用法学习: 1. decorous [ˈdek.ə.rəs] behaving politely and in a controlled way. Decorous behaviour is very respectable, calm, and polite. They go for decorous walks every day in parks with their nanny. He sipped his drink decorously. His manner, as ever, was decorous. tousled [ˈtaʊ.zəld] 凌乱的 I. having hair that looks untidy, as if it has been rubbed. If you have tousled hair, it is untidy and looks as if it has not been brushed or combed. He invariably dressed in crumpled clothes and his thatch of blond hair was often tousled. Naomi stood in front of them, her face flushed, her hair tousled. He came to breakfast, all tousled, in last night's clothes. II. (esp. of hair) looking messy: She ran her fingers through her tousled hair. duff someone up 暴揍, 胖揍 to hit someone repeatedly. to hit them many times and injure them. There was a fight on a bus where some kids duffed up the bus conductor. Two of the robbers threatened to duff the witness up if he went to the police. 2. variation [ˌveə.riˈeɪ.ʃən] I. a change in amount or level. change in quality, amount, or level: The variation in the price during the past month is startling. Unemployment rates among white-collar workers show much less regional variation than corresponding rates among blue-collar workers. The medical tests showed some variation in the baby's heart rate. global temperature variations over the last 140 years. Unemployment rates for individual counties are not adjusted for seasonal variations. variation in sth (什么方面的)变化 The survey found a wide variation in the prices charged for canteen food. Every day without variation my grandfather ate a plate of cold ham. The company uses outsourcing to respond to variations in demand. II. something that is slightly different from the usual form or arrangement. A variation also is a difference, or a thing that differs slightly from another of its type: Her movies are all variations on the same theme. There are wide variations in the way pensioners have benefited from the system. The films she makes are all variations on the same theme. something which is slightly different from the usual form or arrangement: a variation 小小不同 on sth (在...之上的)不同 A variation on something is the same thing presented in a slightly different form. This delicious variation on an omelette is quick and easy to prepare. Many theories on punishment exist, all of which are variations on a theme. Sometimes a small variation on an existing idea is enough to make it stand out. III. one of several short tunes that are based on the same simple tune, but are different from it and from the others: symphonic variations. variety [vəˈraɪ.ə.ti] 多样性 I. the characteristic of often changing and being different: When planning meals, you need to think about variety and taste as well as nutritional value. Sexual reproduction serves to create genetic variety. Work on the production line is monotonous and lacks variety. the characteristic of often changing and being different: Most people like a bit of variety 不一样, 变化, 多样性 in their work. II. a different type of something. a type, esp. one among a group of things that share general features and differ in some details: Several different varieties of sparrows live around here. The article was about the different varieties 不同形态的 of Spanish spoken in South America. language variety There are no linguistically based reasons - only social ones - for preferring one language variety over another. This variety of rose is especially hardy and drought-resistant. Our supermarket stocks apples in several different varieties. Pink Lady is not an heritage 历史遗留下来的, 流传下来的 apple variety. It's a relatively modern cultivar, bred in Western Australia in the 1970s by John Cripps at the Department of Agriculture. It's a cross between **Golden Delicious** and **Lady Williams**. The "Lady" part of the name comes from the Lady Williams parent. III. many different types of things or people. many different types of similar things or people: a variety of sth The company makes a variety of cameras. They stock a wide variety of tools. She does a variety of fitness activities. The equipment could be used for a variety of educational purposes. Manufacturers need large sales to justify offering a big variety in export markets. IV. a type of entertainment which includes several separate short performances, such as singing, dancing, magic tricks, and telling jokes: a variety show. variety is the spice of life 多样化, 多种多样 the characteristic of frequently changing, or of including many different types or things: The markets offer a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. You can get magazines there that have a little bit more variety. heritage I. A country's heritage is all the qualities, traditions, or features of life there that have continued over many years and have been passed on from one generation to another. The historic building is as much part of our heritage as the paintings. ...the rich heritage of Russian folk music. The Crooked Road is the state of Virginia's 250-mile musical heritage trail. II. A person's heritage is their racial, religious or cultural identity that has come to them through their family. As proud as I am of my Mexican heritage, there is only one place I can call home: the United States. Despite being of Jewish heritage, young Walter was raised a Lutheran. III. Heritage breeds of animals or varieties of plants are ones that have existed for a long time and were popular in the past. You need 600g ripe heritage tomatoes in various colours, shapes and sizes. They supply us with heritage breed beef which is properly and carefully aged. 3. skint [skɪnt] 没钱 having no money. If you say that you are skint, you mean that you have no money. I'm skint! Lend us a tenner. I get paid each Friday, and by Tuesday I'm always skint. 