用法学习: 1. physicals = actuals 实体货, 实体股票 FINANCE, STOCK MARKET commodities (= substances or products that can be traded such as oil and metals), rather than financial products such as shares or bonds. commodities that can be purchased and used, as opposed to those bought and sold in a futures market They trade physicals such as agriculture, energy, and metals. physical 体检 Physical examination. checkup, check-up How long has it been since your last physical? Penny: Sheldon says you're going to the North Pole. Leonard: Yeah. Pretty cool, huh? Penny: Yeah. I'm just a little surprised you didn't tell me. Leonard: Oh, well, it all happened kind of fast, and we had to get physicals and buy thermal underwear and study up on, you know, snow and stuff. Sorry, I was gonna tell you. Penny: Oh, hey, no, you don't have to apologize. There's no reason you have to tell me. I was just, you know, surprised. Sheldon: Yes, yes, you were busy, you were surprised, all very fascinating. Now where do we stand on the freezer? 2. rock-a-bye = rock-a-by, rockabye 摇晃孩子, 摇啊摇 verb. to rock a baby (= to move it backward and forward or from side to side in a regular way) to help it to sleep: They sang a children's song called "Rock-a-bye your teddy bear." "Rock-a-bye, baby, on the tree top," she sang softly. The Czech word for a lullaby is derived from the verb kolébat, meaning to rock-a-bye. a well-known lullaby called "Rockabye Baby". adj. used to describe the action of rocking a baby to sleep, or something that relates to this: He was holding a big plank of wood in his arms rock-a-bye style. rock 坚石, 坚强后盾, 支柱 noun. If someone is your rock, you feel that you can depend on them and that they will always support you. "He's always been my rock," said his lifelong friend and teammate. verb. I. to (cause someone or something to) move backwards and forwards or from side to side in a regular way: rock someone to sleep 摇着睡着 He picked up the baby and gently rocked her to sleep. rock back and forth She rocked back and forth laughing. If you rock back on that chair, you're going to break it. II. If a person or place is rocked by something such as an explosion, the force of it makes the person or place shake: The explosion, which rocked the city, killed 300. III. If an event rocks a group of people or society, it causes feelings of shock: The managing director's resignation rocked the whole company. IV. to wear a particular style of clothing, etc. and look good or fashionable: There are celebrities over 40 years old who can still rock (WEAR SUCCESSFULLY) a tattoo. someone/something rocks used to show that you like or approve of someone or something a lot: "Do you like him?" "Yeah, he rocks!" rock the boat informal If you rock the boat, you do or say something that will upset people or cause problems: Don't rock the boat until the negotiations are finished. 3. from the ground up 从头开始, 从头起 from the first or elementary principles, methods, etc. to the last or most advanced; completely; thoroughly. From the beginning; starting with the basics, foundation, or fundamentals. This place is a real dump—we'll have to rebuild it from the ground up. I built this company from the ground up—I'm not going to sell it, ever. A: "The engineering department is such a mess right now." B: "I know, the next department head is going to have to rebuild the entire program from the ground up." We must plan our sales campaign carefully from the ground up. Sorry, but you'll have to start all over again from the ground up. permissible 允许的 allowed. that can be permitted; allowable Is it permissible to park my car here? a permissible level for vehicle exhaust emissions. a permissible amount of sentimentality under the circumstances; Such behavior is not permissible! If something is permissible, it is considered to be acceptable because it does not break any laws or rules. Religious practices are permissible under the Constitution. The EU had decreed it was not permissible to charge female drivers less for insurance. admissible considered satisfactory and acceptable in a law court. allowed or able to be considered in a court of law: The board's findings would be admissible in criminal court. It remains to be seen whether the report produces any admissible evidence. The judge ruled that new evidence was admissible. admit I. to allow someone to enter a hospital because they need medical care: UK She was admitted to hospital suffering from shock. US She was admitted to the hospital suffering from shock. II. admit to sth Three suspects admitted to the fraud scheme during a series of interviews with federal agents. admit (that) British Airways admitted last week that the credit market downturn was affecting business travel. admit doing sth In court, she admitted receiving almost $1 million as "consulting fees". admit guilt/failure/defeat/mistake The company received a discount on its fine because it admitted its guilt. It can be difficult to admit mistakes in front of colleagues who may be competitors for the next promotion. admit a charge/offence/allegation Several firms have been forced to admit charges of paying illegal bonuses to employees. admit liability (for sth) 承担责任, 接受责任 to admit that you are legally responsible for something that has harmed someone: As part of the agreement, the chairman and his affiliates do not admit any liability or wrongdoing. III. to officially give permission for a person, company, or country to join a large organization: admit sb to sth 加入 Over the next five years, several new countries will be admitted to the EU. IV. to officially give permission for someone to attend a meeting or other event: admit sb to sth 允许进入 Newspaper reporters will not be admitted to the hearing. admit evidence 接受证据, 允许为证据 if a court of law admits evidence or admits something as evidence, it allows something to be used to decide whether someone is guilty of a crime: Prosecutors asked the court to admit the recordings as evidence. admit of something to allow something or make it possible: The present schedule does not admit of modification 不允许更改 (= it cannot be changed). The latest events admit of several interpretations 有几种解读. 4. tercentenary [ˌtɜː.senˈtiː.nər.i] = US tercentennial 三百年周年的 the day or year that is 300 years after an important event. bicentennial = UK bicentenary the day or year that is 200 years after a particular event, especially an important one: A statue was erected to mark the bicentennial of the composer's birth. bicentennial celebrations. admittance permission to enter a place: refuse admittance The club has the right to refuse admittance to anyone. gain admittance The enquiry centred on how the assassin had gained admittance to (= succeeded in entering) the building. The sign read "Private - no admittance 不准进入". He was refused admittance to the club. 印度恐袭: A little-known militant group called The Resistance Front claimed responsibility for the attack on social media, voicing discontent 不满 at "outsiders" who had settled in the region and caused a "demographic change." It did not provide evidence, and CNN cannot independently verify its claim. The picturesque 风景如画的 Himalayan region, administered 控制, 管理 in part by both India and Pakistan though still disputed by both sides, is often rife with violence and has a heavy security presence – but attacks on tourists are rare. "It is an implicit sort of contract 共识, 不言而喻 ( An implicit contract, also known as an implied contract, is a legally binding agreement that arises not from explicit written or verbal words, but from the actions, conduct, or surrounding circumstances of the parties involved. Unlike explicit contracts, which are formally stated, implied contracts are inferred from the parties' behavior and the situation. In economics, implicit contracts refer to voluntary and self-enforcing long term agreements made between two parties regarding the future exchange of goods or services. ) between the local population and the militant groups that the tourist trade will not be undermined because almost everyone in Kashmir, especially in the Valley, is directly or indirectly dependent on the tourism industry," said counter-terrorism expert and author Ajai Sahni. 