用法学习: 1. leaven [ˈlev.ən] I. to add a substance to bread or another food made with flour to make it increase in size when it is cooked. II. to make something less serious or boring: leavened with humour 淡化, 调侃, 轻松 If a situation or activity is leavened by or with something, it is made more interesting or cheerful. His mood of deep pessimism cannot have been leavened by his mode of transport–a black cab. He found congenial officers who knew how to leaven war's rigours with riotous enjoyment. Even a speech on a serious subject should be leavened with a little humour. But Charles leavened his critique by showing deep respect for his hosts. He quoted Trump saying that the "bond of kinship" between the US and UK is "priceless and eternal." And his speech was replete [ɪˈpliːt] with praise for American historic achievements. And the harder edges were softened by the choreographed [kɒr.i.ə.ɡrɑːf] pomp of a state visit that reciprocates a trip by Trump last year. Paraphrasing President Theodore Roosevelt, the king was speaking softly while carrying a big scepter. congenial [kənˈdʒiniəl] 宜人的, 怡人的 I. friendly and enjoying the company of others. A congenial person, place, or environment is pleasant. He is back in more congenial company. II. a congenial situation is pleasant, friendly, and enjoyable. note: Congenial describes a person, place, or thing that is pleasant, friendly, and well-suited to one’s tastes or needs. It implies a harmonious or compatible nature, such as a "congenial atmosphere" or "congenial company". The term often suggests shared interests or a pleasant, sociable temperament. uncongenial [ʌnkəndʒiːniəl] 不友善的, 不友好的, 不让人愉悦的, 让人不快的, 让人不舒服的, 让人不爽的, 让人不痛快的, 让人痛苦的 If you describe a person or place as uncongenial, you mean that they are unfriendly and unpleasant. He continued to find the Simpsons uncongenial bores. Hollywood was an uncongenial place to work. congeniality People who have the quality of congeniality 亲善, 亲切友好, 平易近人 have a gift for getting along with others. They are warm, friendly, and probably well-suited to serve on welcoming committees. The noun congeniality is closely related to the word geniality, which means "friendliness." The noun congeniality is closely related to the word geniality, which means "friendliness." Congeniality can be defined the same way, but the Latin prefix con, or "with," adds a sense of connection to other people. If you can't get elected as Prom Queen, strive for the title "Miss Congeniality." In beauty pageants such as the Miss America pageant, it's an award given to the friendliest contestant as determined by a vote among the contestants. "Congenial" means friendly, welcoming, amiable. Congeniality is the quality of being friendly or welcoming. It can apply to persons (e.g., a congenial fellow) or it can be used in a more abstract sense (e.g., a congenial atmosphere).Congenial describes a person, place, or thing that is pleasant, friendly, and well-suited to one’s tastes or needs. It implies a harmonious or compatible nature, such as a "congenial atmosphere" or "congenial company". The term often suggests shared interests or a pleasant, sociable temperament. collegiality [ˌkɑlidʒˈæləti] 同事关系 the quality of being relaxed, friendly, and cooperative, as is typical among a group of close colleagues. The regular meeting schedule builds a sense of collegiality among the teachers. congenital [kənˈdʒenɪt(ə)l] 天生的, 与生俱来的, 胎里带的, 先天性的 I. a congenital medical condition is one that a person has had since they were born. II. if someone has a congenital fault, they have always had it. He's a congenital 天生的, 与生俱来的 liar. 2. conning tower [ˈkɒnɪŋ ˌtaʊə] 司令塔, 指挥塔 a structure on top of a submarine (= a ship that can travel underwater) or, in the past, a military ship, from which the ship can be controlled and that contains a periscope (= a device for seeing what is above you). A conning tower is an armored, raised structure on submarines and, historically, battleships, used as a protected command post for steering, navigation, and weapon control. Submarine conning towers (often called a "sail" or "fin" in modern designs) typically house periscopes, radar, and torpedo control systems, serving as the primary combat station. A conning tower is a raised platform on a ship or submarine, often armoured, from which an officer in charge can conn (conduct or control) the vessel, controlling movements of the ship by giving orders to those responsible for the ship's engine, rudder, lines, and ground tackle. It is usually located as high on the ship as is practical, to give the conning team good visibility of the entirety of the ship, ocean conditions, and other vessels. The conning tower of the sub slowly emerged from the water. 3. In US politics, "86" is slang for removing, getting rid of, or rejecting a politician, often carrying connotations of forced removal or, in extreme interpretations, elimination. It is commonly used in phrases like "8647" to imply removing the 47th President (Donald Trump), used by critics to signify political ousting or, as argued by some, a threat of violence. Eighty-six or 86 is American English slang, generally meaning to "get rid of" someone or something. In the hospitality industry, it is used to indicate that an item is no longer available, traditionally from a food or drinks establishment, or referring to a person or people who are not welcome on the premises. Its etymology is unknown, but the term seems to have been coined in the 1920s or 1930s. The term eighty-six is used in restaurants and bars, according to most American slang dictionaries. It is often used in food and drink services to indicate that an item is no longer available or that a customer should be ejected. Beyond this context, it is generally used with the meaning to "get rid of" someone or something. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the term as to "refuse to serve (a customer)", or to "get rid of" or "throw out" someone or something. While the former FBI director James Comey has said it did not occur to him that that the numbers “86 47” – which he spotted spelled out in seashells on a beach, and posted on social media last year – could be interpreted as a call to assassinate the president, as many supporters of Donald Trump have claimed, he now faces criminal charges tied to the shells. On Tuesday, Comey was charged over the picture he posted on Instagram last year. The charges mark the latest instance in which Trump’s justice department has used its power to target the US president’s political enemies. The controversy revolves around the meaning of 86, which is common slang for stopping or getting rid of something, typically old equipment; not serving someone, for example in a restaurant; being ejected from somewhere, such as a bar; or, in a military context, stopping a plan or mission. (The number 47 could be understood to indicate Trump, the 47th president.) Merriam-Webster notes that 86 has very occasionally been used to mean “to kill” but said it did not endorse that meaning “due to its relative recency and sparseness of use”. There are differing etymologies 词源 of where the term “86” or to be “86’d” originates. The most common origin story involves Chumley’s, a prohibition-era bar at 86 Barrow Street in New York’s West Village. The bar had two entrances, one on Barrow and another via Bedford, and “86” referred to the address of the door from which intoxicated or unruly guests would be ejected. A different version of the story, narrated by the author Jef Klein in The History and Stories of the Best Bars of New York, says that when “the cops would very kindly call ahead before a [prohibition-era] raid, they’d tell the bartender to ‘86’ his customers, meaning they should exit via the 86 Bedford door” while cops came in through the Barrow Street entrance. 4. flummoxed [ˈflʌm.əkst] 困惑的, 迷惘的, 不解的, 不明白的 so confused that you do not know what to do. perplexed or bewildered No wonder Josef was feeling a bit flummoxed. He looked completely flummoxed. Doctors were flummoxed by the boy's symptoms. I have to say that last question flummoxed me. "I'm always flummoxed how travelling on the taxpayer's dime is morally correct, but on a supporter's dime covers for a maligned purpose," he said. Mr Joyce said he had been lobbied by members of the public when on a commercial flight, when explaining why a private plane was needed. 5. US - UK special relationship: In a leaked audio recording of Sir Christian's meeting with UK sixth-form students visiting the US, he can be heard saying: "'Special relationship' is a phrase I try not to utter because it's quite nostalgic, it's quite backwards-looking, and it has a lot of sort of baggage about it." "I think there is probably one country that has a special relationship with the United States, and that is probably Israel," he said. This is awkward timing for the King, who is in the US to try to bolster the UK-US "special relationship" at time when relations between Donald Trump and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer are at a low ebb 在低潮期. In the recording, Sir Christian also said the US and the UK shared "a deep history and affinity", particularly on security and defence, and noted their economies were "very close". "There are things we do together that no two other countries do." He said he did not believe the UK and the US were in a "moment of rupture 破裂期, 破碎期 (A "moment of rupture" refers to a sudden, intense interruption in continuity, marking a break in safety, stability, or historical flow, often leading to deep transformation or crisis. It encompasses both material failures and profound shifts in perception or political history. )" but that "we're certainly at the end of an era, and the era is changing". "And my advice to my prime minister is 'I can't just put my hands on my ears and say it's special, it's going to be fine,' we've got to work really clearly to see what we the UK bring to the table." It is understood that diplomats no longer use the phrase the "special relationship", a term some view as outdated. Former foreign secretary Jack Straw told BBC Radio 4's The World Tonight programme that Sir Christian was "absolutely right" to say Israel has a special relationship with the US. "The United States subsidises Israel's military spending, including its spending on United States armaments, and that alone makes the relationship special," Straw said. He added that he was "uncomfortable" using the phrase "special relationship" during his tenure as foreign secretary and would like to see it "cosigned to the bin 丢进垃圾桶 ( cosign kənˈsaɪn] I. to send something to someone. to give or send, or to put someone in an unpleasant place or situation. To consign something or someone to a place or situation where they will be forgotten or do not want to be means to put them there 丢到, 陷入. For decades, many of his works were consigned to the basements of museums. It was time to consign his bat and glove to the cupboard. It seemed that the custom of riding side-saddle would be consigned to history. She refused to consign her children to a life of poverty. be consigned to sb The goods have been consigned to you by air. II. to give something to an auctioneer and ask them to sell it for you: Most items that you consign to us for sale will be illustrated in our online catalogue. consign someone/something to something to get rid of someone or something or to put him, her, or it in an unpleasant place or situation: to be consigned to prison. After the financial disaster, she was consigned to a life of poverty. consignee [ˌkɒn.saɪˈniː] 收件人, 收货人 the person something is sent to: Goods must be signed for by the consignee. If the consignee refuses the goods, the carrier will ask the sender for instructions. ) ".
