用法学习: 1. germ of something a small amount, usually one that develops into something large or important: This was the germ of the story that would later become her wildly successful novel. It's thought that this diary entry was the germ of the book. It was as a result of this conversation that the germ of a new approach emerged. And that, really, was the germ of the whole thesis. germ of an idea 好主意的根源 the origin of something that develops, esp. a cell from which grain grows or the beginning of an idea: Alejandro's suggestion was the germ of an idea. He found the germ of an idea in an old newspaper. "germ of truth 一丝的道理, 一丝的真实性, 一点点的道理" refers to an idea or concept that contains some truth. "Though his words seemed outrageous, there was still a germ of truth in his opinion.". While decades of research has failed to show any consistent and substantial evidence, there is a "germ of truth" to the stereotypes peddled about birth order and personality traits. prefect [ˈpriː.fekt] ( Class president (US), class monitor or class captain, school body president 学生会主席, sports captain 体育委员. class captain 班长. school sports captain 体育部长. ) I. (in some countries) a very important official in the government or the police. In some countries, a prefect is the head of the local government administration or of a local government department. ...the prefect of the city. ...the police prefect for the district of Mehedinti. He has been appointed Prefect of Bologna. II. (in some British and Australian schools) an older student who is given some authority and helps to control the younger students. In some schools, especially in Britain, a prefect is an older pupil who does special duties and helps the teachers to look after the younger pupils. wiki: A prefect's office, department, or area of control is called a prefecture 日本的都道府県( (in certain countries) a district under the authority of a prefect or governor. a prefect's office or tenure. II. the official residence or headquarters of a prefect. "enraged fans besieged the Prefecture of Police".), but in various post-Roman Empire cases there is a prefect without a prefecture or vice versa. The words "prefect" and "prefecture" are also used, more or less conventionally, to render analogous words in other languages, especially Romance languages. In some British, Irish and Commonwealth schools (especially but not exclusively private schools), prefects, usually students in fifth to seventh years (depending on how many years the school in question has), have considerable power. They were once allowed to administer school corporal punishment in some schools (now abolished in the UK and several other countries). They usually answer to a senior prefect known as the Head of School or Head Prefect or Head Boy or Head Girl or Senior Prefect. Larger schools may have a hierarchical structure with a team of prefects, a team of senior prefects, and a Head Boy and Girl. The Head Prefect may also be the School Captain if that is an appointed position in the school. This system is also practised in Hong Kong, a former British colony. Today, prefect roles in the U.K. are largely perfunctory 形式上的( done quickly, without taking care or interest. done quickly and without showing that you care or have much interest: She asked a few perfunctory questions about my family and then ended the conversation. His smile was perfunctory.) and are mostly used to reward the better students in the year groups that qualify for prefect roles. Duties tend to be limited to door monitoring during break and representing the school at various extra-curricular events. 2. ethereal [ɪˈθɪriəl, ɪˈθɪərɪəl] 来自仙界般的, 天外的
ethereal sounds, qualities, etc. have a delicate beauty that makes them
seem not to be part of the real world. an ethereal being. High, echoing string sounds give an ethereal quality to the music. a. Someone or something that is
ethereal has a delicate beauty. She's the prettiest, most ethereal romantic heroine in the movies. ...gorgeous, hauntingly ethereal melodies. b. Ethereal means unrelated to practical things and the real world. ...the ethereal nature of romantic fiction. ...in the ethereal realm of the divine. vocabulary: Something ethereal is airy and insubstantial, like a ghostly figure at the top of the stairs. This word can also describe something delicate and light, like a singer's ethereal voice. Ethereal comes from the Greek word for ether, which means "air" or more
specifically "the upper regions of space." An ethereal substance or
sound is one that carries the feeling of light and air — something you
might see in a vision that strikes you as heavenly or supernatural. visceral [ˈvɪsərəl] I. literary
发自肺腑的. 发自内心的. 内心深处的. relating to basic emotions that you feel strongly and
automatically. Visceral feelings are feelings that you feel very deeply
and find it difficult to control or ignore, and that are not the result
of thought. I had a visceral reaction
to the smells of disinfectant and something else I couldn't quite
identify. It caused a strong desire to leave. I never overcame a
visceral antipathy for the monarchy. ...the sheer visceral joy of being
alive. a visceral hatred of cheaters. When something's visceral, you feel it in your guts. A visceral feeling is intuitive — there might not be a rational explanation, but you feel that you know what's best, like your visceral reaction against egg salad.