5. speak to something I. To speak to an issue or question 彰显, 论及. 提及, 解决 is to speak about it or comment on it with knowledge and authority. To address some topic or issue verbally, as in a speech or interview. to show that a situation exists or something is true. This situation speaks to a need for a better tax system. The party's success speaks to the fact that many people in the US want change. The senator spoke to the need for bipartisan support if any meaningful tax reform were going to be possible. I will speak to this issue at the appropriate juncture. No one is really speaking to the needs, wants, and desires of young people. II. 与...有关. 彰显. If something speaks to an issue or question, it is relevant to it. To indicate or signal some topic or issue. The amount of respiratory problems present in this city's population speaks to the abysmal air quality here. Other scientists interviewed said the incident spoke to a wider issue. This speaks to a more general point. As fellow Wiradjuri woman and politician Linda Burney has said, this protocol became part of civic life because it speaks to the truth of Australia's story. speak to somebody I. to talk to someone who has done something wrong and tell them not to do it again Joe was late again today. You'll have to speak to him. II. if something such as a poem, painting, or piece of music speaks to you, you like it because it expresses a particular meaning, quality, or feeling to you Modern art just doesn't speak to me. 6. 'Love bombing' is a popularized term used to describe overwhelming and often incongruent affection during the early stages of a relationship. Love bombing is an attempt to influence a person by demonstrations of attention and affection. It can be used in different ways and for either positive or negative purposes. It is used mostly in a negative way. Psychologists have identified love bombing as a possible part of a cycle of abuse and have warned against it. It has also been described as psychological manipulation in order to create a feeling of unity within a group against a society perceived as hostile. backwater 穷乡僻壤, 死水, 回水, 滞水, 死气沉沉的地方, 与世隔绝的地方, 闭塞的地方 I. a part of a river not reached by the current, where the water is stagnant. a part of a river where the water does not flow: We tied the boat up in a quiet backwater overnight. "the eels inhabit backwaters". II. disapproving an isolated or peaceful place. a place that does not change because it is not influenced by new ideas or events that happen in other places. a place that does not seem to know much about the world and its ways: Miami transformed from a cultural backwater 世外桃源 to a culinary trendsetter. He grew up in a rural backwater. "nothing spoils the tranquillity of this quiet backwater". III. [disapproval] a place or situation in which no development or progress is taking place. If you refer to a place or institution as a backwater, you think it is not developing properly because it is isolated from ideas and events in other places and institutions. A remote place: somewhere that remains unaffected by new events, progresses, ideas, etc; any field of endeavor that figuratively resembles such a place. an academic backwater 学术孤岛. Britain could become a political backwater with no serious influence in the world. This agency will be relegated to the backwaters of Washington. "the country remained an economic backwater". jerkwater 穷乡僻壤 US and Canadian slang inferior and insignificant. used to describe a place that is small, not important, and a long way from other places: I grew up in a jerkwater town in the middle of nowhere. jerkwater town 偏僻小镇 (US) A small town with minimal facilities and conveniences. one-horse town 不起眼的小镇 (US, idiomatic) A very small town, especially one of a rural nature and/or offering very few or no attractions. It's surrounded by beautiful wilderness, but otherwise it's just a one-horse town. pissant US , Australian and New Zealand English offensive I. (slang, derogatory) An insignificant person. a very stupid or unpleasant person or thing: Hey, you little pissant! This pathetic, petty, boring pissant country drives me crazy. II. (slang, derogatory) A person who adheres strictly to a rule or policy despite current circumstances. Their manager is a real pissant about break times (breaktime 休息时间). III. (slang, derogatory) A person seemingly incapable of focusing on anything but the trivial, especially in the sense of trivial or irrelevant criticism. break time = breaktime 休息时间, 课间休息时间, 午餐休息时间 ( lunchtime, playtime, recess) I. mainly UK the regular time in the middle of the morning or afternoon for school students to talk or play, and sometimes have food or drink. a period of rest or recreation, esp at school at break time At break time the children played on the climbing frames, or sat on the grass. My best friend and I always spent breaktimes and lunch together. II. mainly US time during the working day when you can be away from your work and do something else such as rest, eat, or talk with friends: The company I work for has decided that bathroom breaks should be deducted from break time. Who do you like to spend your break times with at work? 7. proclivity [prəˈklɪvɪti] 嗜好, 癖好 noun a tendency to choose or do something regularly; an inclination or predisposition towards a particular thing. the fact that someone likes something or likes to do something, especially something considered morally wrong. A proclivity is a tendency to behave in a particular way or to like a particular thing, often a bad way or thing. He was indulging his own sexual proclivities. ...a proclivity to daydream. the sexual proclivities of celebrities. his proclivity for shapely blondes. "a proclivity for hard work". Anthony Summers, who wrote Official and Confidential: The Secret Life of J. Edgar Hoover (1993), stated that there was no ambiguity about the FBI director's sexual proclivities and described him as "bisexual with failed heterosexuality". gastronomy [ɡaˈstrɒnəmi] 美食学 the practice or art of choosing, cooking, and eating good food. the art and knowledge involved in preparing and eating good food. the cooking of a particular area. "traditional American gastronomy". Burgundy has always been considered a major centre of gastronomy. gastronomist [ɡaˈstrɒnəmɪst] 美食家 a connoisseur of good food; a gourmet. 8. 澳大利亚大选: Australia is seeing "a diluted version" of the Canada trend, according to Marija Taflaga, director of the Center for the Study of Australian Politics at the Australian National University. "Trump has essentially created a rally around the flag effect ( The rally 'round the flag effect, also referred to as the rally 'round the flag syndrome 团结在旗帜下, is a concept used in political science and international relations to explain increased short-run popular support of a country's government or political leaders during periods of international crisis or war. Because the effect can reduce criticism of governmental policies, it can be seen as a factor of diversionary foreign policy. short run = short term a short period of time: For now he is concentrating on the short run. We are very pleased with the short run, and in particular, the performance of this quarter. in/over the short run over a short period into the future: Although that approach can work in the short run, long term it won't. short-run 短期的, 短期内的 adj continuing to exist or have an effect for a short period of time: The value of shares depends little on short-run company earnings. So the best short-run forecast of the exchange rate is whatever it happens to be today. )," she said. “In liberal democracies like Australia and Canada, (he's) flipped the incumbent from being in a disadvantaged position… into an advantageous position," she added. For the most part, Australian elections are a competition between Dutton's Liberal Party and Albanese's Labor Party. Compulsory voting and a preference system that redistributes votes cast for candidates that fall out of the race mean both parties focus on securing the maximum middle ground. In a program redolent of ( redolent [ˈrɛdələnt] I. 