things. ...endless rules and petty regulations. The meeting degenerated into petty squabbling. II. If you describe someone's behaviour as petty, you mean that they care too much about small, unimportant things and perhaps that they are unnecessarily unkind. [disapproval]
He was petty-minded 小家子气, 小气的 and obsessed with detail. I think that attitude is a bit petty. Never had she met such spite and pettiness. III. Petty is used of people or actions that are less important, serious, or great than others.
Wilson was not a man who dealt with petty officials. ...petty crime, such as handbag-snatching and minor break-ins.
Sheldon: Munching on complimentary popcorn. Woot, woot. Oh, the gall. I hope his next tweet is popcorn lodged in trachea, choking to death, woot, woot. Theatre staff: Guys, I am sorry. We are full up 满客, 客满. Sheldon: No! Theatre staff: We're full up. Leonard: We really want to see this. Is there anything you can do? Theatre staff: Sorry. Fire regulations. Should've gotten here earlier. Sheldon: This is nothing but a blatant abuse of power by a petty functionary. Explain to me why Wil Wheaton and his lackeys get in and we don't. Theatre staff: 'Cause I'm the petty functionary with the clipboard, bitch. Howard: I guess that's that. Let's go home.
Leonard: You know what? You're a crazy person. Sheldon: A crazy person with a long memory, and if all goes according to plan, a robot army. Howard: Stop it. Sheldon: Or a mutant army. It depends on how my Kickstarter goes. Howard: I said, stop it. Now, listen to me. You two aren't just friends. You're best friends. And that's a beautiful thing. I mean, Leonard, you know why he's so mad at you? It's 'cause he missed you. Yeah, and as his friend, you should be happy he has love in his life. As I do. This man held my breast the other day and I love him for it. Raj: A little loud, dude. Howard: So, can we please put aside 抛开 these petty differences and just be glad we're here together? Leonard: Okay. Sheldon: I suppose so.
Sheldon: Since when do you help out Barry Kripke? Amy: Well, I'd been thinking about a cellular automata approach to neuronal connectivity, and I thought it might have some interesting applications to string theory, it's not a big deal. Sheldon: Oh, really? When I was doing string theory and hit a dead end, why didn't you try to help me? Amy: I did. You said the only math biologists know is if you have three frogs and one hops away, that leaves two frogs. Sheldon: That's pretty funny, that does sound like me. But that doesn't mean that you should be standing on street corners handing out your math to whatever guy comes along. Amy: Sheldon, we're all scientists. I helped out a fellow colleague. You're being petty. Sheldon: I'm being petty? You know Barry and I have a professional rivalry. You heard him, he told me to suck eggs. If we were friends, he would have suggested I suck something more pleasant. Why are you laughing? Did you learn something?
Factitious ( [fækˈtɪʃəs] I. 人为的. 人造的. artificial rather than natural. factitious demands created by the mass media. II. not genuine; sham. factitious enthusiasm.
emaciated [ɪˈmeɪʃiˌeɪtəd] 皮包骨头的, 瘦骨嶙峋的 adj extremely thin because of serious illness or lack of food. A person or animal that is emaciated is extremely thin and weak because of illness or lack of food.
...horrific television pictures of emaciated prisoners.
哈利王子夫妇被批: "Has she ever wondered whether the poor people in Africa are OK? I've seen them, these
poor kids with flies on their face and
emaciated, with nothing, and the 38-year-old is complaining that people haven't asked if she was OK."
emancipated [ɪˈmænsɪˌpeɪtəd] (emasculating 剥夺男子汉气概的) I. 自由开放的. 奔放的. 性开放的. free and allowed to have the same rights as other people. II.
an emancipated woman is not limited by traditional ideas about what
women can do. If you describe someone as emancipated, you mean that they
behave in a less restricted way than is traditional in their society. While recognized as a prominent figure in the contemporary teen pop scene, Aguilera sought to assume artistic control with Stripped (2002) and its lead single "Dirrty", which displayed her sexually emancipated persona and generated considerable controversy. She is an emancipated 性解放的, 自由奔放的 woman.
mystic [ˈmɪstɪk] noun. a person who seeks by contemplation and self-surrender to obtain unity with or absorption into the Deity or the absolute, or who believes in the spiritual apprehension of truths that are beyond the intellect. "
the poetry of the 16th-century Spanish mystic, St John of the Cross". A mystic is a person who practises or believes in religious mysticism.
...an Indian mystic known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. adj. I. Mystic means the same as mystical. .