A visceral reaction is an instinctive, gut-deep bodily response to a
stimulus or experience. Without getting too complex, neurotransmitters
(chemical messengers in our brains) determine what emotions we feel and
force a physical response. visceral 不太用于正面的东西. According to its dictionary definition, it could be used in a positive context, but I have never heard it used that way. visceral love, deep-seated, profound love. II. medical relating to the viscera. eviscerate [ɪˈvɪsəreɪt] I. to remove organs such as the stomach or heart from inside someone's body. II. to make something such as an organization or system much less effective or powerful. 3. queasy [ˈkwiː.zi] I. 呕吐的. 恶心的. 想吐的. feeling that you want to vomit: I started to feel queasy as soon as the boat left the harbour. Just the thought of blood makes me queasy. II. 焦虑不安, 担心. feeling worried, unhappy, or uncertain about something: I'm queasy about giving such violent figures celebrity status. Her descriptions of extreme poverty and deprivation can give you a queasy feeling. The president then acknowledges that he saw people were getting "a little bit queasy" as it relates to the bond market. yippy 汪汪乱叫的 Making yipping noises. a yippy dog. President Trump, when asked why he put a pause on the tariffs, says he saw that people were getting a little bit "yippy" and a "little bit afraid." yip to bark with a sharp, high-pitched voice. yippee [jɪpiː] People sometimes shout yippee when they are very pleased or excited. We are officially halfway through, yippee! jump the line = jump the queue 插队, 加塞 Primarily heard in US, Canada. I. To move in front of people who have been waiting in a line for something (rather than standing behind the last person, as is customary). Hey, don't jump the line! Get behind the rest of us! I wanted to shout at the man for jumping the line, but I was too embarrassed about making a scene. II. To do something before it is one's turn. There has been public outrage after it came to light that some people had been jumping the queue for surgery appointments because they had a friend or relative working at the hospital. 4. speculator 投机者 a person who buys goods, property, money, etc. in the hope of selling them at a profit: a currency/land/market speculator. We should not bail out lenders, real estate speculators, or those who made the reckless decision to buy a home they knew they could never afford.
On Call: 1. Get/set eyes on sb 撞上遇上见到 see. "I'd never clapped eyes on the guy before". get your eye in
to become more skilful or experienced in doing a particular thing
because you have been practising it or doing it for a long time You need a run of games, especially as a goalkeeper, just to get your eye in. make eyes at 挤眉弄眼 to look at (someone) in a way that shows sexual attraction. Some guy was making eyes at her from across the room. raw I. Raw information 原始数据, 原始信息
has been collected but has not yet been studied in detail. used to
describe information that has been collected, but has not yet been
studied in detail: We were given a large quantity of raw data. As yet we are only able to give you the raw figures before adjustments. raw data/evidence/figures.
II. 没有培训过的. used to refer to a person who is not trained or is without
experience. If people or their qualities are raw, they have not been
developed or trained: Even
when she first started skating, you could see the determination and the
raw talent. Alex was just a raw recruit when he was handed this job. I would prefer not to leave this job to John while he's still a raw recruit/beginner. II. Feelings or qualities that are raw are natural and difficult to control: We were struck by the raw energy/power of the dancers' performances. Her emotions are still a bit raw 历历在目, 忿忿不平 原生态的 after her painful divorce. III. A piece of writing that is raw is one that does not try to hide anything about its subject: His new play is a raw 原生态 drama about family life. IV. (of materials) 未处理过的. 未加工过的. in a natural state, without having been through any chemical or industrial process: raw milk. raw silk. Oil
is an important raw material that can be processed into many different
products, including plastics. They claimed that raw sewage 原始的, 未经处理的
was being pumped into the sea. raw
ingredients. Cotton mills buy the raw cotton and turn it into finished
cloth. Cheese and yogurt producers have to pay high prices for raw milk
and other supplies. V. sore or painful because of being rubbed or damaged: The shoe had rubbed a raw place on her heel. VI. used to describe weather that is very cold: a raw 非常冷的, 寒冷的 morning. a raw wind. The evening was cold and raw. a raw deal bad or unfair treatment: get/be given a raw deal We are getting a raw deal from federal tax and spending policies. He
said that many children in the city's schools were getting/being given a
raw deal by being taught in classes that were too large. come the raw prawn 想骗人, 想弄虚作假, 装蒜 to try to deceive someone, especially by pretending that you have no knowledge of something: Don't come the raw prawn with me - you know very well what I'm talking about. bring it in 汇拢, 聚拢, 集中一下 集合一下
"Bring it in" is a North American expression that requests that people
gather together in close proximity. It is usually associated with
pictures, final bows at the end of a show or play, or a group hug, but
can be expanded to any gathering of persons in close physical proximity.
Example: Bring it in, everyone. Here's to the new year! (followed by a group selfie). Everyone,
bring it in. Listen up. Gangs just ID'd Delgado's shooter. Eddie
Watson. He and the piece-of-shit driver, Juan Cortez, are still believed
to be in the city but likely trying to flee. Watson is a member of the East Barrio clique 团伙.
Street name, "Maniac." I'm not making that up. Detectives are still
trying to ID the female passenger. We think she's a minor being
trafficked, which could've been motive for the shooting. If you get eyes... any one of you... on either Watson or Cortez, you do not engage alone. Understood? I know we're all raw 心里不平服, 忿忿不平, but let's keep it in check.
We have a multi-agency task force looking for these mοthеrfսckеr.
That's their job. Your job is business as usual. Any questions? Watch
each others' backs. Let's get to work. bring in I. When a government or organization brings in a new law or system, they introduce it. The government brought in a controversial law under which it could take any land it wanted. II. Someone or something that brings in money makes it or earns it. I have three part-time jobs, which bring in about £14,000 a year.