有...的味道. 闻起来像. 让人想起 smelling strongly of something or having qualities (especially smells) that make you think of something else. If something is redolent of something else, it smells strongly of that other thing. ...the air redolent of cinnamon and apple. ...redolent with the scent of rosemary. The album is a heartfelt cry, redolent of a time before radio and television. The mountain air was redolent with the scent of pine needles. II. If something is redolent of something else, it has features that make you think of that other thing. ...percussion instruments, redolent of Far Eastern cultures. ...a sad tale 悲伤故事, redolent with regret. ) Trump's early moves since returning to the White House, Dutton promised 41,000 federal job cuts, an end to work-from-home privileges and an overhaul of "woke" school agendas – some of which he's had to roll back. As recently as January, the Liberal leader was on a path to victory, according to Simon Jackman, an honorary professor at the University of Sydney and former chief executive officer of its US Studies Centre. "Then along comes Donald Trump… and the election just pivoted 大转向, 大掉头, 大转弯," Jackman said. Jackman said he didn't get the feeling that people were voting with "gusto" ( gusto great energy, enthusiasm, and enjoyment that is experienced by someone taking part in an activity, especially a performance: with gusto 等不及的, 情难自抑, 带有激情的 eager enjoyment experienced when doing something: We ate and drank with gusto. Everyone joined in the singing with great gusto. ) to remove the government, as they did three years ago to oust Morrison. 9. head rush informal: I. 起猛了. a sudden lightheaded or dizzy feeling. Instead, Mom sticks her head in. "You have a guest," she says, beaming. I sit up so quickly I get a head rush. II. 上头. 喜上心头. a sudden feeling of intense pleasure or euphoria You've got a head rush you're so excited and started drafting your acceptance speech for the trophy ceremony. Joey: (entering from bathrooms excitedly) You guys! You guys! You're not gonna believe what my agent just told me! Rachel: Joey! Kinda in the middle of a story here! Joey: Ooh, sorry. Sorry. You finish, go. Rachel: Okay, so anyway I'm sittin' in my office and guess who walks in. Joey: I'm gonna be on two TV shows! Monica and Phoebe: Oh, that's great!! Rachel: Joey! Joey: Oh, you weren't finished? Rachel: Yeah! Guess who walks into my office is the end of my story. (To Monica and Phoebe) It was Ralph Lauren! (Monica and Phoebe gasp) Ralph Lauren walked into my office! Joey: Uh Rach, if you're gonna start another story, at least let me finish mine. Rachel: It's the same story. Joey: (groans in disgust) Wow, it's really long. Rachel: (ignoring him) Anyway, Ralph just came in to tell me that he's so happy with my work that he wants me to be the new merchandising manager for polo retail. Monica: Still get a discount on wedding dresses? Rachel: Yeah! Monica: I'm so happy for you! Joey: Well, these really are the days of our lives. Monica: What?Joey: Well, since you ask. They want me back on Days of Our Lives! Phoebe: (gasps) Oh God! Rachel: I got—I get a big pay raise! Phoebe: Oh hey! Joey: I'll be playing Drake Remoray's twin brother, Stryker!Monica: Oooh! Rachel: I get to hire my own assistant! Monica and Phoebe: Ahhh!! Joey: (jumps up) Well—I got a head rush from standing up too fast right there. 10. in residence officially staying or living somewhere. officially staying or living somewhere: The Queen is in residence at the Palace this week. The Queen is in residence at the Palace this week. The national flag always flies when the president is in residence. This is where the White House press corps is based when the President is in residence. It has been confirmed that no members of the Royal Family were in residence at the time of the incident. You know when the mega-star is in residence because security guards are everywhere. A painter, poet, etc. in residence = author/poet/artist in residence works with an organization, usually for a limited period. an author (= writer), poet, or artist who is employed at a school or college, etc. for a short period: During this period, she was artist in residence at Harvard. residence I. a home. a home, or the fact of living in a particular home: The property will be used as her main residence. Many banks require proof of residence to open an account. the Governor's official residence. II. 居所. the place where someone lives, or the condition of living somewhere: That big building is the Governor's official residence (= home). She took up residence in Boston (= began living there). take up residence/residency somewhere to go to live somewhere: She took up residence in Canada. someone's place of residence 居住地 = residency permission to live in a particular country that you were not born in: apply for/seek residence An estimated 60% of the workers intend to seek permanent residence. offer sb/give sb residence A 1997 law offered legal residence to many Nicaraguan expatriates. primary residence 主要居所 the place where a person lives most of the time and that is considered their home for legal and tax purposes: He kept residences in Hawaii, Long Island, and Florida, but his primary residence was in Manhattan. Homeowners who make their house their primary residence for at least two years don't have to claim any capital gain from the sale of the home up to $250,000. 10. 澳洲大选: On Monday the Duttons, father and son, burnished ( burnished [ˈbɜː.nɪʃt] adj. I. smooth and shiny, usually because of being polished (= rubbed): The case is burnished aluminium. burnished mahogany doors. II. (of a colour) shining in a warm way: Their children have burnished olive skin. III. having had improvements made to it: Nothing in political prose has been so burnished as his acceptance speech. burnish verb. I. 擦得锃亮. to rub metal until it is smooth and shiny. II. If you burnish something such as your public image 提升公众形象, you take action to improve it and make it more attractive. To burnish the image of someone or something means to improve their image. It was a move that has burnished Mr Hu's populist credentials. The company is currently trying to burnish its socially responsible image. ) their everyman credentials as they appeared in high vis while spruiking the Coalition's plan to offer tax breaks on loan repayments for first-time buyers. It did not all go smoothly. Reporters snookered ( snooker 被逼的无计可施 I. in the game of snooker, to hit the balls into a position from which your opponent cannot make a direct legal shot at any ball. O'Sullivan was snookered in the 13th frame. II. UK informal to prevent someone from finishing an intended plan of action. If you are snookered by something, it is difficult or impossible for you to take action or do what you want to do. The President has been snookered on this issue. We had intended to go driving around Scotland, but unless I can get my licence we're snookered. He accused Washington of snookering developments that could have helped his brother. III. US informal to deceive or trick someone: snooker someone into doing something Critics say it is the administration's way of snookering students into paying for more fast-food restaurants. need snookers 逼得无计可施, 逼得束手无策, 逼入绝境, 被逼无奈 I. (in the game of snooker) to need