用法学习: 1. conciliate [kənˈsɪl.i.eɪt] (appease, assuage, mollify, pacify, placate, soothe)
to end a disagreement or someone's anger by acting in a friendly way or
slightly changing your opinions, or to satisfy someone who disagrees
with you by acting in this way: An independent adviser has been brought in to conciliate between the two sides involved in the conflict. These changes have been made in an attempt to conciliate critics of the plan. conciliatory [kənˈsɪljətərɪ] 息事宁人的, 平息怒气的 adjective intended to placate or reconcile. showing willingness to end a disagreement, or trying to make someone less angry. intended to show that you care about the feelings or opinions of someone who is angry or upset with you: Fitzwater struck a conciliatory 息事宁人的 tone, saying he didn't think anybody was to blame. a conciliatory gesture/remark. The UK government was not in a conciliatory mood. Conciliation, not confrontation, is the key to ending the conflict. Faced with what many in Denmark are calling Trump's "provocation," Frederiksen has broadly attempted to strike a conciliatory tone, repeatedly referring to the US as "Denmark's closest partner". placate [pləˈkeɪt] to stop someone from feeling angry: Outraged minority groups will not be placated by promises of future improvements. pacify [ˈpæs.ə.faɪ] to cause someone who is angry or upset to be calm and satisfied: He pacified his crying child with a bottle. It was difficult for the police to pacify the angry crowd. mollify [ˈmɒl.ɪ.faɪ] to make someone less angry or upset: I tried to mollify her by giving her flowers. propitiate [prəˈpɪʃ.i.eɪt] to please and make calm a god or person who is annoyed with you. to appease or make well disposed; conciliate In those days people might sacrifice a goat or sheep to propitiate an angry god. The radicals in the party were clearly sacked to propitiate the conservative core. appease [əˈpiːz] often disapproving I. to prevent further disagreement or fighting by letting the opposing side have something that they want. (in arguments or war) to prevent further disagreement by giving to the other side something that they have demanded: They questioned whether, in his desire to appease the conservatives in his own party, the president was selling out to them. He was a crucial ally who the country needed to appease. They were given a small pay rise but this was not enough to appease them. She claimed that the government had only changed the law in order to appease their critics. II. to get rid of unpleasant feelings or make them less strong: We try to appease our guilty consciences by making donations to charity. His resignation did little to appease public anger. assuage [əˈsweɪdʒ] to make unpleasant feelings less strong: The government has tried to assuage the public's fears. a. to soothe, moderate, or relieve (grief, pain, etc). b. to give relief to (thirst, appetite, etc); satisfy. c. to pacify; calm. soothe I. to make someone feel calm or less worried. to cause someone to be less upset or angry, or to cause something to hurt less: I picked up the crying child and tried to soothe her. to soothe a crying baby. II. to make a part of the body less painful: I had a long, hot bath to soothe my aching muscles. a soothing ointment for sunburn. 2. Danes struggle with response to Trump Greenland threat: As his inauguration approaches, Danes 丹麦人 are preparing as they can to weather the storm. There is guarded hope that the president-elect could soon shift his focus to grievances towards other EU partners, and that the Greenland question could be temporarily shelved. But the disquiet 不安情绪 brought on by Trump's refusal to rule out military intervention to seize Greenland remains. Abbot [ˈæbət] (abbess [ˈæb.es]) (寺院的)住持 = head monk, (修道院的)院长 a man who is in charge of a monastery. the superior of an abbey of monks. is an ecclesiastical title given to the head of an independent monastery for men in various Western Christian traditions. abbatial [əˈbeɪʃəl] adj of or relating to an abbot, abbess, or abbey. abbey [ˈæbɪ] I. a building inhabited by a community of monks or nuns governed by an abbot or abbess. II. a church built in conjunction with such a building. III. such a community of monks or nuns. disrobe [dɪsˈrəʊb] 宽衣解带, (被宗教)除名 verb I. to remove the clothing of (a person) or (of a person) to undress. to remove your clothes, especially an outer or formal piece of clothing worn for ceremonies. The doctor asked the patient to disrobe before her examination. II. (transitive) to divest of authority, etc. stupa [ˈstuːpə] 浮屠塔, 舍利塔, 佛塔 (卒塔婆) noun a domed edifice housing Buddhist or Jain relics. a building with a dome (= rounded roof), that is a holy place for Buddhists. alms [ɑːmz] 化缘, 施舍 charitable donations of money or goods to poor or needy people. clothing, food, or money that is given to poor people: In the past, people thought it was their religious duty to give alms to the poor. At 6am, he leads a group of monks out to collect alms around the village. Like all Buddhist monks, the rules they live by mean they are not allowed to work or own money, so they rely on donations from the community. 