III. If you bring in someone from outside a team or organization, you
invite them to do a job or join in an activity or discussion. The firm decided to bring in a new management team. IV. When a jury or inquest brings in a verdict, the verdict is officially decided. The jury took 23 hours to bring in its verdict. The inquest will bring in a verdict of suicide. bring it (intransitive, informal) To give one's all in a particular effort; to perform admirably or forcefully. When we get to the competition next month, you really have to bring it. 2. Wiped everything down, checked it for contraband, filled the tank. Checked the 12-gauge. So you know, I'm big on effort. I have a low tolerance for people who bitch. But if you give me effort, I can teach you the rest. 3. gun for someone = (TRY TO HARM) I. to make a great effort to defeat or hurt someone: We know all the other teams are gunning for us.
II. If someone is gunning for someone else, that person can also be
trying to shoot or attack the other one. III. (TRY TO WIN) to make a
great effort to win or obtain something: Irwin is gunning for his third straight championship. Report it. I made a threat. That is misconduct, and I'm better than that. You want me to rat you out? I can't ask you to lie for me. All right, look, you don't gotta be so by-the-book 照本宣科, 规规矩矩的 for my benefit. Oh, fuck the book. It's got nothing to do with that. I've got some people gunning for me. I don't want that coming off on you. Well, I'm no snitch. 4. break out I. if something bad such as a war or disease breaks out, it starts. We got married a month before the war broke out. The fire must have broken out during the night. II. to escape from a prison. break out of: Six prisoners have broken out of a top-security jail in Yorkshire. III. to escape from something such as a situation or way of life. break out of: If you break out of a dull situation or routine, you manage to change it or escape from it. It's taken a long time to break out of my own conventional training. I'm afraid to break out and do anything dramatic. the desire to break out of theboring routine of normal daily living. IV. if something such as spots break out, or if you break out in spots, spots start to appear on your skin. Sweat was beginning to break out on his forehead. break out in: The skin on my arms was breaking out in a rash 大冒汗, 痘痘大爆发. V. to promote; to roll out When he hired Goldstone, Emin is said to have given him the task of breaking him out on the international market. VI. to begin, or to begin using or doing something: A fight almost broke out. I was afraid I was going to break out crying. to open and start using break out the champagne. Erin Burnett breaks out whiteboard to explain Trump's tariff math. 5. I think I know where they're headed. Why are we here? Dispatch had the vehicle heading south. East Barrio's been moving into this area, using some of the foreclosed homes as drop spots 卸货点, 交易点. You want me to radio another unit? You know, get some more eyes out here? No. I wanna play this out first. Charlie-85, I have eyes on a vehicle 盯着 matching that description moving eastbound down the 2200 block of Myrtle Avenue. dispatch: Copy, Charlie-85. Be advised, do not engage until backup has arrived. Do you see a plate? No. fսck. Can't see around the van. Mustang is moving at a high rate of speed northbound down the alleyway off of Myrtle Avenue. Charlie-85, my partner's in foot pursuit 徒步追逐, 徒步追赶. I still have one in the car. Charlie-85. Suspect fled on foot and is still outstanding. You aren't acting right. Why the fսck wasn't he listening to his radio? I am sick of your cowboy mentality 孤胆英雄. Driver didn't make it. K9 and air support can't find Maniac, and Cortez is still out there, so we've got shit. And when I clock out, I gotta explain to the watch commander why I disobeyed orders and I almost got my trainee killed. Didn't you hear me say "stand down"? Yes, I did. But you said you were big on effort. Yeah. I'm also big on IQ, all right? Entering alone is not smart. What was I supposed to do, huh? Just let him get away? You are not hearing me. What did Lasman tell you earlier? Sergeant Lasman? Yes. You two were chopping it up in the motor pool. What did he say? Is he the one gunning for you? Answer my fucking question, huh? What did he say to you? Did he tell you not to listen to me? Did he fill your head with more of that warrior-mode bullshit? He said Delgado was one of your trainees. And that you'd take her murder the hardest. I'm sorry. I didn't want to say anything. Okay? I'm trying to be respectful here. 6. You need skill to know what you're looking for. Luck determines what you're gonna get. Knocking people around was the norm. It is imperative for you to be smarter and more strategic. You're holding me to some impossible standard 标准太高了, 要求太高了. 