to put your opponent in a position from which they cannot make a direct hit at any ball, in order to have a chance of winning a frame (= part of a match): He potted a long yellow ball to leave Davis needing snookers. II. (of a player or sports team) to be in a situation in which it is almost impossible for them to win: United were left needing snookers. Without him England would still need snookers to save the first Test. ) Mr Dutton into saying he would help his son with a house deposit, at a time when many are struggling to pay their own bills let alone those of their children. The children of politicians are usually off limits to prying reporters, but both Mr Dutton and Mr Albanese have shown a readiness to wheel their kids out ( wheel something out 故技重施, 拿出老掉牙的套路, 再次祭出 to use something or someone that you have used many times before in a way that is boring for other people. to wheel out the same old excuses Every time we have this argument you wheel out the same old statistics, and I'm still not convinced! Year after year they wheel out the same third-rate celebrities to entertain us. wheel and deal engage in commercial or political scheming, especially unscrupulously. to try to make a profit or get an advantage using clever or complicated methods and often deceiving people or breaking the usual rules: He spends his time wheeling and dealing on the stock exchange. He made a cool $500,000 before lunch wheeling and dealing in shares. He continued to wheel and deal with an almost singular focus on holding power. "he will wheel and deal to get the players he wants". wheeling and dealing the act of trying to make a profit or get an advantage using clever or complicated methods and often deceiving people or breaking the usual rules: It's an article about all the wheeling and dealing that goes on in financial markets. The project required years of intense wheeling and dealing. She was tired of all his financial wheelings and dealings, and in the end she sued for divorce. complex business deals and financial wheeling and dealing He hates the wheeling and dealing associated with conventional political life. There has been a lot of wheeling and dealing over the choice of candidate. wheedle 哄骗, 用花言巧语说服, 诓骗 to try to persuade someone to do something or give you something by praising them or being intentionally charming. to try to persuade someone to do something or to give you something by using your charm and by repeatedly asking in a way that would make refusal embarrassing: He wasn't going to tell me but I wheedled it out of him. She's one of those children who can wheedle you into giving her anything she wants. She wasn't invited, but somehow she managed to wheedle her way in. I tried different approaches - I wheedled, threatened, demanded, cajoled. ) to the public, when convenient. Mr Albanese had procured his son a membership of the Qantas Chairman's Lounge - a privilege typically reserved for celebrities, executives and big name politicians. Mr Albanese had also pulled some strings 动用了一些关系 back when he was opposition leader to secure an internship for Nathan at PwC after speaking with the company's government relations boss, according to the Australian Financial Review. By the standards of political controversies, these acts of apparent nepotism were small beer ( = US small potatoes 无足轻重, 不是什么大事, 没什么大不了的, 小事一桩, 小意思, 小问题, 无伤大雅 something that does not seem important when compared to something else: The insurance premium is small beer compared to what we'd have to pay if the house burned down. ); technically improper, but the kind of thing most parents would do for their kids if in Mr Albanese's influential position. They were on a par with Mr Dutton's son Tom being photographed with a bag of white powder at Schoolies week - a forgivable act by a teenager in the company of peers, and no real slight upon the Opposition leader as a parent. 11. Voters reject Peter Dutton's vision, giving Labor a remarkable victory and the Liberals a difficult future. Peter Dutton concedes defeat 服输: Australia has fired Peter Dutton into the Sun, taking much of the Liberal Party and its future with him. Standing in the vapour wake ( For years, the idea of bomb-sniffing dogs has been pretty straightforward: A trained canine walks up and down rows of people, sniffing every person in a crowd to suss out any bomb-making material or explosive devices. But the floppy-eared Labradors posted at recent Metallica, Pearl Jam, Taylor Swift and Bon Jovi concerts have been trained to do something different. They don't sniff people; they sniff the air. These "vapor wake" canines, developed by Auburn University after Richard Reid tried to smuggle a bomb onto a plane in his shoe in 2001, track "thermal plumes left behind in a person's wake," says Paul Hammond, president of Anniston, Alabama training program VWK9 LLC. When people move, they emit rising warm air that trails behind them. Under the right conditions, specially trained dogs can sniff this body heat for particles and theoretically detect a suicide bomber within a stadium of 50,000 people. Vapor Wake detection is a highly advantageous method and system for detecting person-worn 身上佩戴的, 身上携带的 or concealed-carried 藏在身上的 explosives and firearms(Concealed carry, or carrying a concealed weapon (CCW), is the practice of carrying a weapon (usually a sidearm such as a handgun), either in proximity to or on one's person or in public places in a manner that hides or conceals the weapon's presence from surrounding observers. In the United States, the opposite of concealed carry is called open carry. ). With Vapor Wake, both the canine and handler are trained and certified under the program. However, unlike other detection methods, the canine leads the handler. The primary function of the handler is to position the canine in the desired location while the canine searches the air. This unique nose-up ‘air scenting’ approach allows the canine to identify and follow vapor trails or scent pools of the target odor generated by both moving or stationary targets. When the canine detects a trained scent, the canine leads the handler to or follows behind the carrier of the item with the scent. Once the carrier is identified by the canine and confirmed by the handler, the proper authorities are alerted.) stood a euphoric and unimpeded ( unimpeded 势不可挡的, 没有遇到阻碍的 adj. not obstructed or hindered. not stopped, blocked, or prevented by anything: From this position you can enjoy an unimpeded view of the waterfall. The new bike path allows bicycles to ride unimpeded through the city. "an unimpeded view across the headland". If something moves or happens unimpeded, it continues without being stopped or interrupted by anything. We drove, unimpeded by anyone, to Arras. He promised to allow justice to run its course unimpeded. U.N. aid convoys have unimpeded access to the city. ) Anthony Albanese, whose campaign was as devastating, driven and determined as Dutton's was dreadful, deluded and doomed. Albanese stands atop a dominant and remarkable victory that will surely change the country as profoundly as Bob Hawke and John Howard did in their time. Australia's political centre has held — as disenchanted 幡然醒悟的, 失望的, 失去兴趣, 不感兴趣( no longer believing in the value of something, especially having learned of the problems with it: become disenchanted with no longer believing in the value of something, esp. after having learned of the faults that it has. If you are disenchanted with something, you are disappointed with it and no longer believe that it is good or worthwhile. I'm disenchanted with the state of British theatre at the moment. I have become disenchanted with politics. Many voters have become disenchanted with the president.) Liberal voters continued their drift to new pastures( pastures new 新领域, 新工作, 新地方, 新世界 = (fresh fields and) pastures new A