3. on a tear 一段时间的成功 US informal having a period of success: Since releasing her fifth album in early June, the pop star Lizzo has been on something of a tear. The Sox finished the season on a tear, winning 70% of their last 66 games. The markets took off on a tear and rarely looked back for another nine years. Sales of electric bicycles are suddenly on a tear. The industry has been on a tear, building new plants all over the country. I knew I had to get on a tear to have any chance of beating him. on a shoestring 预算有限 If you do something on a shoestring, you do it with a very small amount of money: The film was made on a shoestring. on a wing and a prayer 准备不充分但又希望成功, 只有一线成功的可能 If you do something on a wing and a prayer, you do it hoping that you will succeed, although you are not prepared enough for it. without much chance of success. to do something in the hope that you will succeed, even though you do not have the proper resources for it, or are not properly equipped or prepared Whatever the cause, large parts of the government seem to be running on a wing and a prayer. She took the job on a wing and a prayer. With hardly any funding and a staff of six, they were operating on a wing and a prayer. litigate [ˈlɪtɪˌɡeɪt] 发起诉讼, 起诉 to ask a court of law to make a decision about a disagreement. To litigate means to take legal action. ...the cost of litigating personal injury claims in the county court. If we have to litigate, we will. to ask for a disagreement to be discussed in a court of law so that a judgment can be made that must be accepted by both sides in the argument. to cause an argument between people or groups to be discussed in a law court so that a judgment can be made. To cause a disagreement to be discussed in a court of law so that a legal decision can be made about it: It is not necessarily right to litigate in every dispute. The case is still being litigated. When Lizzo burst on 忽然冒出来 the scene in 2019, it seemed to herald, or at least symbolize, a new moment. Here was this force of musical prowess and personal charisma, living unapologetically as herself — and being celebrated for it. As a plus-sized Black woman, she inspired millions — and also saw her body unfairly used to litigate the issues of the day. She faced enormous scrutiny — and fought back in kind, like when she didn't take criticism about her backside-bearing outfit causing a stir at a Laker game in 2019. of the day I. served in a restaurant as a special item on a particular day. What's the vegetable of the day? Our soup of the day is vegetable beef. II. 时下的. of a particular period of time. What were some of the popular movies of the day? We read old newspapers to learn of the important issues of the day. 4. diddly-squat slang (usually used with a negative) US and Canadian informal the least amount. anything at all. … my mother never gave my father diddly-squat for Valentine's Day. that doesn't mean diddly-squat. fiddly (因为部件太小而复杂所以难操作的) 精细的, 细微的, 难拿捏的 UK informal difficult to do because the parts involved are small. Something that is fiddly is difficult to do or use because it involves small or complicated objects. It was a time-consuming and fiddly job. Fish can be fiddly to cook. fiddly job Repairing a watch is a very fiddly job. fiddly bits I hate painting the fiddly bits in the corner. pernickety [pəˈnɪk.ə.ti] = US persnickety [pəˈsnɪkɪti] 纠缠于不重要的细节的, 太抠细节的 [British, informal, disapproval] If you describe someone as pernickety, you think that they pay too much attention to small, unimportant details. giving too much attention to small details that are not important in a way that annoys other people. Customs officials can get extremely pernickety about things like that. 5. break out I. If something dangerous or unpleasant breaks out, it suddenly starts: War broke out in 1914. Fighting has broken out all over the city. II. If an infectious disease breaks out, people start to suffer from it and it spreads to others: Many diseases have broken out in these camps. Cholera broke out in the city. Detergents make my hands break out. I hate it when I break out in hives. break out in a rash, spots, a sweat etc. to suddenly have something such as red marks or sweat appear on your skin: break out in a rash I broke out in a rash all over my body. She broke out in a rash after eating some strawberries. The drugs they prescribed caused my vision to blur and my skin to break out in spots. I have a tendency to break out in acne when I'm stressed. break out in a sweat It didn't take much exercise to make him break out in a sweat. When I heard the noise I broke out in a cold sweat. My whole body had broken out in a sweat and my heart was pounding. III. 单独列出, 分开单列. 单独算. to divide a set of numbers or other pieces of information into groups according to particular characteristics, in order to better understand them: Europe accounted for nearly 27 per cent of Apple's total sales in its last fiscal year. The company does not break out sales for the EU. She gave overall sales figures but did not break out numbers for any single store. The reports did not clearly break out how much was being spent on travel, how much on entertainment, and how much on basic salaries. break something out by something Write down the numbers and break them out by product category or service type and by customer. The numbers are not broken out by cities, so the Denver area, with an extensive bus system, can not be distinguished from the rest of the state. The board doesn't break out its new voter registrations numbers by political party. IV. to escape from a place or a situation: Two inmates broke out of prison and are still at large. V. to begin, or to begin using or doing something: A fight almost broke out. I was afraid I was going to break out crying. 