7. "What's your 20 报告位置, 你的位置?" is a slang phrase, originating from CB radio and police codes, that asks for someone's location. It's a shortened way of asking "What's your location?". Here's a more detailed explanation: Origin:The phrase "10-20" (and thus "What's your 20?") comes from the 10-codes used by police and emergency services, which were then adopted by CB radio users. Meaning:"10-20" in the 10-code system means "location". Usage: Asking "What's your 20?" is a way to inquire about someone's current location or whereabouts. Example:If someone asks "What's your 20?", you could respond with "My 20 is at the corner of Market Street and Main". Other Uses:The phrase is also used in a casual way to check in with someone or to ask where they are. 8. Good instincts 直觉 on the 187 in Greenbelt Park. You were right... gang-related. Were you able to ID the hand? Yeah. Juan Cortez, the driver. East Barrio executed one of their own for killing Delgado? Anything's possible. What about Maniac? Still in the wind. If we're lucky, he's coleslaw [ˈkoʊlˌslɔ] 洋白菜沙拉, 剁成肉酱了 (cold, uncooked cabbage, carrot, and onion, cut into long, thin strips and covered in a thick, cold sauce. raw vegetables, esp. cabbage leaves, cut in thin strips and covered in a thick, creamy sauce and eaten cold.). We'd know if he was. 9. So I guess you do have some fight in you (kill instinct 杀人本能), huh? All right, look, I didn't mean to lose my cool. I... No. You handled it well. I was actually proud of you. Not sure my T.O. feels the same way. Yeah, well, I'm sure she was just looking out for you. Speaking of Harmon, I gotta ask you a question. You know I gotta flag all footage that goes to the watch commander. So what went down there? Come on, man. I'm asking for your benefit and mine. You gotta be straight with me 说实话. 10. Look, you showed restraint 克制 tonight. I like that. But be a professional... we don't bait fights. When you put on this uniform, you leave the homeboy from San Pedro behind, all right? You are not your brother. My brother? What... Yeah. The one doing a dime in Corcoran for armed robbery. Look, I did a background check. You might be able to bullshit your way through 蒙混过关 departmental paperwork, but not through me. I didn't bullshit anybody. And that's supposed to be confidential. Mm-hmm. Shouldn't even be locked up. You saying he didn't do it? I'm saying wrong place, wrong time. And they fucking buried him for it. Hey, I'm not finished. I've never even fired my weapon in 12 years. So believe me, you can walk the line and still stay true to who you are. I plan on it. Good. Act like it. 11. You're here early. Yeah. I wanted to get a workout in. Oh, yeah? Hitting the heavy bag 打沙包? Nah, just the weight pile. You need hand speed 手快, 手速 for this job. Lifting shit up and down just makes you tight. Speaking of which, how's your swing? Golf? No, no, no. Bat. Softball. Oh, uh, you know, played some baseball in high school. Okay. We got a tournament coming up in a couple of weeks. All divisions against each other. I do not want to lose to North again. You in? Hell yeah. All right. Hey. Let me see this.You know, I came up a million years ago when you handled your business. Now everybody's so woke, nobody wants to put shitheads in jail. But general principle 一般原则... they hit us, we gotta hit 'em back. All right? Order versus Chaos. Laws of the universe. I'm gonna go hit the bag a little bit. I'm gonna sign you up for softball. No backing out 退出 now. Wipe that shit off your face(摘掉遮淤青的墨镜). Just own it 没什么丢人的 . 12. It's not that bad. Yeah. Got me good 打了个狠的, 打的实实在在的. fucking video of it's going viral. Should've fucking gotten the guy, man. Then what? Then I'd... Then you'd what? Because I will tell you, he would be back out on the street before we are even finished processing the paperwork. And that is if he doesn't lay an excessive force complaint on you first. Yeah, I guess so. What about him assaulting Rolland, huh? You're just gonna let that shit slide? Know what? Where are we headed? This is the spot. Delgado bled out right there trying to keep them safe. And they don't have a clue. Most don't care. That's fuckеd up. Yeah. That's reality. So you wanted to play the hero last night for what? Chasing that kid was not gonna save anyone. That was just to appease your pride. And I think about all the things that I could've done to teach her better, and I don't wanna have to do that for you. So the next time you wanna run off after somebody. You just do me a favor and you think it through. 13. Mexican. I think. What makes you think that? He looked, um... He looked swarthy 黑黑的( (of a person or their skin) dark. having a dark or slightly dark skin: His companion was skinny, with a swarthy complexion. a swarthy face/complexion. a swarthy fisherman. ). 14. I was upstairs in the bedroom putting some clothes away and next thing I know, bam. I wake up on the floor and I hear my wife screaming. Uh, we're gonna need an ambulance over here at location. We've got a male with a head wound. Hey, I'm fine. Really. I don't need an ambulance. Look. Hon, hon, you could be concussed 内伤. Take a look around outside. See if there's another point of entry. You need to get your head checked out. Don't worry... What if you actually have a concussion, is what I'm worried about. 