new job or place to live that offers new experiences or opportunities. Starting next month, I'll be packing up my job with the newspaper and heading off to pastures new. I've loved living in London, but it's time to find pastures new. If someone moves on to pastures new, they leave their present place or situation and move to a new one. Michael decided he wanted to move on to pastures new for financial reasons. I found myself packing a suitcase and heading for pastures new. Note: You can also talk about moving on to new pastures or fresh pastures. No matter how much we long for new pastures, when we reach them they can seem like a bad idea. Note: This is a quotation from 'Lycidas' (1638) by the English poet Milton: 'At last he rose, and twitch'd his Mantle blew: Tomorrow to fresh Woods, and Pastures new.' This is sometimes wrongly quoted as 'fresh fields and pastures new'. If someone leaves for greener pastures, or in British English pastures new, they leave their job, their home, or the situation they are in for something they think will be much better. Michael decided he wanted to move on to pastures new for financial reasons. ...nurses seeking greener pastures overseas. She's giving up her job and moving on to pastures new. She has not been sacked; she just wants to move on to pastures new. I'm not very adventurous — I don't crave excitement and pastures new. He found the market tough and decided to sell the software business and seek pastures new. Two experienced members of the communications team are heading for new pastures. ), turning their backs on bunyip ( bunyip [ˈbʌnjɪp] 洪水猛兽 Australian a legendary monster said to inhabit swamps and lagoons of the Australian interior. The bunyip is a creature from the aboriginal mythology of southeastern Australia, said to lurk in swamps, billabongs, creeks, riverbeds, and waterholes. Bunyip aristocracy is an Australian term satirising attempts by William Wentworth to establish a system of titles in the colony of New South Wales. It was coined in 1853 by Daniel Deniehy in what came to be known as the Bunyip Aristocracy speech which he delivered in the Victoria Theatre and on the soapbox at Circular Quay. It was almost universally condemned by the people and a large public meeting was called to oppose it. "Bunyip aristocracy" is now a pejorative term for those Australians who consider themselves to be aristocrats. bunyip aristocracy noun derogatory Australian people who consider themselves to be socially superior. "they publish a list of Australia's bunyip aristocracy of notable families". ) Trumpism — paradoxically even as the political core becomes more fractured and diverse. The Greens saw their own repudiation 回绝, with voters rejecting what they regarded as extremism, obstructionism and support for bad causes such as the CFMEU. Like Howard in 1998, when he won after a difficult first term, Albanese has earned something that five of his immediate predecessors over the last 21 years did not — an unfettered opportunity to string together a lengthy stint in the job. Vitally, Albanese has no real rivals, whether internally or from whatever remains of the shattered opposite bench. What Albanese does with that authority and how he cements a legacy in the face of huge mounting global, geo-strategic, economic and domestic challenges rests almost entirely in his hands. For the Coalition, Saturday night was like one of those gory horror movies where half the headline cast gets decapitated before the first act is over. Characters you've only just started to notice — like shadow housing minister Michael Sukkar and mooted 广为讨论的( moot verb. to suggest something for discussion: The idea was first mooted as long ago as the 1840s. His name was mooted as a possible successor. adj. I. often discussed or argued about but having no definite answer: It's a moot point whether building more roads reduces traffic congestion. II. 无意义的. not important or not relevant, therefore not worth discussing: We don't have enough money to go, so it's all moot anyway. III. law mainly US specialized If a legal question is moot, it does not need to be dealt with, because something has happened that solves the issue: The court's decision became moot when the defendant was found dead. IV. law mainly US specialized imagined or invented as an example, and so without any legal importance: a moot case. noun. a trial or discussion dealing with an imaginary legal case, performed by students in exactly the same way as a real case, as part of their legal training: a moot court 模拟法庭. ) future leadership talent Keith Wolahan — cheaply tossed into the woodchipper. While others, bit players ( bit player I. theatre, cinema 小配角. a person with a very small acting role with few lines to speak. An actor with a small or insignificant part in a performance. I've been a professional actor for a few years now, but I've only been able to find work as a bit player in a couple of television shows. Even if you're a bit player, you're still getting paid to act, and that's its own accomplishment! I didn't expect to be the lead or anything, but I also didn't expect to be such a bit player. I only have one line in the whole play! II. a person or thing with a very small part in something. a person with a minor, unimportant, or unimpressive role in something. This business is full of bit players who never advance in their careers. How long do you plan to be Donna's assistant? I don't understand why you're still a bit player around here when you could be running your own team by now. Lloyds TSB are not more than a bit player in the US retail market. ) from the prequels, like "maverick" Tasmanian MP Bridget Archer, summarily gobbled up by the monster 生吞( summarily I. 毫无征兆的. 忽然的. 直接的 suddenly, without discussion or a legal process. without notice; precipitately to be dismissed summarily from one's job. He was summarily dismissed from his job. More than 50 other captured rebels were summarily executed. II. in a summary manner; without the customary formalities. in a prompt or direct manner; immediately; straightaway "she was summarily dismissed".). In Victoria, where the Coalition's hopes were at their most acute ( [əˈkjuːt] I. 问题严重的. 迫切的. If a bad situation is acute, it causes severe problems or damage: She felt acute embarrassment/anxiety/concern at his behaviour. The problem of poverty is particularly acute in rural areas. You can use acute to indicate that an undesirable situation or feeling is very severe or intense. The war has aggravated an acute economic crisis. The report has caused acute embarrassment to the government. The labour shortage is becoming acute. II. An acute pain or illness is one that quickly becomes very severe: acute abdominal pains. an acute attack of appendicitis. III. 敏锐的. used to describe intelligence, senses, etc. that are very good, accurate, and able to notice very small differences. If a person's or animal's sight, hearing, or sense of smell is acute, it is sensitive and powerful. In the dark my sense of hearing becomes so acute. acute eyesight/hearing. an acute sense of smell. a woman of acute intelligence/judgment. IV. If you say that someone is acute or has an acute mind, you mean that they are quick to notice things and are able to understand them clearly. Into her nineties, her thinking remained acute and her character forceful. His relaxed exterior hides an extremely acute mind. Everything he writes demonstrates the acuteness of his intelligence. ) given decades of failure and underperformance, the party appears to have wandered into a fresh basement of horrors. "There is simply no pathway to victory in the near future, in the next couple of elections, unless the Liberal Party can be semi competitive in Victoria." At the start of the campaign, the Liberal Party was targeting up to 10 seats in the state. While the counts are not yet done, the party appears to be going backwards in the state, struggling to regain teal seats, on track to hold a single seat in Melbourne. The NSW National Party is on the cusp of its own chainsaw debacle, perhaps failing for the first time to get a senator up. Queensland, the LNP's heartland 腹地 — which could have been home to both the PM and deputy PM — swung away from the Coalition, immolating ( immolate [ˈɪm.