3. crowd surfing noun the practice of being passed over the top of a crowd of people such as an audience at a pop concert. to be passed over the heads of people at a rock concert while lying flat: Fans clapped, crowd-surfed and sang along. the activity of passing a person who is lying flat over the heads of people at a rock concert, or of being passed this way: A stagehand announced that crowd-surfing would not be allowed. His crowd-surfing caused excitement among the fans. power surge electrical engineering an unexpected, temporary increase in the current or voltage of an electrical circuit. A power surge is a sudden increase in voltage in an electrical circuit. This can damage electronics that are plugged into the circuit. wind surge a wind-induced rise in the water level at the coast or the shore of an inland expanse of water. It has a definite frequency and if this is close to the tidal frequency serious flooding can result. Crowd collapses and crowd crushes (crowd surge, crowd swell) are catastrophic incidents that can occur when a body of people becomes dangerously overcrowded. When numbers are up to about five people per square meter, the environment may feel cramped but manageable; when numbers reach between eight and ten people per square meter, individuals become pressed against each other and may be swept along against their will by the motion of the crowd. Under these conditions, the crowd may undergo a progressive collapse where the pressure pushes people off their feet, resulting in people being trampled 踩踏致死 or crushed 挤死 by the weight of other people falling on top of them. Crowd collapses and crushes are often reported incorrectly as human stampedes, which typically occur when a large group of people all try to get away from a perceived risk to life. Large crowds surge toward exits, onto playing fields or press up against a stage with such force that people are literally squeezed to death. And it has happened again, during Halloween festivities in the South Korean capital Seoul, where a crowd pushed forward, the narrow street they were on acting as a vice, leaving more than 140 people dead and 150 more injured. 4. louvre = US louver [ˈluːvə] 百叶窗 I. any of a set of horizontal parallel slats in a door or window, sloping outwards to throw off rain and admit air. a door or window with flat sloping pieces of wood, metal, or glass across it to allow light and air to come in while keeping rain out. II. = louvre boards. the slats together with the frame supporting them. louvred = US louvered 装了百叶窗的 describing a door or window with flat sloping pieces of wood, metal or glass across it to allow light and air to come in while keeping rain out: a louvred door/window. She fiddled with the angle of the louvred blinds. It was a world of open flywire windows, breeze-catching louvres, sweating crowds in pubs, creaky 吱吱呀呀的 ceiling fans, and office workers in short-sleeved shirts and straw fedoras. stupefy [ˈstjuːpɪfʌɪ] 神志不清, 不省人事, 人事不省, 昏迷不醒 I. make (someone) unable to think or feel properly. to render insensitive or lethargic. "the offence of administering drugs to a woman with intent to stupefy her". The prosecution's case at this trial is that he would meet women, he would stupefy them, either with drugs or with alcohol, and, once they were significantly under the influence of those drinks or drugs, he would then rape them. II. astonish and shock. "the amount they spend on clothes would appal their parents and stupefy their grandparents". III. to confuse or astound. stupefied adj I. unable to think clearly, usually because someone is extremely tired or bored, or has taken drugs. Stupefied by tiredness, she just sat in front of the fire. As they slept in a stupefied state, someone stole all their belongings. II. 目瞪口呆的. very surprised or shocked: We were so stupefied by the news that we all sat in silence for a long time. She was stupefied to learn that he didn't know how to make his bed. 5. White House rescinds memo on federal aid freeze: rescind [rɪˈsɪnd] 收回(命令) revoke, cancel, or repeal (a law, order, or agreement). to annul or repeal. to make a law, agreement, order, or decision no longer have any (legal) power: The policy of charging air travellers for vegetarian meals proved unpopular and has already been rescinded. repeal 废除, 废止, 撤回 (法律) If a government repeals a law, it causes that law no longer to have any legal force. to annul or rescind officially (something previously ordered); revoke these laws were repealed. memorandum [ˌmɛməˈrændəm] I. a written statement, record, or communication such as within an office. a short written report prepared specially for a person or group of people that contains information about a particular matter: Michael Davis has prepared a memorandum outlining our need for an additional warehouse. II. a note of things to be remembered. a message or other information in writing sent by one person or department to another in the same business organization: Did you get my memo about the meeting? III. an informal diplomatic communication, often unsigned: often summarizing the point of view