15. Yeah, outside the house. Why did you freeze up? You had exigent circumstance to enter. I didn't know if he was in there for sure. I was playing it by the book. A few days ago, you're playing superhero, chasing after Maniac, but now you're too chickenshit 胆小如鼠 to chase a suspect into a house? I'm not chickenshit. Okay. So what? Come on. I thought we were at the point where we could shoot it straight 有话直说. Does it have anything to do with what you asked me earlier? About me getting cops fired? I'm just trying to follow the law. You gotta know the law to follow it. 16. Padawan, get my message? Uh, no, I was tied up on a 459. What's up? One of my guys is getting pulled onto HIDTA next month, I wanna put you up for a spot. For real?Yeah, for real. You're a hard charger( hard-charging 有冲劲的, 干活不要命的人 determined and often forceful in doing a job: She is a hard-charging attorney. People who've worked with the new superintendent used words like "hard-charging" and "driven" to describe him. hard charger I. Someone who tends to be very forceful and aggressive. This guy's a real hard charger—that's how he became vice-president of the company at such a young age. I know you're a hard charger, but this situation requires finesse—we can't afford to alienate these people. Roy's a hard charger, but don't let him intimidate you. You've got this! II. In auto racing, someone who is able to drastically improve their position during a race. Don't be fooled by Tom's slow start—he's a hard charger 冲刺快的人, 后发制人, 后来居上, 冲刺好的人 and will probably end up leading the pack. You're not always going to get off to a strong start, so you need to be a hard charger to have success in this sport. Wow, I can't believe that guy won the race. I wrote him off early on, but he proved to be a hard charger. ). I could use you. Well, there's no shot command staff is gonna let me off patrol. Ah, fuck 'em. They can't keep you in purgatory forever. I'd really like to believe that, but... You're destined for greater things. Trust me. Mm-hmm. Anyone get the drop on ( get/have the drop on I. (transitive, informal) To point one's firearm at another person, thereby gaining dominance in a situation. to draw and aim one's gun at (another) more quickly than the person can draw and aim at one He got the drop on them and proceeded to shoot and kill them before they could fire a shot or respond. II. (transitive, informal, by extension) to get (or have) any advantage over. To obtain an advantage over another person, by acting before that person. To acquire an advantage over another person or entity; to catch someone or something in a vulnerable position or situation. The phrase refers to drawing a gun on someone first (thus causing them to "drop" their own gun). I think we'll get the drop on the defense if we run this play next. The police received an anonymous tip and got the drop on the would-be robbers when they entered the bank. Those thugs only beat me up because they got the drop on me—it wasn't a fair fight. We're always getting the drop on our competitors because the owner really knows the business and can act fast. steal a march I. (intransitive, idiomatic) To gain an advantage unobserved. II. (intransitive, idiomatic) To start early. They stole a march by taking non-merchandise inventory on January 2. ) Delgado's shooter yet? Detectives think he's across the border. 17. Nobody is happy about what happened to that cop. Officer Delgado. You and me, we got a mutual respect. You know that. It was handled. Is that what Cortez was? Some sort of peace offering? Could be seen that way. Then why didn't Maniac get his ticket punched(get one's ticket punched Sl. to die; to be killed. (Literally, to be cancelled.) Poor Chuck got his ticket punched while he was waiting for a bus. Watch out there, or you'll get your ticket punched. punch someone's ticket I. (idiomatic, chiefly North America, often followed by to or for) To put someone, especially oneself, in a position to advance or to achieve a desired objective; to gain useful experience. II. (idiomatic, chiefly North America) To seriously harm or kill someone. )? He's the trigger man 开枪的. Kid's dad is a big shot caller 大佬, 大人物 in Quentin. Maniac's untouchable. Is he worth bringing the whole house down?That's all I got for you. Don't you ever just show up here like that again. I'm not fucking around, all right? You know I can take you off the board 让你消失. I can play that way too. Amiga. Guy who owns this place is a heavyweight with East Barrio. Okay. What'd he say? He said stop looking for Maniac. Think about it. If he was really in Mexico... There'd be nothing to look for. So he's still in Long Beach. 16. I guess you didn't hear? Hear about what? Department's being sued for that street takeover the other night. Sued by who? Some shop owner. When we pulled out 撤退, 撤回, 回撤, mob destroyed his store. That was the Watch Commander's call. No, no, no, that was your call. Based on how you framed the situation. I got us out of a dangerous spot. Since when is danger not a part of the job? I kept my trainee safe. You kept him on a leash because you didn't think he could handle himself. And because of that, we left people to fend for themselves.
自叹不如, 自愧不如, 难以匹敌, 相形见绌, 黯然失色, 自愧弗如, 难以望其项背, 望尘莫及, 比不上, 差得远, 望其项背, 难以企及, 无法相提并论, 难以比肩: 1. hold a candle/torch/stick for 心里还有, 心里仍然有, 有感觉
To feel romantic attraction for. Holding a candle is to hold a vigil
for someone, to keep them at the center of your thoughts, prayers, etc.
It's meaning has extended into romantic imagery. meaning to wait, to
stay true, to not persue other romantic options while the other person
is away. not hold a candle to someone/something = can't hold a candle to = not fit to hold a candle to (someone or something) 难以望其项背, 比不上, 差远了 不配提鞋, 提鞋都不要, 逊色, 相形见绌, 远远不如
(idiomatic) To compare; to be even remotely of the same quality, skill,
etc. as another. to compare favorably with (usually used in the
negative). Her latest book
is readable enough, but it can't hold a candle to her earlier work.