6. a steady hand I. the ability to control your hands and not shake: Painting these small details needs a steady hand. He is a trained surgeon who wields a scalpel with a steady hand. II. the ability to keep control in a difficult situation, or someone who has this ability: He led the company with a steady hand through tough times. She's a steady hand, but I don't see her as a reformer. III. Strong, unwavering discipline and control. Children need parents with a steady hand growing up—they crave structure and rules, despite their protests to the contrary. The new CEO has managed to steer the company back into profitability in less than a year. It seems they finally have a steady hand at the helm. With the company's president making a series of brilliant decisions, it seems they finally have a steady hand at the helm. structure I. A set of rules defining behaviour. For some, the structure 定规 of school life was oppressive. Personal routine/organization (most common everyday use). "She has a lot of structure in her life" means she has consistent routines, schedules, and predictable patterns — set wake times, regular meals, planned work blocks, etc. The opposite would be someone who's more spontaneous or disorganized. "He needs structure" is common in parenting, education, or mental health contexts — meaning a person functions better with clear rules, routines, and boundaries rather than open-ended freedom. This comes up a lot with children, but also with adults managing things like ADHD, recovery from addiction, or major life transitions. II. A body, such as a political party, with a cohesive purpose or outlook. The South African leader went off to consult with the structures. excoriate [ekˈskɔː.ri.eɪt] 痛斥, 严厉谴责, 狠批, 痛批 to write or say that a play, book, political action, etc. is very bad. To excoriate a person or organization means to criticize them severely, usually in public. He proceeded to excoriate me in front of the nurses. His latest novel received excoriating reviews. The president excoriated the Western press for their biased views. vocabulary: When it comes to "telling someone off," excoriate is reserved for the most severe cases. So, before you excoriate your little sister for borrowing your favorite jacket without permission, consider whether she truly deserves such harsh treatment. If you excoriate someone, you let that person know that you really, really disagree with them. This verb goes beyond mere criticism; it implies anger, a harsh and insulting tone, and even a scathing attack. Synonyms of excoriate include denounce, decry, and condemn. In a medical sense, excoriate means "to tear skin off by chafing." A bad rug burn can excoriate your skin. If someone excoriates you verbally, it might make you feel like you've been physically excoriated. 7. handball something (hand off something, pass the buck, palm off, offload ) In Australian Rules Football, one of the ways to pass the ball is to handball it. To handball something has also come to mean to give a task or a project to someone else to finish. Sometimes it also has a slightly derogatory sense to it, in that someone has shirked their responsibility. Handball 足球中的手球 is the act of touching the ball with your hand during a football game, which is not allowed. in football, the act of touching the ball with your hand or arm: Simmons was penalized for a handball and Nicholson converted the spot-kick. He was sent off after 65 minutes for hand ball but the opposition were unable to take advantage. He got sent off for deliberate handball in the 32nd minute. 8. fill out I. If someone who is thin fills out, they become heavier and more rounded, often because they have grown older. If a fairly thin person fills out, they become fatter. to become larger, fuller, or rounder, as the figure. The children have begun to fill out 变壮, 变得壮硕, 变大块. since I saw them last. After months of training, the young athlete began to fill out and build serious muscle. A girl may fill out before she reaches her full height. II. to become larger: When John is older and fills out some, he'll be an outstanding athlete. to make or become fuller, thicker, or rounder. the plants have filled out considerably this spring. III. to write or type information in spaces that are provided for it: The 9m taxpayers obliged to fill out self-assessment forms must file their returns by September 30. IV. [mainly US] If you fill out ( = fill in UK) a form or other document requesting information, you write information in the spaces on it. Fill out the application carefully, and keep copies of it. V. to make more substantial the writers were asked to fill their stories out. VI. have fans occupy the seats. "We need a big-name artist to fill out the stadium for tonight's concert". The team needs a win to fill the stadium. Over 80,000 fans packed the stadium. 9. scion [ˈsaɪ.ən] a young member of a rich and famous family. A scion of a rich or famous family is one of its younger or more recent members. Nabokov was the scion of an aristocratic family. He's the scion of a very wealthy newspaper-publishing family. Lawmakers have accused Ms. Duterte, the daughter of the Philippines' previous president, of embezzlement and of betraying the public's trust by threatening to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who is also a political scion 官二代. The stunning falling-out came just four years after the Marcoses and the Dutertes joined forces in 2022. 10. edit oneself 说话小心, 谨言慎行, 加个把门的, 约束点自己 to change what one was going to say or would normally say. To "edit oneself" means to filter, correct, or censor what you are about to say or how you behave. It involves consciously stopping yourself from saying something that might be inappropriate, offensive, or unnecessary, or carefully tailoring your thoughts to fit a specific situation. I feel like I have to edit myself when I talk to them. "I never saw it," she said before quickly editing herself, "or at least I don't remember seeing it." Look, since Dad died, I know you've been feeling free to speak your mind, but it wouldn't hurt to edit yourself every once in a while. I'm sorry if the truth hurts. I'm just saying you hero-worshipped him. And those feelings were never returned. self-edit I. To censor oneself; to stop oneself from saying certain things. II. (authorship) To edit one's own writing while it is being written. adjust [oneself] to (something/someone) 调整以适应 I. To become familiar or comfortable with something, often a change in one's life. to make changes in one's opinion or attitude toward someone or something, such as a change in one's life or environment. to make something fit something else; to alter something to make it suitable for something else. The builder adjusted the plans for the new house to the requirements of the fire marshal. Can't you adjust yourself to your new office? I know you're not thrilled with this new schedule, but can you please try to adjust yourself to it? After growing up in a small town, I really had to adjust to college life in Manhattan. How has Uncle Ed been since the divorce? Is he adjusting to single life? II. To get used to something or someone: It took many years for me to adjust to the cold winters 适应寒冷的冬天 in Vermont. adapt I. 