of a government. a written message sent from one person or department to another within a company or organization: in a memo (to sb) In a memo to employees, the chief executive outlined plans to increase the shared costs of health-care coverage. a memo from sb A memo from company directors stated that expenses had outgrown revenues for the past three years. a memo about sth Request a written memo about each task before you do it. a memo outlines/details/states Senior officials received a 12-page memo outlining the allegations. prepare/write/receive a memo Staff have received a memo saying that they will be getting end-of-year bonuses. According to a memo from one of the firm's salesmen, unauthorised 10% fees were routinely added to commissions. a company/government/State Department memo. an internal/a confidential memorandum. get the memo: to know something that everyone else knows: Everybody seems to be wearing green today - I guess I didn't get the memo. reply memo a message or document that is sent as a reply to an earlier one. IV. an informal legal agreement. a document that records the details of a legal agreement before it has been officially accepted: a legal/sentencing memorandum. sign/file a memorandum Companies signed a memorandum which included guidelines and set out the terms of the agreement. sign a memorandum 备忘录 The three countries have signed a memorandum pledging to work together. memorandum of understanding 谅解备忘录 The Department of Education has memorandums of understanding with Mexico and Spain to lay the groundwork for these initiatives. an official report about a particular subject that is written for a company, organization, or government to consider: An
earlier memorandum, agreed with the Treasury, stated that overspends
should be split between London council taxpayers and Lottery funds. In
a memorandum prepared for the White House and submitted to Congress,
the Solicitor General contends that Congress can only obtain White House
information if it can demonstrate that the information is critical to
the fulfillment of its duties. Environmental
campaigners believe that state officials should release copies of the
draft memorandums before the documents are signed. issue/send/draft a memorandum The head of the federal Forest Service has sent a memorandum regarding the new legislation to managers. a memorandum from sb A
memorandum from the Economic Policy Institute said business owners have
received regular tax cuts while minimum wage workers have been kept
waiting at the back of the line. a leaked memorandum a document that has been made available to the public without the permission of the organization or company who wrote it: Executives were angry that their plans had been made public through the leaked memorandum. 正文: Though White House aides publicly blamed the media for causing the confusion, arguing that none existed within the building, the administration had received a flood of calls from lawmakers and state officials with questions about its impact on their home states. A handful of GOP members of Congress had raised concerns to advisers on the president's team, underscoring how the confusion was far from contrived 无中生有(contrived 牵强的, 勉强的, artificial and difficult to believe. too obviously designed to produce a particular result, and therefore not seeming to happen naturally. obviously planned, artificial, or lacking in spontaneity; forced; unnatural The movie's plot was much too contrived. I enjoyed the film, but felt the ending was a bit contrived. His excuse sounded a bit contrived. ). Republicans were privately frustrated they were not given a heads up at a decision that stirred a direct deluge of outrage from constituents. "Donald Trump just rescinded his horrible OMB freeze. He should now rescind Russell Vought's nomination for OMB. Russell Vought is the chief cook and bottle washer (chief cook and bottle washer informal a person who performs a wide variety of routine but important tasks. Someone whose responsibilities include absolutely everything, from the highest level (chief cook) to the lowest (bottle washer). a person who does a wide variety of routine, sometimes menial, tasks. He's not just sales manager, he's the chief cook and bottlewasher in this firm. "when you are the chief cook and bottle washer in a new small business it tests your time management skills". ). We believe they'll come back and try to do this in other ways," the New York Democrat told reporters in the US Capitol. Trump's move to pause trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans awakened 唤醒 on Tuesday widespread Democratic resistance to the new president's second term in a way other moves of his first week back in office had not. 6. A benefit concert or charity concert 公益音乐会, 公益晚会(FireAid benefit concert for LA fires features Billie Eilish, Stevie Wonder and more. ) is a type of musical benefit performance (e.g., concert, show, or gala) featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. Benefit concerts can have both subjective and concrete objectives. Subjective objectives include raising awareness about an issue such as misery in Africa (such as Live 8) and uplifting a nation after a disaster (such as America: A Tribute to Heroes). Concrete objectives include raising funds (such as Live Aid) and influencing legislation (such as Live 8 or Farm Aid). 