She's smart, but she can't hold a candle to her sister. The old computer just doesn't hold a candle to the latest models. Usage notes: Typically used in the negative when something does not compare, as in the example. hold a/the candle to the devil 向权势弯腰, 向权贵弯腰, 支持恶势力 obsolete To support or approve of a wrongdoing. A: "Mother will be furious at you both!" B: "Me? What did I do?" A: "By not stopping him, you held a candle to the devil." not hold a stick to (someone or something) To not be nearly as good, desirable, or impressive as someone or something else. The
sequel isn't too bad, but it doesn't hold a stick to the original.
John's a nice enough guy, he just can't hold a stick our last supervisor. 2. not
be a patch on something 提鞋都不配, 难以望其项背, 比不上, 差得远, 差得多, 差远了 (not in the
same league, be in a different league, not as half good/easy/pretty as ) UK informal to be much less good than something: This new washing machine isn't a patch on our old one. not be in the same league = in a different league 不是一个档次的, 不是一个层次的, 差远了 to be not as good as someone or something else: Her latest movie is quite watchable but it's not in the same league as her first two epics. 3. put/leave
someone in the shade (outshine, outdo, outflank, outmuscle, eclipse,
steal someone's thunder, dwarf VS pale/fade into insignificance, pale in
comparison VS shaded by VS eclipse VS overshadow) 相形见绌 to be
so good that another person or thing does not seem important or worth
very much. to be so impressive as to make another person or thing seem
unimportant by comparison. a run that put every other hurdler's performance in the shade. Although I thought I'd done well, my sister's exam results put mine in the shade. steal a march on someone 先发制人, 抢先 If you steal a march on someone, you get an advantage over that person by acting before they do: Our rival company managed to steal a march on us by bringing out their software ahead of ours. 4. sink/fall into oblivion 没有人记得, 被遗忘, 被湮没 I. To become lost to obscurity; to not be known or remembered by anyone. The
poet sank into oblivion after the war, only coming back into public
awareness after an archive of his works was discovered in the basement
of an abandoned warehouse in East Germany. He held a rather cynical view
of parenthood, believing that people only had children to avoid sinking
into oblivion. II. 意识模糊. 失去意识. To enter into total unconsciousness. The
last thing I remember was the doctor asking me to count to ten before
the general anesthetic took effect and I sank into oblivion. He was so
utterly exhausted that he sank into oblivion the moment my head hit the
pillow. 5. not half as (not as half good/easy/pretty as) not nearly as. It's not half as easy as it looks.not nearly as: It wasn't half as good as that other restaurant we went to. It wasn't half as good as that other restaurant we went to. It's not half as easy as it looks. 6. there is no comparison 完全没得比, 没法比
If you say there is no comparison between one thing and another, you
mean that you think the first thing is much better than the second, or
very different from it. There is no comparison between such a player and the ordinary casual participant. bear comparison = stand comparison 敢比, 堪比, 有得一比
to be sufficiently similar in class or range to be compared with
(something else), esp favourably. be of sufficient quality to be likened
favourably to someone or something of the same kind. "our pupils' results will bear comparison with any in Scotland". bear comparison = stand comparison 敢比, 堪比, 有得一比
to be sufficiently similar in class or range to be compared with
(something else), esp favourably. be of sufficient quality to be likened
favourably to someone or something of the same kind. "our pupils' results will bear comparison with any in Scotland". pale imitation 拙劣模仿, 仿造 something that is similar to but not as good as something else: Modern luxury ships are a pale imitation of the glamour and style of the early ocean liners. pale/fade in comparison = suffer in comparison (idiomatic) To appear small or unimportant in relation to something else. pale/fade into insignificance
To seem insignificant by comparison to something much more important.
diminish in importance, especially in comparison with something else. "that catastrophe pales into insignificance when compared with an influenza pandemic". pale/suffer in comparison = pale beside sth/sb 比下去了, 不能比 to seem much less serious or important when compared with someone or something else: I thought I was badly treated but my experiences pale in comparison with yours. Fig. to appear to be weak or unimportant when compared to someone or something. He is competent, but he pales beside Fran. My meager effort pales beside your masterpiece. pale by/in comparison Fig. to appear to be deficient in comparison to something else. My work pales by comparison with yours. You are a real pro. pale/fade into insignificance 变得不值一提, 变得无足轻重
to suddenly seem small and unimportant when compared with something
much more important or impressive. To diminish or lessen in
significance, importance, impact, or value, especially over time or
compared to something else. The
horrible tensions and violence that used to grip this city have started
to pale into insignificance as we continue this period of peace and
prosperity. I've found a bit of success with my work, but it pales into
insignificance compared to the works of the writers who inspired me. Last year's spending pales into insignificance when compared with the proposed building renovations. sink/fall into oblivion 没有人记得, 被遗忘, 被湮没 I. To become lost to obscurity; to not be known or remembered by anyone. The
poet sank into oblivion after the war, only coming back into public
awareness after an archive of his works was discovered in the basement
of an abandoned warehouse in East Germany. He held a rather cynical view
of parenthood, believing that people only had children to avoid sinking