ə.leɪt] 祭天. 祭祀. 牺牲, 通常指通过焚烧)将…作为祭品杀死(或毁灭) to kill yourself or someone else, or to destroy something, usually by burning, in a formal ceremony. to kill or offer as a sacrifice, esp by fire. vocabulary: Immolate is a verb that means to destroy something or someone, usually using fire, as a sacrifice to a higher cause. Do not try this at home. To protest the Vietnam War, some Buddhist monks would pour gasoline on their body, light a match, and immolate themselves, hoping that their fiery death would bring attention to the horror of war. The word comes from the Latin immolare, which means "sprinkled with sacrificial meal," in reference to rituals where wheat grain would be sprinkled on the heads of human sacrifices. Immolation is a powerful statement, but talking it out is always a safer and less depressing option. ) more players. "Some of tonight's outcomes were not 'worst-case scenarios'," said one Coalition strategist. "Some were beyond comprehension." Dutton's calamity — and it is largely his, despite the scarifying ( scarify 松动, 翻土, 松土 I. to use a scarifier (= a tool with sharp points) to break up and remove unwanted grass or plants that are covering the surface of a lawn (= an area of grass): It is important to scarify regularly to avoid a mossy and spongy lawn. When is the best time to scarify your lawn? II. to use a scarifier (= a machine with sharp points) to break up the surface of the ground or a road: The work will include scarifying the asphalt to improve the road surface. III. to make small cuts in someone's skin, especially for cultural reasons: The boy was scarified, but every effort was made to reduce his suffering to the minimum. It would be very shocking if a supermodel decided to scarify her skin in the name of art. IV. to break into the surface of the outer part of a seed, either by cutting it or using chemicals, in order to help it to germinate (= start to grow): Once canna seeds have been scarified, they are easy to grow. Seeds were scarified prior to sowing or later during incubation. V. to express strong disapproval of someone, especially in an unpleasant or cruel way: He scarified our leading politicians, seizing upon their vulnerable points with a destructive analysis that left them bereft of merit or morality. His scarifying essays were capable of destroying literary reputations. Scarifying a lawn, also known as dethatching, is the process of removing built-up thatch and debris from the surface of the lawn to improve aeration, drainage, and overall lawn health. This process involves using a tool to cut vertically through the thatch and lightly score the soil surface. ) blame-game that will now unfold — has reset the clock to zero on the Coalition's "two-term strategy". It's hard to believe that it was only six years ago that Scott Morrison won the "miracle" election. The Coalition's decline since then has been nothing short of precipitous 断崖式的, 急剧的. Dutton's biggest mistake was to believe Newspoll, aided and abetted ( aid and abet [əˈbɛt] someone 助纣为虐, 怂恿, 撺掇 to help someone to do something illegal or wrong: Three auditors were accused of aiding and abetting the men charged with fraud. They were taken to jail and charged with aiding and abetting illegal immigration. She pleaded guilty, admitting she had aided and abetted the bombing plot. Farmers (aided and abetted by scientists) then started breeding tomatoes for transportability rather than taste. The supporting actor stole the show, aided and abetted by his three child co-stars.) by a narrow media support base that struggled to back their man as his campaign floundered. When he leant into culture war favourites, like welcome to country ceremonies or the Voice — it had the effect of again reminding voters in seats like Bradfield, which voted overwhelmingly in favour of Indigenous constitutional recognition in 2023, that the Dutton Liberal Party was foreign to them. The work-from-home back down, threats to gut the public service, and his failure to remember the cost of a dozen eggs all undermined his credibility on cost of living. But perhaps most egregiously, Dutton alienated many once-rusted-on 锈在一起的, 绣上去的 Liberal Party supporters. Leaving them wondering about what had happened to their party. He conjured up "sugar hit" (sugar hit 治标不治本的政策: To describe a short-term, feel-good measure that provides immediate gratification but lacks long-term benefit or sustainability. Sugar hit policy = quick fix + short-term benefit + long-term weakness. It's often used critically, to describe policies that look good in the short run but may not be good for the future. Into the third week of the election campaign we go, with Labor and the Coalition each accusing the other of offering "sugar hit" policies during their official campaign launches yesterday, while economists and commentators criticise both parties for their housing and tax announcements. A "sugar hit" typically refers to the sensation of a sudden surge in energy or alertness following the consumption of sugary foods or drinks, often followed by a subsequent decline in energy levels, sometimes referred to as a "sugar crash." While this is a common perception, the scientific understanding of sugar's effects on energy and mood is more nuanced. sugar rush 血糖猛升 I. the state of having a lot of, or too much, sugar in your blood: Fat slows down the transport of carbohydrates into the bloodstream and can help to avert sugar rushes. Chocolate releases large amounts of glucose quickly, giving a sugar rush, followed by a low. II. the effect of eating foods containing a lot of sugar, which makes you excited and full of energy: I like the sugar rush you get from eating a bar of chocolate. on a sugar rush The kids were on a Halloween sugar rush. III. the feeling or state of being excited and full of energy: At the airport the kids had a sugar rush when they saw their cousins. He was dazzled by the sudden sugar rush of fame. ) electoral bribes; a gas policy that antagonised Gina Rinehart and that no pro-market party of capitalism could ever sanely support; alongside a budget with bigger deficits than Labor's in the first two years. Jacqui Lambie, Tasmania's pre-eminent ( pre-eminent 最重要的. 最出色的 more important or better than others. If someone or something is pre-eminent in a group, they are more important, powerful, or capable than other people or things in the group. ...his fifty years as the pre-eminent political figure in the country. For a decade they were the pre-eminent punk band in Los Angeles. ...London's continuing pre-eminence among European financial centres. For those under 40 the pre-eminence of post-war U.S. literature goes unquestioned. She is the pre-eminent authority in her subject. vocabulary: Calling someone preeminent means they're truly outstanding or better than everyone else — not in general, but in a specific field or specialty. Many people consider primatologist Jane Goodall to be the preeminent expert on chimpanzees. The adjective preeminent was first recorded in the mid-15th century and has its roots in the Latin praeeminentem, which means "to project forward, rise above." And anything that's been described as preeminent certainly does rise above the rest. Preeminent scholars or universities or craftsmen are the best at what they do and are well known because of it. eminent I. famous, respected, or important. An eminent person is well-known and respected, especially because they are good at their profession. ...an eminent scientist. an eminent historian. The commission consisted of fifteen eminent political figures. II. 