改编. 稍事修改. to change, or to change something, to suit different conditions or uses: adapt something for something Davies is busy adapting Brinkworth's latest novel for television. be adapted for The play had been adapted for (= changed to make it suitable for) children. be adapted from The recipe here is a pork roast adapted from Caroline O'Neill's book "Louisiana Kitchen". Many software companies have adapted popular programs to the new operating system. We had to adapt our plans to fit Jack's timetable. Sometimes you have to adapt the design to suit the customer's requirements. adapt sth for sth It was the first time a British brewer had adapted a product for French tastes. II. to change your ideas or behaviour to make them suitable for a new situation. adapt to doing sth Dick has adapted very well to running a multinational. adapt to something To remain competitive the company has to be able to adapt to the changing marketplace. The good thing about children is that they adapt very easily to new environments. It took me a while to adapt to the new job. III. biology specialized If a living thing adapts, it changes slightly over time so it can continue to exist in a particular environment: adapt to Species have adapted to climate changes throughout history. The ways in which organisms have adapted to survive in this extreme environment are not well understood. adapted I. changed slightly for a particular purpose or use: He drives a specially adapted car. The festive grotto is in fact an adapted garden shed. This adapted procedure was problematic in many ways. II. (of a living thing) able to exist in a particular environment because of changes that have happened to it over time: adapted to Both trees are well adapted to London's dry climate and dirty air. The rat is uniquely adapted to living around humans. 11. shut-in I. 卧床不起的人. a person who is confined to home, a room, or bed because of illness or incapacity. a. secretive, brooding. a bitter, shut-in face. b. tending to avoid social contact, withdrawn. the shut-in or seclusive type of personality. II. a narrow gorge-shaped part of an otherwise wide valley. III. available oil or gas which is not being produced from an existing well. shut someone/something in (something) to prevent someone or something from leaving a place, usually by closing or fastening a door or gate: The door enables us to shut the birds in the shelter in bad weather. The cat was shut in the garage all night. shut yourself in something He was so upset that he shut himself in his bedroom and refused to come out. Several OPEC members – namely Iran, Iraq and Kuwait – had no choice but to shut in their crude production and wait. II. to catch part of your body or an object inside a device or container when it closes: Steve was off work for a week after he shut his hand 夹住了手, 夹手 in the car door. III. 关起来. If you shut yourself in a room, you stay in there and make sure nobody else can get in. After one particular bad result, he shut himself in the shower room for an hour. He shut himself in his office, telling his secretary to hold all calls. judicious 深思熟虑的, 仔细衡量过的, 精打细算的, 精明的 having or showing reason and good judgment in making decisions. having or showing good judgment in making decisions. If you describe an action or decision as judicious, you approve of it because you think that it shows good judgment and sense. The President authorizes the judicious use of military force to protect our citizens. Modern fertilisers should be used judiciously. The law allows for the judicious use of force in some situations. Spend your money a little more judiciously. We should make judicious use of the resources available to us. That's why OPEC has been clear: it will be judicious with its supply increases while it engages in dialog with its member states. This weekend, OPEC+, a group that includes Russia and some other non-OPEC members, agreed to raise daily output by just 188,000 barrels, the fifth such incremental production increase since March. judicial [dʒuːˈdɪʃ.əl] relating to a judge or judges, to a law court, or to the justice system. the judicial branch. the judicial system. judicial enquiry. No judicial enquiry has been held into the outbreak of violence last summer. 12. sending-off 罚下场 If there is a sending-off during a game of football, a player is told to leave the field by the referee, as a punishment for seriously breaking the rules. He is about to begin a three-match ban after his third sending-off of the season. You are off the team(Off One's Game: Refers to a temporary slump where a player is underperforming compared to their usual ability, though they remain on the team.) I. a phrase that determines you have done something wrong and are no longer viewed as an equal. "hey did i say you could use my stick? yer off the team!". II. to be lower than yourself. "hey asshole!!!!!!!!!! YER OFF THE TEAM!" III. the opposite of being on the team if in fact you once were, and if you weren't, see the first two definitions. an individual is no longer a member of a squad, cut from the team, or completely removed from an organization's roster. It indicates a permanent or temporary dismissal, exclusion, or separation from an active group or competitive event. captain-"hey curtis, you wanna get me a beer? captain-"ya know what? YER OFF THE TEAM!!!!!!!!!" You realize there's nothing I can do if you fail. You're off the team 你就得离队了( 用现在时态表示将来 in casual spoken English, people frequently use present tense to express a near-certain future outcome, almost for dramatic emphasis (like "I'm out of here" meaning "I'm about to leave," or "You're dead" meaning "you're about to be in serious trouble"). ). fool's gold 很上去很美, 骗傻子的黄金 I. a mineral that is found in rocks and looks like gold but is not valuable. Fool's gold is a substance that is found in rock and that looks very like gold. II. [disapproval] something that you think will be very pleasant or successful but is not. If you say that a plan for getting money is fool's gold, you mean that it is foolish to carry it out because you are sure that it will fail or cause problems. The British establishment seems to be off on another quest for fool's gold. A wealth tax would be fool's gold: To many, the 5 percent wealth tax on California’s ballot this year may sound like a harmless way to raise money, a proposal only billionaires would dislike. Yet leaders from across the political spectrum oppose the plan. The critics are right. A quick look at the math underpinning the proposal, which would tax the accumulated assets of ultrawealthy Californians, shows that the first net wealth tax in modern U.S. history would provide the state little and endanger its economic core. 13. expound [ɪkˈspaʊnd] to give a detailed explanation of something. If you expound an idea or opinion, you give a clear and detailed explanation of it. Schmidt continued to expound his views on economics and politics. Lawrence expounded on the military aspects of guerrilla warfare. expound on = expound He's always expounding on what's wrong with the world. expound a theory He likes to expound his theories about the economy, which are usually wrong. expound your views She uses her newspaper column to expound her views on environmental issues. play the heavy 做坏人, 演大反派, 演大坏蛋 Act the part of a villain; take the blame for unkind behavior. She can't bear firing an employee, so she relies on Jim to play the heavy. This colloquial term comes from the theater, where heavy has been used for a stern, serious role or that of a villain since the early 1800s. the heavy I. A villain in a work of fiction. I always get typecast as the heavy of the movie. The heavy in his novel is about as generic as you can get. Why can't screenwriters write a nuanced heavy for once? Their one-note villain is just annoying me. II. noun, slang A mobster, especially an enforcer. A couple of heavies showed up to force the business owner to pay his share of the mafia's protection racket. After Mr. Smith refused to pay the mafia the money he owed, they sent a few heavies around to rough him up. I'm worried that if I don't put a security detail on our witness, some heavy will try to take her out before she can testify. III. noun, slang A very important or influential person. He's known as something of a heavy in the fashion industry. Our lobbyists have been pressuring some of the political heavies to alter the wording of the legislation. OK, who are the heavies around here, and how can I impress them? III. adjective, slang 太沉重. 太深奥. Of very serious, intense, or profound significance. This book about World War II is real heavy, man—I don't think I can keep reading it. I'm too emotionally drained for anything heavy, that's why I picked a comedy series to watch. Of course a movie about war is going to be heavy—what did you expect? V . interjection, dated slang Used to express the profound or intense seriousness of a situation. A: "If we don't fix this, you may never get back home!" B: "Whoa, Doc, this is heavy!" A: "Weight has nothing to do with it, Marty." This is heavy, man. But you can't tell the others we're in danger, they'll totally freak out. So the protagonist is able to go back in time and stop assassinations from happening? Heavy. 14. negotiate I. 成功穿越, 成功穿过. to manage to travel along a difficult route. If you negotiate an area of land, a place, or an obstacle, you successfully travel across it or around it. Frank Mariano negotiates the desert terrain in his battered pickup. I negotiated the corner on my motorbike and pulled to a stop. I negotiated my way out of the airport and joined the flow of cars. The only way to negotiate the muddy hillside is on foot. II. to deal with something difficult: The company's had some tricky problems to negotiate in its first year in business. III. If people negotiate with each other or negotiate an agreement, they talk about a problem or a situation such as a business arrangement in order to solve the problem or complete the arrangement. It is not clear whether the president is willing to negotiate with the democrats. When you have two adversaries negotiating, you need to be on neutral territory. The local government and the army negotiated a truce. Western governments have this week urged him to negotiate and avoid force. He has bravely negotiated an end to the country's civil war. His publishing house had just begun negotiating for her next books. There were reports that three companies were negotiating to market the drug. a credit to someone/something to be so good or successful that the people or things that made you successful should be mentioned: Thomas is a credit to our school system. credit (something) to (someone or something) do somebody/something credit I. To apply a payment to a financial account belonging to someone or something. to behave so well or be so successful that your family, team etc are proud of you She‘s a credit to her profession. Your children really do you credit 增光添彩. Now, which account should I credit this payment to? Don't worry, ma'am, we'll credit the refund to your bill. Why hasn't my payment been credited to my account? I know I submitted it on time. II. To give someone praise, admiration, or acknowledgement for some task, achievement, or accomplishment. Jenny did all the hard parts of the project, so we need to credit the work to her 记功劳. The company credited 归功于 the sharp increase in quarterly profits to the massive popularity of its latest product. I must credit my success to the many excellent acting teachers I've had over the years. good offices 帮忙, 帮助, 恩惠 Someone's good offices are the help that they give to other people who