6. blasphemy [ˈblæsfɪmɪ] 轻慢的, 怠慢的, 伍慢的, 冒犯的, 亵渎的, 不尊重的 I. blasphemous behaviour or language. something that you say or do that shows you do not respect God or a religion: to be accused of blasphemy. figurative humorous Madonna fans think that any criticism of her is blasphemy. II. called (in some countries): blasphemous libel [ˈlaɪbəl] law. the crime committed if a person insults, offends, or vilifies God or something sacred. blasphemous [ˈblæs.fə.məs] considered offensive to God or religion. (of speech or writing) showing lack of respect to God or to a religion: a blasphemous remark. Some people believe such art is blasphemous. His writing has been condemned for blasphemy. what's the damage? informal humorous used to ask how much you have to pay for something. What's (one's) damage 是怎么了, 有什么问题, 哪里出问题了? slang What's wrong with one? Why is one acting in such a negative, undesirable, or socially unacceptable manner? That was a reprehensible thing to do. Just what is your damage, dude? A: "I heard she got fired for cheating the company out of several thousand dollars." B: "What's her damage? She gets paid a ludicrous amount of money as it is!" You look beat, man. What’s your damage? 7. scramble I. 争先恐后. 抢着. 着急忙慌的. 急急忙忙的做事. 匆忙的做事. to move or climb quickly but with difficulty, often using your hands to help you: She scrambled to safety away from the fighting. Poultry farmers scrambled (= worked hard and fast) to provide water to their flocks as pipes burst in Georgia’s coldest weather this century. scramble up/over She scrambled up the steep hillside and over the rocks. scramble into He scrambled into his clothes (= put them on quickly) and raced to get help. scramble for As the burning plane landed, the terrified passengers scrambled for the door (= tried to reach the door quickly). As soon as the plane landed there was a mad/wild scramble to get out. a scramble for After the death of the dictator there was an unseemly scramble 争权夺势 for power among the generals. a scramble It was a real scramble to the top of the hillside. II. to compete with other people for something there is very little of: People are scrambling to buy property before prices rise even further. scramble to do something to move or do something quickly because you are in a hurry Rescue workers scrambled to find survivors in the wreckage. III. (of a quarterback in American football) to run quickly with the ball to avoid an opponent who has broken through the line of players that protects them: The quarterback saw the defender coming and scrambled to his right for six yards. IV. 说话颠三倒四. to put things such as words or letters in the wrong order so that they do not make sense: He had a habit of scrambling his words when excited. V. to mix food as it is being fried, especially eggs or tofu (= a soft, pale food that has very little flavour but is high in protein, made from the seed of the soya plant): I'm sure this dish would be just as delicious if you scrambled the eggs first. You can use any kind of tofu when scrambling it. VI. to change a radio or phone signal so that it can only be understood using a special device. VII. to (cause a plane to) take off very quickly: A helicopter was scrambled within minutes of the news. 8. constitute I. 属于. 算得上是, 不算是, 算不上. 不认为是. to be or be considered as something. to be something, or to be considered as something: Giving feedback on individual salespersons always constitutes a challenge for sales management, because it is difficult to obtain a complete picture of a salesperson's performance. This latest development constitutes a major setback for the department. His behaviour could be interpreted as constituting a breach of contract. Your poor planning does not constitute emergency. The president said that these policies constitute a threat to the United States. This latest defeat constitutes a major setback for the Democrats. II. to form or make something. to be the parts that form something: Economy travellers constitute about 80% of the airline's business. Women constitute 占据, 占比 about ten percent of Parliament. The under-18s constitute nearly 25 percent of the town's population. III. to form a company, group, meeting, etc. in a way that is correct and legal: The district administration constituted a committee to review safety procedures. Power is conferred on the board by a majority vote at a properly constituted annual general meeting. poppycock 扯淡, 胡言乱语, 胡说八大 informal senseless chatter; nonsense. He dismissed the allegations as poppycock. Amy: Say, Betsy Ross, what you working on? Sheldon: I have no idea. Because the story of me sewing the first American flag is unsupported poppycock. Amy: Then who did sew it, hmm? Sheldon: Don't ask me. I'm just a simple seamstress whose descendants are out to make a quick buck. Amy: Say, I heard an interesting tidbit about Howard and Bernadette. Sheldon: Really, Amy? Gossip? I'm disappointed in you. Amy: Now, now. Evolutionary biologist Robin Dunbar has identified gossip as an aid to social bonding in large groups. Sheldon: Forgive my language, but poppycock. Amy: What if he’' right? And by not participating in gossip, society breaks down into small feral bands of tattooed motorcycle riders fighting to the death over the last few cans of tuna fish? Sheldon: Fine. In the parlance of the urban music scene, what's the 4-1-1? Amy: You didn't know it, but your father was in the auditorium at your high school graduation and he cried because he was so proud of you. Howard: Really? Sheldon: Or that's complete poppycock which Amy made that up and it could still be the map. 9. "Boldly go" is a phrase that means to explore without fear of the unknown. It is often used in reference to the Star Trek mission statement, "to boldly go where no man has gone before". Explore freely, unhindered by fear of the unknown; from the brief given to the Starship Enterprise in Star of Chancery, 'to boldly go where no man has gone before. ' boldly go where no man has gone before 勇闯无人之境 To discover new and uncharted territory or do something that no one has done before. Taken from an introductory phrase from the original Star Trek television series, "to boldly go where no man has gone before." The scientists are exploring radical new treatment methods, boldly going where no man has gone before in the hopes of curing cancer. With the surface of the planet largely documented, one must enter the depths of the sea to boldly go where no man has gone before. I became a scientist because I wanted to boldly go where no man has gone before, not fill out paperwork all day!Penny: Well, here's your key. Amy: Thank you. Sheldon: Enjoy having the place to yourselves. Leonard: You enjoy your mission to boldly go where no man has gone before. Sheldon: It's Penny's bedroom. Plenty of men have gone before. Penny: Now, now, there's no need to make this emotional. peace out Interjection (slang) See you later. Goodbye; see you later. A: "I think we're going to go to a movie instead." B: "No worries, peace out." Verb I. (intransitive) To become unconscious; to pass out. II. (transitive) To render unconscious. III. (intransitive) To experience an altered state of consciousness. IV. (intransitive, slang) To depart. To leave or depart, especially suddenly or abruptly. Let's peace out. It's too hot in here. We decided to peace out after they ran out of beer at the party. We peaced out of that lecture to go get some pizza. You want to come with us? Sheldon: Oh, good, I used that right. Anyway, you're aware that Leonard has entered into a new romantic relationship which includes a sexual component? Penny: Okay, feeling the awkward now. Sheldon: Her name is Dr. Stephanie Barnett and she is a highly distinguished surgical resident at Freemont Memorial. Penny: Yeah, Leonard told me. Sheldon: Good. What he may have left out is how important this relationship is to me. Penny: To you?Sheldon: Yes, see, of the handful of women Leonard's been involved with, she's the only one I have ever found tolerable. Penny: Well, what about me? Sheldon: The statement stands for itself. Penny: Well, aren't you sweet? Sheldon: Anyway, should you have any interaction with her, it would be most helpful that she not see you as a sexual rival. Penny: Yeah, I think she's pretty safe. Sheldon: You say that now, but consider the following scenario, you're sitting in your apartment, it's late, you're alone, your hypothalamus is swimming in a soup of estrogen and progesterone and suddenly even Leonard seems like a viable sexual candidate, or a, uh, hookup as it's referred to by today's urban youth. Penny: Really? Sheldon: Yes. Now, should that happen, I would ask you to find some way to suppress your libido. Penny: I could think about you. Sheldon: Fine, whatever works. Penny: Always nice talking to you, Sheldon. Sheldon: Uh, peace out! 10. bring to bear to bring into operation or effect. to concentrate on with a specific purpose. to put into action or service. To use pressure or force to cause a certain result. If you want a confession from that guy, you're going to have to bring pressure to bear on him 施加压力. Most people are unhappy about these billboards, and we have to bring that displeasure to bear on the mayor. A: "Do you seriously think that bringing threats to bear will get him to resign?" B: "Well, nothing else has worked!" The group brought all their strength to bear. Pressure was brought to bear on those with overdue accounts. He brought his knowledge to bear on the situation. II. To point or aim a weapon. I brought the gun to bear on 瞄准, 指着 the intruder and was able to scare him off. When the man brought the rifle to bear, I swear my whole life flashed before my eyes. You better not bring that weapon to bear unless you know how to use it, sonny! come to bear If something comes to bear on you, you start to feel the pressure or effect of it. a cross to bear 很大压力, 很大责任, 重担 If someone has a cross to bear, they have a heavy burden of responsibility or a problem