..mystic union with God. II. relating to or involving mysterious religious or spiritual powers
He had undergone a profound mystical experience.
wanky pretentious, contemptible, or stupid. very stupid or very poor quality:
Dave's got some wanky notion that you're only respectable if you own a piece of property. "
wanky art-house movies". pretentious If you say that someone or something is pretentious, you mean that they try to seem important or significant, but you do not think that they are. [disapproval]
His response was full of pretentious nonsense. This pub was of a very different type, smaller, less pretentious.
swank = swanky [swæŋk] adjective
informal fashionable and expensive
a swank apartment/hotel/car.
sour-faced [ˌsaʊəˈfeɪst] 脸臭臭的, 臭脾气的 adjective bad-tempered and unfriendly. (of a person) having a bad-tempered or unpleasant expression. having a bad-tempered or unpleasant expression.
Beverley: Thank you for taking us to the airport. Leonard: Hey, I'm just thrilled we're all getting along for a minute. Alfred: Yeah, me, too. Beverly, I'm sorry if I upset you. Beverley: Water under the bridge, Alfred. Leonard, why don't you get into the carpool lane? Alfred: Well, that's a solid line 实线. He can't cross that. Leonard: That's okay. I can make it over. Beverley: No, no, let's plod along. It'll make your father feel more comfortable. Alfred: What makes me comfortable is knowing I don't have to wake up tomorrow morning and see your sour face 臭脸. Beverley: Do the world a favour, and don't wake up tomorrow morning. Leonard: That was almost a minute.
salty U.S. slang sense of "angry, irritated" is first attested 1938 (probably from similar use with regard to sailors, "tough, aggressive," attested by 1920), especially in phrase
jump salty 忽然生气 "to unexpectedly become enraged." Salty is a slang synonym for "bitter" or "irritated." In this sense, salty is commonly paired with the vulgar word bitch in order to mock a sore loser, as in the phrase, "
Don't be a salty bitch." This inspired a popular meme that combines an image of the Morton Salt Company umbrella girl with the caption "
Don't be a salty bitch."
flimsy [flɪmzi] I. A flimsy object is weak because it is made of a weak material, or is badly made.
...a flimsy 劣质的 wooden door. ...a pair of flimsy shoes.
...flimsily constructed houses. very thin, or easily broken or destroyed:
You won't be warm enough in that flimsy 便宜货 dress. We spent the night in a flimsy wooden hut. a flimsy cardboard box. II. Flimsy cloth or clothing is thin and does not give much protection.
...a very flimsy pink chiffon nightgown. III. If you describe something such as evidence or an excuse as flimsy, you mean that it is not very good or convincing.
The charges were based on very flimsy evidence.
accost VS attest VS contest VS detest:
accost [ə'kɒst , US ə'kɔːst] 责问. 对质, 对峙, 靠近, 接近, 冲上去 (attest 作证), 拦住 [
formal, disapproval] If
someone accosts another person, especially a stranger, they stop them
or go up to them and speak to them in a way that seems rude or
threatening. to go up to or stop and speak to someone in a threatening way:
I'm usually accosted by beggars and drunks as I walk to the station.
A man had accosted me in the street. To accost is to approach someone aggressively or confront them in an
inappropriate way. Accost describes a confrontation — one that's often
aggressive in nature.
You're
likely to be accosted by angry picketers if you wear your finest fur
coat to a march against animal cruelty. The paparazzi make their living
by accosting celebrities, pushing in close to snap candid photos as the
stars leave their limos.
attest [əˈtest] 证明, 提供证据, 保证 I. To affirm to be correct, true, or genuine: The date of the painting was attested by the appraiser. to give proof or be evidence that something is true. II. a. To certify by signature or oath: attest a will. b. To certify in an official capacity. III. legal 担保. 作证. 为我作证. 证明. To supply or be evidence of. to state formally that you believe something is true, correct, or real. a witness who will attest the signature. Her fine work attests her ability. attest to something to certify or bear witness to a fact. To attest something or attest to something means to say, show, or prove that it is true. I
don't believe any of this. My ex had a big, thick, cut dick and he
fucked me several times a week for 8 years. We broke up 18 years ago and
I'm still tight, as my not-as-girthy current bf will attest to. Police
records attest to his long history of violence. I can personally attest
that the cold and flu season is here. His beautifully illustrated book
well attested his love of the university. She can attest to the facts. I cannot attest to what you have reported. The witness attested to the suspect's presence at the scene of the crime.
To attest something or attest to something means to say, show, or prove that it is true.