are trying to achieve something. She sought the good offices of the President for the smooth passage of the Bill. through (one's) good offices = through the good offices of somebody 借助影响, 借助援助 Through someone's assistance or influence. help given by someone who has authority or can influence people It was through the State Department's good offices that we were able to locate our son in Cambodia. My uncle is great friends with the college dean, and it was through his good offices that I was able to get in despite my poor grades. I managed to obtain a visa through the good offices of a friend in the Service. smoke-filled room A room where a small group of people make important decisions. Usually used in reference to political parties. a place where powerful people, such as politicians, meet to have discussions and make agreements in secret. If you talk about a decision being made in a smoke-filled room, you mean that it is made by a small group of people in a private meeting, rather than in a more democratic or open way. The whole business stinks of political corruption and decisions made in smoke-filled rooms. The smoke-filled rooms are still producing the candidates for most offices, despite all the political reforms. breakout room 小会议室 A small meeting room or a separate part of an internet meeting where a small group can discuss a particular issue before returning to the main meeting: We will have breakout rooms where an inventor can present his plan to investors. Breakout rooms are useful in an online training session to enable practice in small groups. be one thing after another = be one thing after the other 各种事, 事非常多, 非常多事 You say that it is one thing after another/the other when many things are happening in a short time. If you talk about one thing after another, you are referring to a series of repeated or continuous events. I've been so busy today. It's been one thing after another. They had faced one difficulty after another with bravery and dedication. They kept going, destroying one store after another. smoke signals 迹象 征兆 A sign that something is probably going to happen. All the smoke signals from Downing Street indicate that the taxpayer will have to pay up again. 15. proper adj. I. [ before noun ] 正式的, 正规的. 合适的. 恰当的. real, satisfactory, suitable, or correct. fitting or right for a particular situation; suitable: We didn't have the proper tools to do the job right. With proper treatment she should recover completely. This is Sara's first proper job - she usually does temporary work just for the money. If you're going to walk long distances you need proper walking boots. I would have done the job myself but I didn't have the proper equipment. I've had sandwiches but I haven't eaten a proper meal 大餐, 正餐, 好好吃一顿 (Have a good meal, Have a big meal, Treat myself to a nice meal, Have a proper meal, Have a feast, Eat like a king / Eat like royalty, Treat yourself to a big feast). She likes everything to be in its proper place. II. 注重礼仪的. 合规的, 符合礼仪的, 合规矩的, 恰当的 showing standards of behaviour that are socially and morally acceptable. correct, or considered to be correct: The coach showed him the proper way to hold a bat. In those days it was considered not quite proper for young ladies to be seen talking to men in public. She was very proper, my grandmother - she'd never go out without wearing her hat and gloves. according to socially accepted standards of behavior: I didn't think it was proper to just invite myself in. III. 正宗的. 地道的. belonging to the main, most important, or typical part. being in the central or main part or place: They live in the suburbs, not in Boston proper. It's a suburb of Los Angeles really - I wouldn't call it Los Angeles proper. IV. UK informal complete: I've got myself into a proper mess! adv. I. sometimes used instead of the adverb "properly" to describe how someone speaks: She was an educated lady so she talked proper 说话讲究, 用词将就. II. UK informal used for emphasizing what you are saying: I was proper annoyed with him. 16. camp on to In phone systems and mobile networks, "camping on" means holding your call in a queue for a busy extension or searching for and locking onto an available network. For example, in Australia, if your carrier is out of range, your mobile is designed to "camp on" to an alternate network to connect emergency calls. Telstra CEO Vicki Brady says some of the emergency calls on Wednesday that were affected by the Telstra outage did camp on to other networks. That means some emergency calls did go through via Optus and other networks. wiki: In telecommunications, the term camp-on busy signal has the following meanings: A signal that informs a busy telephone user that another call originator is waiting for a connection. A teleprinter exchange facility signal that automatically causes a calling station to retry the call-receiver number after a given interval when the call-receiver teleprinter is occupied or the circuits are busy. 17. modal [ˈməʊ.dəl] I. 情态动词. a verb, such as "can", "might", and "must", that is used with another verb to express an idea such as possibility that is not expressed by the main verb of a sentence. In grammar, a modal or a modal auxiliary is a word such as 'can' or 'would' which is used with a main verb to express ideas such as possibility, intention, or necessity. Explain how the modal verb changes the meaning of the second sentence. The first verb in the following sentence is a modal: We ought to pay the gas bill. modal auxiliary: an auxiliary verb that is used with another verb to indicate its mood, as can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, and would: it has no special form in the third person singular and no present or past participle (Ex.: the modal auxiliary would indicates the subjunctive mood in "We would go if we could"). II. relating to or using modes (= a type of musical scale): Chords still are used in modal jazz, just not as many. The modal harmonies seem at once ancient and fresh. III. = modeless Requiring immediate user interaction and thus presented so that it cannot be closed or interacted behind until a decision is made. a modal dialog; a modal window. IV. 