that they alone must cope with. A difficult responsibility or burden that someone must handle on their own. A burden or trial one must put up with, as in Alzheimer's is a cross to bear for the whole family, or in a lighter vein, Mowing that huge lawn once a week is Brad's cross to bear: This phrase alludes to the cross carried by Jesus to his crucifixion. Today it may be used either seriously or lightly. When Nancy's husband passed away, she was left with quite a cross to bear having to raise four children on her own. I do want to further my education, but, yikes, more student loans are a tough cross to bear. If Mom's really sick and needs someone to take care of her, this is our cross to bear as her kids. come to blows 拳脚相加, 打起来 (about/over someone or something) To get into a fight, often physically. to reach the point of fighting about someone or something. Let's not come to blows over this silly disagreement. Shopping on Black Friday can be so frenetic and crazy that many customers nearly come to blows with one another! The ref and the player nearly came to blows about that missed call. Did you hear Tony and the boss yelling at each other? I thought they were going to come to blows, yikes. bear down on (someone or something) I. Literally, to press down hard on a surface or item. I bore down on the eraser, but I still couldn't fully erase my drawing. Really bear down on the bandage there—more pressure will slow the bleeding until we get to the hospital. You better bear down on that jackhammer, son, or you'll be tossed all over the place. II. To put forth one's maximum effort toward something. If you want to get a passing grade this semester, you'll really need to bear down on your studies 全力以赴. You want to win this competition? Then you're going to have to bear down on this script and write the best one of your life. Boys, we really need the garage cleaned out, so please bear down on that this weekend, OK? III. To move closer to someone or something, usually in an intimidating or frightening way. I'm going over the speed limit, so I have no idea why this car is bearing down on 逼迫, 步步紧逼 me. We ducked into a store to avoid the angry man who'd been bearing down on us. Nope, that's not a friendly dog, and now it's bearing down on us! Run! 11. crucible [ˈkruːsɪbəl] I. 坩埚. a vessel in which substances are heated to high temperatures. A crucible is a container in which metals or other substances may be melted or subjected to very high temperatures. Although crucibles have historically tended to be made out of clay, they can be made from any material that withstands temperatures high enough to melt or otherwise alter its contents. II. the hearth at the bottom of a metallurgical furnace in which the metal collects. III. a place or situation in which different cultures or styles can mix together to produce something new and exciting. IV. a severe trial or test. People became less willing to accept the public version of events and anxious that they were not being told the truth. It was a crucible in which conspiracy could grow. cackle [ˈkæk.əl] I. to make the loud, unpleasant sound of a chicken: The hens cackled in alarm. II. disapproving to laugh in a loud, high voice. to laugh or chatter raucously A group of women were cackling in a corner. a cackling witch. stalwart [ˈstɔːlwət] 坚定支持者, 忠实支持者 adj. I. strong and sturdy; robust. (especially of a person) physically strong. II. solid, dependable, and courageous. loyal, especially for a long time; able to be trusted: She has been a stalwart supporter of the party for many years. stalwart citizens. III. resolute and firm. noun. a stalwart person, esp a supporter. a person who has been loyal for a long time: Let me introduce Bob, one of the club's stalwarts. bulwark [ˈbʊl.wək] I. 防御和安全设施和手段 something that protects you from dangerous or unpleasant situations. Any means of defence or security. The party stalwarts constitute the bulwark that ensures the president's term of office. My savings were to be a bulwark against unemployment. II. breakwater or mole. III. a wall or similar structure used as a fortification; rampart. breakwater = breakwall = mole (dyke = embankment = pier 堤坝 ): a massive wall built out into the sea to protect a shore or harbour from the force of waves. mole [məʊl]: I. a spy who has infiltrated an organization and, often over a long period, become a trusted member of it. a person who works for an organization or government and secretly gives information to its competitor or enemy: A mole inside the Department had leaked secret proposals to the press. II. 鼹鼠 any small burrowing mammal, of the family Talpidae, of Europe, Asia, and North and Central America: order Insectivora (insectivores). They have velvety, typically dark fur and forearms specialized for digging. III. a small, dark spot or lump (= raised area) on a person's skin. 12. flat-footed I. in a difficult or unexpected situation that makes you unable to move or react quickly or skilfully: be caught flat-footed 形势艰难, 处境艰难, 处境微妙 Campaign leaders were caught flat-footed when the opinion polls suddenly started to swing the other way. II. boring, with no new ideas or imagination: a flat-footed 乏善可陈的, 了无新意的 political campaign. As with all the best American comedies, the sharpness of the script made the average British sitcom seem embarrassingly flat-footed. pillory [ˈpɪl.