Police
records attest to 作证, 证明 his long history of violence. I can personally
attest that the cold and flu season is here. His beautifully
illustrated book well attested his love of the university.
detest [dɪˈtest] verb If you detest someone or something, you dislike them very much.
My mother detested him. Jean detested being photographed. They were united in their detestation of the government.
detestable If you say that someone or something is detestable, you mean you dislike them very much.
I find their views detestable.
contest ( noun [ˈkɑnˌtest] verb [kənˈtest]) I.
驳斥,
斥责, 抗争, 抗议 to state formally that you disagree with something or think
it is wrong. oppose (an action or theory) as mistaken or wrong. The former chairman contests his dismissal. His children are contesting the will.
Bower
claims this haul included the heir apparent's own orthopedic bed,
linen, rolls of toilet paper, bottles of whiskey and water, and two
landscape artworks. And, yes, the now-contested 斥为不实的, 斥为谣言的 toilet seat. If you contest a statement or decision, you object to it formally because you think it is wrong or unreasonable.
Your former employer has to reply within 14 days in order to contest the case. Gender discrimination is a hotly-contested issue.
II. to compete for a job or for success in a competition. engage in
competition to attain (a position of power). If someone contests an
election or competition, they take part in it and try to win it.
He quickly won his party's nomination to contest the elections. ...a closely contested 竞争激烈的 regional flower show.
"She declared her intention to contest 竞争 the presidency".
He plans to contest the world heavyweight title again next year. n. I. a competition, especially one in which people’s skill in a particular activity or sport is tested.
a contest between the two top-rated tennis players in the world. a singing/poetry contest 赛歌会, 赛诗会 . II. a situation in which two or more people or groups are competing to gain power or an advantage.
the contest for the lottery franchise. She has now withdrawn from the presidential contest.
no contest 无争议的
used for emphasizing that it is obvious who will win in a situation
where different people, companies, teams, etc. are competing.
Jessie is the fastest, no contest.
Contest 提出异议 a fine 抗争罚款, 提出抗诉
To contest a fine or fee, go to the circulation desk of the library
that owns the item in question and speak with a desk supervisor.
Contested fines and fees must be resolved with the owning library before payment can be made.
I know how to get him upset, it's so easy, you just say "No, it's not.". He always loses it when I contest 质疑 what he says. call in/into question 质疑 To raise doubts about.
stressful, stressed, stressing: 1.
stressed: feeling very worried or anxious.
Stressful means "full of or causing stress". Environment, circumstances, work can be stressful, that is they are causing stress for somebody.
I'm stressful. "
This exam is stressful", "
This exam is stressing me", "
This exam is stressing the use of English in Polynesia" or "
This exam is stressful for me". "Stressed" is a past form of the verb "stress" which can also be used as an adjective meaning "under stress": e.g. "
He stressed the use of English in Polynesia", "
The heavy truck stressed the bridge", "
The bridge was stressed by the heavy truck" or "
I was stressed by the exam".
I had a stressful day at work today. (the day was stressful). I was feeling pretty stressed because of the deadline at work today. (I felt stress because of work). 2.
stress I. [uncountable] 担心. 焦虑的心情. 压力. a worried or nervous feeling that stops you relaxing, caused, for example, by pressure at work or financial or personal problems.
overworked managers suffering from stress and anxiety.
the stresses and strains of the job.
under stress: If you feel under stress, you feel worried and tense because of difficulties in your life.
Katy could think clearly when not under stress. Of course, the British will suffer such daily stresses patiently. ...a wide range of stress-related problems.
Carol's been under a lot of stress lately.
stress-related:
stress-related illnesses. a. [only before noun] relating to stress.
stress management (=dealing effectively with stress):
The class teaches some basic techniques of stress management. b. [countable] a situation that
makes you feel stress.
The beautiful gardens offer a refuge from the stresses of daily life. II. [uncountable] special importance given to something so that you pay more attention to it.
lay/put/place stress on something:
The course lays great stress on 强调, 重视 the importance of oral communication. III. [countable/uncountable] physical pressure put on something that can make it change its shape or break.
stress on:
Judo puts a lot of stress on your knee joints. IV. [countable/ uncountable] 重音. the emphasis that you put on a particular word or syllable (=part of a word) by pronouncing it more loudly or with greater force than other words or syllables.
the stress falls on something (=is put on something):
In "fatigue" the stress falls on the second syllable. a.
music the emphasis that you put on a particular musical note or sound by playing or singing it more loudly or with greater force than other notes or sounds.
verb. I. to emphasize something such as an idea, fact, or detail. If you
stress a point in a discussion, you put extra emphasis on it because you think it is important.