莫代尔. Modal is a bio-based textile made from reconstituted beech tree cellulose. Classified as a type of rayon, it is highly breathable, stretches easily, and feels incredibly soft, making it popular for underwear, pajamas, activewear, and bed sheets. It is often praised as a sustainable, eco-friendly, and moisture-absorbent alternative to cotton. adj. used to describe the number or value which appears most often in a particular set: There are rates of 5, 10, 20, 40 and 70%, the modal rate being 10%. The modal value (or mode) refers to the most frequently occurring number in a dataset. wiki: Modal logic 模态逻辑 is a kind of logic used to represent statements about necessity and possibility. In philosophy and related fields it is used as a tool for understanding concepts such as knowledge, obligation, and causation. 18. "Nice guy instincts(Heroes: I don't have time. I've got 8 days to make up 10 points. I need all the help I can get which is what I want to talk to you about. I wanna offer you a job. I trust you. You're good with people. I need a coordinator to help organize the volunteers and you got nice guy instincts, I could use that. I'm a shark, Pete. Everybody knows it. It's starting to show up in the polls. I bring you on, it kinda reflects well on me. You know what I mean? All right, so I'm making you look good? That's a new one. Makes me look like I put family first. I mean I know that sounds self-serving but this is for you too, right? You gotta think of your future. How do you do that? Do what? Even try to make it look like this has something to do with me.)" typically refer to behaviors driven by a pattern known as the Nice Guy Syndrome. Rather than stemming from genuine kindness 真诚的善良, these instincts are often rooted in covert manipulation, conflict avoidance, and the subconscious belief that transactional "niceness" equals love. "Nice guy" is an informal term, commonly used with either a literal or a sarcastic meaning, for a man. In the literal sense, the term describes a man who is agreeable, gentle, compassionate, sensitive, and vulnerable. The term is used both positively and negatively. When used positively, and particularly when used as a preference or description by someone else, it is intended to imply a man who puts the needs of others before his own, avoids confrontations, does favors, provides emotional support, tries to stay out of trouble, and generally acts nicely towards others. In the context of a relationship, it may also refer to traits of honesty, loyalty, romanticism, courtesy, and respect. When used negatively, a nice guy implies a man who is unassertive or otherwise unattractive. The opposite of a genuine "nice guy" is commonly described as a "jerk 烂人", a term for a mean, selfish and uncaring person. A man is labeled a "jerk" on how he treats his partner, seen as the extreme case where he would not have a sensitive or kind side and is seen as a "macho man" and insensitive type. However, the term is also often used sarcastically, particularly in the context of dating, to describe someone who believes himself to possess genuine "nice guy" characteristics, even though he actually does not, and who uses acts of friendship and basic social etiquette with the ulterior aim of progressing to a romantic or sexual relationship. This is sometimes referred to as "nice guy syndrome", which is used to describe a sense of entitlement to sexual or romantic attention from women simply for being "nice," and irrational anger when that attention is not reciprocated. Although the "nice guy syndrome" is used primarily in the context of dating relationships, it can also apply to the workplace as well as politics. The "bad boys" were divided into two categories, "as either confident, attractive, sexy, and exciting or as manipulative, unfaithful, disrespectful of women, and interested only in sex". This distinction helped further the understanding of why women might prefer "nice guys" or "not-nice guys". Women were asked for their preferences and what values they may look for in each relationship, such as attractiveness, and sexual desires in short- and long-term relationships. Nice guys are sometimes suggested to be overbearing or lacking in vision and ambitions; these opinions suggest self-confidence as a key-point and area of improvement. Often these ideas and views of a certain nice guy can contribute to a woman's willingness to pursue a romantic relationship. Researchers have therefore operationalized ( operationalize [ˌɑpəˈreɪʃənəlˌaɪz] to make operational; put into operation. o put into operation, action, or use; implement. It's our VP's task to effectively operationalize the company's vision. Unfortunately, relations between the two superpowers have never been strong enough to operationalize the northern route through Central Asia. ) the "nice guy" and "jerk" constructs ( construct noun. I. an idea or theory put together from different elements that may not be proved: ...the underlying constructs (beliefs, philosophy, etc.) which influence action and behaviour. It was a re-enactment of the same mental construct under which slavery was justified. His reputation as an eccentric is largely a media construct. Marriage is a social construct that is found in most communities and cultures. II. A construct is something that is built, made, or created. The kites were flimsy constructs but soared to over a thousand feet. The country was an artificial construct held together by force. verb. I. 建造. to build something made of many parts: to construct a new bridge/building. be constructed of The walls are constructed of concrete. to construct a story/sentence/argument They approved funds to construct a new ferry terminal. The company is constructing 70 homes and a 130-room hotel on the land. The boxes should be constructed from rough-sawn timber. They thought he had escaped through a specially-constructed tunnel. II. 