ər.i] 公开批评 verb. to severely criticize someone, especially in a public way: Although regularly pilloried by the press as an obnoxious loudmouth, he is, nonetheless, an effective politician. noun. I. 猪笼. 桎梏. 耻辱柱. a wooden framework into which offenders were formerly locked by the neck and wrists and exposed to public abuse and ridicule. The pillory is a device made of a wooden or metal framework erected on a post, with holes for securing the head and hands, used during the medieval and renaissance periods for punishment by public humiliation and often further physical abuse. II. exposure to public scorn or abuse. spiral noun. I. a shape made up of curves, each one above or wider than the one before: spiral-shaped A corkscrew is spiral-shaped. downward spiral 每况愈下 a situation in which prices, levels, rates, etc. go down, or in which a situation gets worse and is difficult to control because one bad event causes another. a situation in which a price, etc. becomes lower, or a situation gets worse and is difficult to control because one bad event causes another: Roy was bitter about the downward spiral of his life (= it was becoming continuously worse). This year's downward spiral of house prices has depressed the market. a spiral of sth The world's two biggest economies are caught in a spiral of borrowing. This year's downward spiral of house prices has depressed the market. My former colleagues have been stuck in a spiral that continues to say, the only way we can continue our profit margins is to cut good journalism, and that is to me a death spiral. II. in American football, a kick or throw of the ball that spins on its long axis (= imaginary straight line going through the centre of an object that is spinning) as it is thrown in the air: The quarterback threw a perfect spiral into the hands of the wide receiver. verb. I. to move in a spiral: With one wing damaged, the model airplane spiralled downwards. II. If costs, prices, etc. spiral, they increase faster and faster: Spiralling costs have squeezed profits. spiral downwards = US: spiral downward (of prices, etc.) to become less, at a faster and faster rate: Employees were demanding higher wages at a time when productivity was spiralling downwards. spiral up/upward(s)) if costs, prices, etc. spiral, they increase quickly: Costs spiral, and the patient is subjected to tests they don't need. Inflation began to spiral upward. spiral (from sth) to sth The country's foreign debt spiralled from $840 million to $2.6 billion. III. If a situation spirals, it quickly gets worse in a way that becomes more and more difficult to control: spiral out of control. Violence in the country is threatening to spiral out of control. spiral into The housing slump has spiralled into a credit crisis. IV. If a person spirals, their mental health becomes worse. : He has learnt to recognize when he is spiralling. spiral into She spiralled into depression after the death of her brother. adj. I. shaped in a series of curves, each one above or wider than the one before: a spiral staircase. a spiral galaxy. Swirl marks 刷子印, 刷子的纹路 are fine scratches on a car's paintwork that look like cobwebs or spiderwebs. They are the most common type of paint defect. swirl I. 拐来拐去的. to turn or cause to turn in a twisting spinning fashion. to move quickly with a twisting, circular movement, or to make something do this: The fog swirled thickly around us. Swirl a little oil around the frying pan. A swirl of 打着旋的 cream will make a dish look more fancy. The green plastic has a black swirl pattern set over the top. With a swirl of his black cloak, he leaves the stage. The truck went by in a swirl of dust. You are swirling your car. to move quickly with a twisting circular movement, or to cause something to move this way: Snowflakes swirled down 绕一圈, 打一圈, 绕着圈的, 打着旋的 from the sky. Accusations continue to swirl around him. I swirled cocoa through the dough. II. to be dizzy; swim my head was swirling. III. If ideas or stories about somebody or something swirl, they are often heard but may not be based on fact or may not always say the same thing: Rumours have swirled for years that he is on the point of retiring. Much of the controversy that swirls around her ignores the actual content of her work. the sharing and repeating of ideas or stories about somebody or something that may not be true: The swirl of rumours and speculation never stopped. 13. reputable adj. I. having a good reputation; honoured, trustworthy, or respectable. having a good reputation and able to be trusted: Call a reputable heating contractor to inspect your furnace. I insured my property with an established, reputable 有口碑的, 口碑好的, 有声望的, 声誉好的, 有名望的 company. II. (of words) acceptable as good usage; standard. III. known to be honest and to do good work: a reputable company/dealer/brand. Buy shares only from reputable sources.