肉眼可见的. 明显的. noticeable or worth remarking on, or very great: This shows eminent good sense. vocabulary: Anyone highly regarded or prominent is eminent. Eminent people are very successful at their jobs. If you've heard of Neil deGrasse Tyson, it's probably because he's an eminent astrophysicist. Every field has eminent — impressive, famous, or accomplished — people. Two of the most eminent coaches in the history of professional basketball are Red Auerbach and Phil Jackson because they've won the most championships. Beethoven was an eminent musician. Frank Lloyd Wright was an eminent architect. Eminent people loom over a field because they're influential and you can't avoid hearing about them. It's not easy to be eminent because you have to be extremely successful. prominent (distinguished 尊贵的) I. 鹤立鸡群的. Someone who is prominent is important. very well known and important: a prominent Democrat. a prominent member of the Saudi royal family. The government should be playing a more prominent role in promoting human rights. ...a prominent member of the Law Society. ...the children of very prominent or successful parents. II. 明显的, 显眼的. 惹人注目的. Something that is prominent is very noticeable or is an important part of something else. Something that is in a prominent position can easily be seen or noticed: New books are displayed in a prominent position on tables at the front of the store. Here the window plays a prominent part in the design. ...Romania's most prominent independent newspaper. Trade will figure prominently in the second day of talks in Washington. Entries will be prominently displayed in the exhibition hall. III. sticking out from a surface: She has a prominent 突出的 chin/nose. Despite his prominence, he was never able to make a living. prominently displayed pictures. vocabulary: If you're looking for an adjective that means "sticking out above the rest; famous," consider prominent. A prominent person might be the big star, the head honcho, the top dog — not just any ordinary person. A prominence is anything that juts out, like a bone or a mountain ridge. Prominent, then, means "sticking out" either in a literal sense ("a prominent nose") or a figurative one ("a prominent figure in the industry"). The metaphorical sense of "famous" is the most common one today, so you're more likely to hear about prominent people than prominent noses. ) political oracle ( someone who knows a lot about a subject and can give good advice: Professor Ross is regarded as the oracle on eating disorders. ), said Labor has "been the bigger and smarter outfit". Dutton has taken the Coalition backwards. Albanese has dramatically expanded Labor's majority. Albanese rightly deserves all the kudos for his historic achievement. In the end, not only was Dutton unfit for government. He wasn't fit for opposition.
aplomb VS finesse VS flair VS panache: 1. aplomb [əˈplɑm] 优雅, 淡定, 不慌不忙, 不紧不慢, 从容不迫 a confident relaxed manner when dealing with a difficult situation. If you do something with aplomb, you do it with confidence in a relaxed way. The whole cast executed the production with truly professional aplomb. No one has ever kissed ass with more aplomb than him. Rosalind conducted the meeting with characteristic aplomb 标志性的淡定优雅/with her usual aplomb. vocabulary: Aplomb is the ultimate test for cool: grace under pressure. Use aplomb to show great restraint under even the most trying circumstances. In retail, it's always a good idea to handle the angry customers with aplomb. Angry at the long lines at the grocery store? Irritated because the driver ahead cut you off? Take a deep breath, and approach life's messes with aplomb. When you think of aplomb, think cool, calm and collected. Not frazzled, furious, and fiery. Aplomb comes from the French word meaning "perpendicularity," from the phrase à plomb for "poised upright, balanced." 2. finesse [fɪˈnes] noun. I. a delicate and skillful quality in the way you move or handle something. II. 游刃有余. great skill or style. skill in dealing with difficult situations, especially situations in which you might easily offend people. If you do something with finesse, you do it with great skill and style. ...handling momentous diplomatic challenges with tact and finesse 游刃有余, 从容有度. It was a disappointing performance that lacked finesse. She has handled these difficult negotiations with real finesse. verb. I. 化解. to deal with a situation or a person in a skilful and often slightly dishonest way: She finessed the interview by playing down her lack of experience and talking about her long-standing interest in the field. II. to improve something so it is the best it can possibly be: After they'd finessed the software, they followed the people using it for several months. tact skill and sensitivity in dealing with others or with difficult issues. the ability to say or do the right thing without making anyone unhappy or angry. the ability to say or do things in such a way that you do not make anyone unhappy or angry. Tact is the ability to avoid upsetting or offending people by being careful not to say or do things that would hurt their feelings. On this occasion the press have not been intrusive and they have shown great tact. ...helping to smooth over problems with great tact and efficiency. The editors of this book have shown tact and good sense in their selections. He's never had much tact and people don't like his blunt manner. "the inspector broke the news to me with tact and consideration". You were very tactful 委婉的, 拐着弯的, 技巧的 about the awful meal my mother fixed. I tried to say as tactfully as I could that she was totally wrong. 3. flair (flɛə) I. A natural talent or aptitude; a knack. If you have a flair for a particular thing, you have a natural ability to do it well. ...a friend who has a flair for languages. a flair for interior decorating. II. Instinctive discernment; keenness: a flair for the exotica. III. Distinctive elegance or style: served us with flair 优雅大方的, 从容地, 优雅地, 不慌不忙的. If you have flair 优雅的, you do things in an original, interesting, and stylish way. Their work has all the usual punch 威力, panache [pəˈnæʃ] 娴熟, 游刃有余 and flair 优雅, 从容 you'd expect. I hear the beta crew had a good run. Everybody pulled their weight 各尽其职. 12 shills, hundred-count each. Almost 40 grand. Go out with a flair 闲庭信步似的 从容地, 优雅地, 不慌不忙的. have a flair for something to have a talent for doing something; to have a special ability in some area. Alice has quite a flair for designing. I have a flair for fixing clocks. 4. panache [pəˈnæʃ] 娴熟, 游刃有余 an impressive way of doing something that shows great skill and confidence. The first few songs are played with typical panache. If you do something with panache, you do it in a confident, stylish, and elegant way. The BBC Symphony Orchestra played with great panache. Her panache at dealing with the world's media is quite astonishing. 5. punch verb. I. If you punch someone or something, you hit them hard with your fist. After punching him on the chin she wound up hitting him over the head. He punched the wall angrily, then spun round to face her. He was hurting Johansson with body punches in the fourth round. ...the awesome range of blows which have confirmed him as boxing's hardest puncher 重击手. In American English, punch out means the same as punch. 'I almost lost my job today.'—'What happened?'—'Oh, I punched out this guy.'. In the past, many kids would settle disputes by punching each other out. II. If you punch the air 振臂欢呼, 高举欢呼, 举拳欢呼 you put one or both of your fists forcefully above your shoulders as a gesture of delight or victory. At the end, Graf punched the air in delight, a huge grin on her face. III. If you punch something such as the buttons on a keyboard, you touch them in order to store information on a machine such as a computer or to give the machine a command to do something. Mrs. Baylor strode to the elevator and punched the button 击键. IV. If you punch holes in something, you make holes in it by pushing or pressing it with something sharp. I took a ballpoint pen and punched a hole in the carton. noun. I. A punch is a tool that you use for making holes in something. Make two holes with a hole punch 穿孔机. II. If you say that something has punch, you mean that it has force or effectiveness. My nervousness made me deliver the vital points of my address without sufficient punch 缺少力度. Hurricane Andrew may be slowly losing its punch 冲击力, 威力, but its winds are still around 100 miles an hour. III. Punch is a drink made from wine or spirits mixed with things such as sugar, lemons, and spices. 6. prowess [praʊɪs] Someone's prowess is their great skill at doing something. He's always bragging about his prowess as a cricketer. The best and the brightest pupils competed to demonstrate their intellectual prowess.