构造. To construct is also to put together different parts to form something new. It's a company which constructs circuit boards for mobile phones. We aim to construct an investment portfolio which will reflect the investment aims of the client. to construct a sentence. to construct a new economic theory. III. If you construct something such as an idea, a piece of writing, or a system, you create it by putting different parts together. You will find it difficult to construct a spending plan without first recording your spending. He eventually constructed a business empire which ran to Thailand and Singapore. The novel is constructed from a series of on-the-spot reports. ...using carefully-constructed tests. ) in different ways, some of which are outlined below. 19. petty cash 日常开销, 小额开销, 零花钱, 零用钱 Petty cash is a small amount of discretionary funds in the form of cash used for minor expenditures. a small amount of money kept on hand for small purchases or expenses. It is typically kept in a locked box or other secure location and is often used to pay for minor office supplies, postage, or travel expenses. e.g. The most common way of accounting for petty cash expenditures is to use the imprest system. Take the money for stamps out of petty cash. the literature 著作, 专著 on a particular subject of study all the books and articles that have been published about it. Literature is written information produced by people who want to sell you something or give you advice. all the information relating to a subject, especially information written by experts: There is very little literature on the disease. The article comprehensively reviews the scientific literature on how far pollen can travel. The literature on immigration policy is extremely critical of the state. II. 宣传材料. material published by a company or organization about something, especially that is intended to encourage people to buy that company's products or services: Could you send me your literature on car insurance policies, please? Customer service staff will distribute literature about the new process. III. published writings in a particular style on a particular subject. e.g. One aspect of Waterloo has not yet been treated in the literature. 20. custodian [kʌsˈtəʊ.di.ən] I. a person with responsibility for protecting or taking care of something or keeping something in good condition. a person or organization that is responsible for protecting, caring for, or maintaining something or someone: The library is a traditional custodian of information. The school's crisis team includes teachers, custodians, and the principal. custodian of the custodian of a museum/castle. II. someone who tries to protect particular ideas or principles: She sees herself as a custodian 卫士 of the public's morals. III. (UK caretaker 监护人. ) a person employed to take care of a large building, such as a school, and who deals with the cleaning, repairs, etc. someone who has the legal right to manage and look after another person's money, investments, etc.: The report was sent to the owners and the custodians of the corporation's voting stock. indemnity [ɪnˈdemnəti] I. insurance or protection against injury or loss. If something provides indemnity, it provides insurance or protection against damage or loss. protection against possible damage or loss, or the money paid if there is damage or loss: indemnity for/against sth The policy provides an indemnity for loss of or damage to third-party property. provide/offer (an) indemnity This insurance provides indemnity against legal costs and damages. Creditors must give an indemnity to cover the costs of a potential claim. professional indemnity insurance. They were charged with failing to have professional indemnity cover. Political exiles had not been given indemnity from prosecution. II. a payment made to someone who has suffered injury or loss. An indemnity is an amount of money paid to someone because of some damage or loss they have suffered. The government paid the family an indemnity for the missing pictures. III. protection against having legal responsibility for something: indemnity against sth The doctors were given an indemnity against prosecution for performing abortions. wiki: An indemnity is a legally binding promise where one party agrees to cover the financial losses or damages suffered by another party. It acts as a safety net or a risk-shifting tool to ensure that a specific person or business is not left out of pocket if a particular event occurs. double indemnity = accidental death benefit 意外死亡双倍险 a statement in an insurance agreement in which the company agrees to pay twice the usual amount if a person dies in an accident: Coverage was doubled to $200,000 because the death was accidental and subject to a double indemnity provision. letter of indemnity I. a legal document in which a person or company promises to pay for any loss that happens as a result of them doing a particular task. Letters of indemnity are often used when transporting goods by ship: The letter of indemnity protects the shipping company against any claims that may arise from the issue of a clean Bill of Lading. II. a formal letter to ask for new share certificates (= documents) to replace the original certificates that you have lost: Where a certificate is lost, stolen or missing, completion of a letter of indemnity is required. indemnify [ɪnˈdem.nɪ.faɪ] I. to pay or promise to pay someone an amount of money if they suffer damage or loss: indemnify someone against something In return for a premium, the underwriter agrees to indemnify the insured against losses covered by the insurance. indemnify someone from something The farm bill contained provisions enabling the secretary of agriculture to indemnify farmers from certain losses. indemnify someone for something The seller promised to indemnify the buyer for cleanup costs associated with pollution on the parcel of land. II. to protect someone against legal responsibility for their actions: He cannot sue, because the government had indemnified the company. indemnify someone against something The state is required to indemnify employees against civil claims relating to actions taken in the course of their official duties.