The spokesman stressed that the measures did not amount to an overall ban. They stress the need for improved employment opportunities. 'We're not saying we're outside and above all this,' he stresses. They laid heavy stress on the need for education.
The president stressed 强调 the importance of controlling spending.
stress that:
He stressed that this was a temporary solution. II.
linguistics to pronounce a particular word or syllable (=part of a word) more loudly or with greater force than other words or syllables.
The noun "desert" is stressed on the first syllable.
III. spoken to be worried or nervous. to feel worried and nervous: Don't stress over it - we'll soon get it sorted out. stress about: Even though we have no money I'm not stressing about it.
Amy: Hi. Howard told me you were working late, so I brought dinner. Bernadette: Oh, thanks. You know, I just wanted to get some work done without people congratulating me about the baby every five minutes. Amy: I spent my day alone in the lab waiting for a rat to die of anthrax. Bernadette: Did you come here to bring me dinner or to gloat? Amy: Well, I came to see how you were feeling, but I'm guessing still angry? Bernadette: I'm sorry. My boss wants to meet with me, and I'm stressing. Amy: You really think they're gonna start treating you differently? Bernadette: Are you kidding? I've always been treated differently. Look at me. Listen to me. I mean, the first thought when you see me isn't that's a scientist, it's I wonder if her mommy knows where she is. Amy: I am really regretting that I got you a Happy Meal. Bernadette: I've worked so hard to get where I am, and I don't want to get sent back to square one because I'm pregnant.
stress sb out to make someone feel very nervous and worried:
Interviews always stress me out.
stressed out being anxious, tired and irritable because of too much work or pressure.
She's been feeling very stressed since she started her new job. I was really stressed out before finals. An example of stressed out is the bad mood of someone who worked through the night and still hasn't finished a project.
de-stress 减压 to reduce stress
One way to de-stress is to make sure you get a good night's sleep.
fierce VS fiery VS feisty:
fierce [fɪərs] I. A fierce animal or person is very aggressive or angry.
He looked so fierce 怒气冲冲的. a fierce lion. They look like the teeth of some fierce animal. 'I don't know,' she said fiercely.
Taylor: Before her cancellation, Swift faced pushback (=backlash 反弹) from the group known as the Coalition For The Protection of Racehorses, who accused her of putting "money before compassion" by agreeing to perform at the race. In the face of it all, she made Reputation — fierce, witty, almost-industrial pop offset by love songs of crystalline beauty — and had a wildly successful stadium tour. II. Fierce feelings or actions are very intense or enthusiastic, or involve great activity
fierce debate/criticism:
The proposals provoked a fierce debate.
Standards are high and competition is fierce 竞争激烈. The town was captured after a fierce battle 激战 with rebels at the weekend. He inspires fierce loyalty in his friends.
He has always been ambitious and fiercely competitive.
fierce competition/opposition:
We face fierce competition from overseas competitors. III. 猛烈的. 汹汹的. 熊熊燃烧的. Fierce conditions are very intense, great, or strong.
The climbers were trapped by a fierce storm which went on for days. As I arrived a lorry had just been set on fire and was burning fiercely.
fierce weather 极端天气 is very strong or severe
A fierce storm forced the crew to abandon the yacht.
fiery [faɪəri] I. If you describe something as fiery, you mean that it is burning strongly or contains fire. burning or full of flames.
a fiery pit.
A helicopter crashed in a fiery 熊熊燃烧的 explosion in Vallejo. II. You can use fiery for emphasis when you are referring to bright colours such as red or orange. very bright in colour, especially bright red, orange, or yellow.
The flowers provided a fiery bright red 明亮的, 明艳的 display. III. If you describe food or drink as fiery, you mean that it has a very strong hot or spicy taste.
...a fiery 辛辣的 combination of chicken, chillies and rice. IV. If you describe someone as fiery, you mean that they express very strong emotions, especially anger, in their behaviour or speech.
Pro-independence protesters in fiery clashes with police in Barcelona.
She was a fiery 热情似火的, 激情的, brilliant and unyielding 不认输的, 不屈服的 intellectual and politician. She had a fiery temper 暴脾气 and liked to get her own way. becoming angry very easily and quickly.
a fiery temper. speaking with great emotion.
feisty [faɪsti] adj If you describe someone as feisty, you mean that they are tough, independent, and spirited, often when you would not expect them to be, for example because they are old or ill. full of energy and lively determination. feisty young women.
The soldier looked incredulously at the feisty child. At 66, she was as feisty as ever.