into oblivion. II. 意识模糊. 失去意识. To enter into total unconsciousness. The
last thing I remember was the doctor asking me to count to ten before
the general anesthetic took effect and I sank into oblivion. He was so
utterly exhausted that he sank into oblivion the moment my head hit the
pillow. 7. dwarf [dwɔrf] I. to make something seem small or unimportant. Our small investment has been dwarfed by what the private sector has put in. II. to make someone seem small. At over six feet in height, she dwarfs her opponents. adj. a dwarf tree, plant, or animal is much shorter or smaller than others of the same type. a pygmy animal or plant belongs to a type that does not grow very big. pygmy hippos/waterlilies. noun. I. an imaginary creature in children's stories that looks like a very small old man. II. old-fashioned (midget.) an offensive word for a person affected with the medical condition of dwarfism. III. science a very small star that does not shine brightly. 8. eclipse, overshadow. a/the poor man's version of (someone or something) = BTEC, (US, Canada) dollar-store, Netflix adaptation, poor man's, (Britain) Poundland, (Britain) pound-shop, Temu, (Britain) Tesco Value, wish.com An inferior substitute or replacement for the actual or genuine person or thing, especially one that is less expensive. The local artist is basically the poor man's version of Jackson Pollack, utilizing the same distinctive style without any of the same creative brilliance. The movie may be a poor man's version of The Terminator, but it's a satisfying sci-fi action film in its own right. Yeah, taste-wise, it's the poor man's version of crème brûlée, but the fact that you can make it so easily is a huge plus. 9. be a hard/tough act to follow 难以匹敌
to be so good that it is not likely that anyone or anything that comes
after will be as good. so good that whatever happens next is unlikely to
seem as good: The last Bond movie was my favorite - it'll be a tough act to follow. His presidency was very successful - it'll be a hard act to follow. 10. measure up 匹敌, 比得上. 比肩 To meet expectations; to be as good as. It's a passable substitute, but it will never measure up to the original. 11. put someone to shame 让人惭愧, 让人自愧不如, 让我难为情, 使难为情, 使尴尬, 使相形见绌. 让我不好意思 disgrace or embarrass someone by outdoing or surpassing them (outshine, outperform, outdo) to embarrass someone; to make someone ashamed. I
put him to shame by telling everyone about his bad behavior. I thought I
was in pretty good shape for hiking, but Astrid, who is in her 70s, put
me to shame. She puts me to shame, she's so capable她使我觉得尴尬, 她太能干. 12. overshadow 比下去, 被压着, 活在阴影里 I. usually passive
to be a negative feature or influence that spoils something. If an
unpleasant event or feeling overshadows something, it makes it less
happy or enjoyable. Fears
for the President's safety could overshadow his peace-making mission.
Her childhood was overshadowed by her mother's incarceration in a
psychiatric hospital. The game was overshadowed by violence.
II. to make someone or something seem less important compared to
someone or something else. If you are overshadowed by a person or thing,
you are less successful, important, or impressive than they are. Hester is overshadowed by her younger and more attractive sister. He's always felt rather overshadowed by his sister.
III. 遮阴. 挡阳光. 挡住. to prevent light from shining directly on something.
If one building, tree, or large structure overshadows another, it stands
near it, is much taller than it, and casts a shadow over it. He
also designed one of the Edinburgh University towers that overshadows
George Square. She said stations should be in the open, near housing,
not overshadowed by trees or walls. 13. there is no comparison 完全没得比, 没法比
If you say there is no comparison between one thing and another, you
mean that you think the first thing is much better than the second, or
very different from it. There is no comparison between such a player and the ordinary casual participant. bear comparison = stand comparison 敢比, 堪比, 有得一比
to be sufficiently similar in class or range to be compared with
(something else), esp favourably. be of sufficient quality to be likened
favourably to someone or something of the same kind. "our pupils' results will bear comparison with any in Scotland". Okay. But anything I put on now is only gonna suffer in comparison (pale in comparison) 黯然失色, 相形见绌 (To appear lesser in quality once compared to another.). pale beside someone or something 相形见绌 黯然失色 Fig. to appear to be weak or unimportant when compared to someone or something. He is competent, but he pales beside Fran. My meager effort pales beside your masterpiece. pale by/in comparison Fig. to appear to be deficient in comparison to something else. My work pales by comparison with yours. You are a real pro. pale/fade into insignificance 变得不值一提, 变得无足轻重
to suddenly seem small and unimportant when compared with something
much more important or impressive. To diminish or lessen in
significance, importance, impact, or value, especially over time or
compared to something else. The
horrible tensions and violence that used to grip this city have started
to pale into insignificance as we continue this period of peace and
prosperity. I've found a bit of success with my work, but it pales into
insignificance compared to the works of the writers who inspired me. Last year's spending pales into insignificance when compared with the proposed building renovations. control/hold the purse strings 管钱, 掌握财政大权
to be in charge of the money in a business or a household. To dictate
the spending of a given group, such as a family, company, country, etc. After
my dad's gambling problem came to light, my mother started to control
the purse strings. The finance department controls the purse strings
around here. can't hold it (in) 憋着尿, 憋着屎 No longer able to prevent oneself from urinating. I