Frivolous litigation (frivolous lawsuit 轻率诉讼, 无意义诉讼, 无理取闹, 恶意诉讼)(Vexatious litigation 恶意诉讼 = malicious litigation, or malicious prosecution is legal action which is brought solely to harass or subdue an adversary. It may take the form of a primary frivolous lawsuit or may be the repetitive, burdensome, and unwarranted filing of meritless motions in a matter which is otherwise a meritorious cause of action. Filing vexatious litigation is considered an abuse of the judicial process and may result in sanctions against the offender. A single action, even a frivolous one, is usually not enough to raise a litigant to the level of being declared vexatious. Rather, a pattern of frivolous legal actions is typically required to rise to the level of vexatious. Repeated and severe instances by a single lawyer or firm can result in eventual disbarment. In liberal democratic jurisdictions, declaring someone a vexatious litigant is considered to be a serious measure and rarely occurs, as judges and officials are reluctant to curtail a person's access to the courts. vexatious [vekˈseɪ.ʃəs] I. 恼人的. 烦人的. old-fashioned or formal difficult to deal with and causing a lot of anger, worry, or argument: This settlement will resolve one of the most vexatious problems in the field of industrial relations. II. law specialized having little chance of succeeding in law, but intended to annoy someone or cause problems for them: The amendment opens the door to vexatious litigation. The defendant must be able to show a prosecutor's charges were "vexatious, frivolous, or in bad faith." vexatious legal complaints are not serious but are annoying to deal with: 70% of firms thought more employees were bringing weak and vexatious claims against their employers. vexed 棘手的, 伤脑筋的, 引起争议的 adj [before noun] [vekst] difficult to deal with and causing a lot of disagreement and argument. A vexed problem or question is very difficult and causes people a lot of trouble. Ministers have begun work on the vexed issue of economic union. ...the vexed question of whether it was acceptable for players to be paid for their performances. Economists argue over the vexed question of how to reduce spending. vexing 引起烦恼的, 令人恼火的, 伤脑筋的…, 让人头疼的 annoying, worrying, or causing problems. The shortage of qualified teachers remains a vexing problem. vixen [ˈvɪk.sən] I. a female fox. II. old-fashioned 狡猾的. an unpleasant woman. an ill-tempered, shrewish, or malicious woman. ) ( TBBT1: Sheldon: Oh, good. Dinner's here. Penny: Yes, dinner's here, and I'm having some. I'm having takeout food. Sheldon: Okay. Penny: You're damn right it's okay. I've been having leftovers at the restaurant for like four days, and I wanted something different. So sue me. Sheldon: Forgive me, Penny, but that would be the very definition of a frivolous lawsuit. Penny: Sheldon, look, I will pay you back as soon as I can. You just have to give me more time. Leonard: Oh, wait, you lent her money? Penny: She needed money. You seem under pressure. Did I not lend you a sufficient amount? Because I can give you more. Penny: Oh, you know, you would just love that, wouldn't you? Yeah. You would just love to open up your little snake can and throw some money at the girl who can't pay her bills. Sheldon: In case either of you have larceny [ˈlɑːsɪni] 偷窃 in your heart, you should know that I've moved my money out of the snake can. Leonard: But if you're ever short 缺钱的话, there's always a couple of fifties in Green Lantern's ass. larceny stealing, especially (in the US) the crime of taking something that does not belong to you, without illegally entering a building to do so. the crime of taking something that does not belong to you, but not in a way that involves force or the threat of force: As a pickpocket, he was charged with larceny. They still face charges of grand larceny, and falsifying business records. TBBT2: Hey. Missed you guys at the faculty mixer 员工联谊. Oh, you should have been there. Dessert was bananas. Sorry, that was misleading. The dessert was pie, but the pie was bananas. Actually, the pie was cherry, but the taste of the pie was bananas. Those mixers are such a waste of University money. If they spend less money on frivolous 无足轻重的, 随意的 nonsense and more money on science, we'd all be better off. You're a theoretical physicist. What more do you need than an office and a white board? mixer: I. a good/bad mixer 社牛, 社恐 (social anxiety), 善于交际 mainly UK someone who is good/bad at meeting new people and talking to them. If you say that someone is a good mixer, you mean that they are good at talking to people and making friends. Cooper was a good mixer, he was popular. You get to know lots of people at college if you're a good mixer. II. US old-fashioned a party or dance that has been organized so that people in a group can get to know each other: The school always holds a mixer on the second week of the term. III. A non-alcoholic beverage that pairs very poorly with a particular type of alcohol. Let that be a lesson going forward—milk is a really bad mixer with gin. Ugh, this drink is disgusting! You must have used a bad mixer or something. A: "Energy drinks are a bad mixer with alcohol, trust me." B: "Huh, alcohol plus caffeine, what could go wrong?" ) is the use of legal processes with apparent disregard for the merit of one's own arguments. It includes presenting an argument with reason to know that it would certainly fail, or acting without a basic level of diligence in researching the relevant law and facts. That an argument was lost does not imply the argument was frivolous; a party may present an argument with a low chance of success, so long as it proceeds from applicable law. Frivolous litigation may be based on absurd legal theories, may involve a superabundance or repetition of motions or additional suits, may be uncivil or harassing to the court, or may claim extreme remedies. A claim or defense may be frivolous because it had no underlying justification in fact, or because it was not presented with an argument for a reasonable extension or reinterpretation of the law. A claim may be deemed frivolous because existing laws unequivocally prohibit such a claim, such as a Good Samaritan law. In the United States, Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and similar state rules require that an attorney perform a due diligence investigation concerning the factual basis for any claim or defense. Jurisdictions differ on whether a claim or defense can be frivolous if the attorney acted in good faith. Because such a defense or claim wastes the court's and the other parties' time, resources and legal fees, sanctions may be imposed by a court upon the party or the lawyer who presents the frivolous defense or claim. The law firm may also be sanctioned, or even held in contempt.