libel VS slander VS besmirch VS sully VS defame VS tarnish VS stain: 1. slander [ˈslæn.dɚ] 口头的毁谤, 诽谤 a false spoken statement about someone that damages their reputation, or the making of such a statement. to damage someone's reputation by making a false spoken statement about them: The doctor is suing his partner for slander. She regarded his comment as a slander on her good reputation. Political campaigns are full of shameless slander. Her statement was not meant to slander anybody – it's just descriptive. McCarthy unleashed slanderous accusations in every direction. 2. libel [ˈlaɪ.bəl] 书面的诽谤 a piece of writing that contains bad and false things about a person. to write and publish something that contains bad and false things about a person: She claims the newspaper libelled her in editorials and news articles. With a few exceptions, no writer consciously sits down with the aim of libelling anyone. She threatened to sue the magazine for libel. libellous = US usually libelous [ˈlaɪ.bəl.əs] A piece of writing that is libellous contains bad and false statements about a person: libellous accusations. We reserve the right to edit letters and remove anything potentially libellous. The content of the website was not judged to be libellous. Bloggers should take care to avoid making libellous remarks. 3. besmirch 抹黑 to say bad things about someone to influence other people's opinion of them: His accusations were false, but they served to besmirch her reputation. "Besmirch one's name" is an idiom that means to damage or harm someone's reputation by saying negative things about them. His accusations were false, but they served to besmirch her reputation. vocabulary: To besmirch means to dirty or tarnish, particularly someone's reputation — like when you call Billy a cheater at kickball (even though you know he's just better at bunting than you). Besmirch may sound kind of funny, but it goes hand in hand with other hurtful words like defame and slander. 4. defame [dɪˈfeɪm] 毁坏名声, 毁坏名誉 to damage the reputation of a person or group by saying or writing bad things about them that are not true: Mr Turnock claimed the editorial had defamed him. defamatory [dɪˈfæm.ə.tər.i] damaging the reputation of a person or group by saying or writing bad things about them that are not true. likely to harm someone's reputation: highly defamatory He claims the remarks were highly defamatory. The magazine had refused to withdraw the defamatory allegations. defamatory remarks/statements/allegations. She said the story was "completely untrue and highly defamatory." 5. denigrate [ˈden.ɪ.ɡreɪt] 贬低 to say that someone or something is not good or important: You shouldn't denigrate people just because they have different beliefs from you. denigration [ˌden.ɪˈɡreɪ.ʃən] the action of saying that someone or something is not good or important: Many have objected to the song's denigration of women. She is confused and hurt by her constant denigration by the media. 6. sully I. to spoil something that is pure or someone's perfect reputation. to stain or tarnish (a reputation, etc) or (of a reputation) to become stained or tarnished: His reputation, he said, had been unfairly sullied by half-truths and innuendos. II. to make something dirty: No speck of dirt had ever sullied his hands. sully (one's) hands 脏了自己的手 (dirty one's hands, get one's hands dirty, soil one's hands) To partake in particularly underhanded, illicit, or illegal work or activities. The public can't be allowed to think that I, a senate hopeful, would ever sully my hands with a tax-evasion scheme such as that. If someone sullies their hands by doing something, they do something unpleasant or wrong. He had no intention of sullying his hands by playing politics. He would not sully his hands in trade. Note: To sully something means to stain it.