tried to sit through the rest of the movie, but I just couldn't hold it
anymore and raced out of the theater to use the bathroom. Daddy, I need
to go to the bathroom, and I can't hold it in until we get home! hold (one's) end of the bargain up To do as was promised in an agreement or bargain; to carry through with what one agreed to do. Also worded as "hold up (one's) end of the bargain." I've
delivered the cash as you instructed. Now you have to hold your end of
the bargain up! We've done the work on our end, I just hope their team
holds their end of the bargain up! My dad said he'd buy me a car if I
got a 4.0 this semester, so I've got to ace this test if I want to hold
my end of the bargain up. get hold of the wrong end of the stick 误会了, 误解了 To misunderstand something. A misunderstanding, miscommunication, or distortion of the facts. He
must have gotten hold of the wrong end of the stick about something
when I was talking to him earlier, because he has started acting really
odd whenever I see him now. He
must have gotten hold of the wrong end of the stick about something
when I was talking to him earlier, because he has started acting really
odd whenever I see him now. The senator found herself at the wrong end
of the stick after mistakenly saying during an interview that she would
like to see funding for public education cut in half. get hold of the right end of the stick To understand something well or correctly. Primarily heard in UK. I struggled with the reading at first, but now I think I've got hold of the right end of the stick. not hold (one's) liquor 不能喝酒, 耍酒疯 To be easily and negatively affected by alcohol, especially becoming ill or unconscious. I'm
sorry for acting like such a fool at the party—I don't even remember
what happened. I guess I just can't hold my liquor. A: "Wow, Jennifer
has had five cocktails and still seems totally sober." B: "No one ever
said she couldn't hold her liquor." get/have/hold, etc. the whip hand (over somebody) 有主动权 To have the most power or influence in a particular situation or setting. As the editor in chief, I hold the whip hand and give final approval for the layout of every issue—remember that. hold/keep (something) in reserve 备用 To save something or set it aside for future use. Most
people would be shocked if they knew how much money the government
holds in reserve. I'm holding those snacks in reserve for the road trip. 14. Folau emerged from an injury-hampered tournament to produce a strong game, yet even then was shaded 比下去, 相形见绌 by opposing 对方的 fullback Ben Smith. put someone/something in the shade 相形见绌, 黯然失色 to be so impressive that someone or something else becomes less impressive or interesting by comparison. Portland's metro really puts our public transportation system in the shade. 15. eclipse [ɪˈklɪps] I. countable astronomy
a short period when all or part of the sun or moon becomes dark,
because of the positions of the sun, moon, and earth in relation to each
other. A total eclipse is when the sun or moon is completely covered.
An eclipse of the sun is called a solar eclipse 日蚀, and an eclipse of the moon is called a lunar eclipse 月蚀. II. singular/uncountable
a time when someone or something starts to seem less successful or
important, because another person or thing has become more successful or
important than they are. The rise of one aristocratic family usually meant the eclipse of another. be in eclipse: Their political power was in eclipse at the time. verb. I. to make someone or something seem less successful or important, by becoming more successful or important than they are. This tragic accident has eclipsed the two railroad disasters last year. His performance was eclipsed by 被比下去了 Francisco's winning home run.
II. astronomy to make the sun or moon become partly or completely dark
because of the position of the sun, moon, and earth in relation to each
other. 16. beyond/without compare 无与伦比的 (literary) too good, beautiful, etc. to be compared with anyone or anything else: The loveliness of the scene was beyond compare. beyond imagination Inconceivable; outside of the realm of imagination, expectation, or anticipation. I
find it simply beyond imagination the greed of all these big
corporations. That film was amazing, it was actually beyond imagination.
标准之下, 不合标准, 不达标准, 不符合标准, 不合要求: beyond reproach Perfect; unable to be criticized. I have to scold some of my employees regularly, but Tom's behavior is beyond reproach. beyond the pale (unconscionable) 太过分了, 不可接受的 outside the bounds of acceptable behaviour. Outside the bounds of morality, acceptable behaviour or good judgement, etc. "the language my father used was beyond the pale". What this firm did to that
woman was unconscionable 不可接受的, 没有道理的(more than a reasonable or acceptable level or amount.). beneath your dignity If something is beneath your dignity, you feel that you are too important to do it: He felt cleaning the bathroom was beneath his dignity. be in bad, poor, the worst possible, etc. taste to be unacceptable in a way that will upset or anger people: He told a joke about death that I thought was in poor taste considering that Steve's father had just died. subpar = below standard (up to standard): used to describe something that is below average, or below what is expected: The economy posted sub-par annual growth of less than 2% for four straight quarters. Does he deserve such a generous retirement package, considering the company's subpar performance? The new chairman is attempting to revamp operations after years of subpar results at the company. non-conforming 不合格的, 不符合要求的, 不合要求的, 不合规定的 That does not conform, for example to cultural norms, official regulations, or the rules of an established church. The lot will become more nonconforming with respect to that particular development standard. Following the Docklands fire, a senate inquiry into non-conforming building products was held in June 2015. gender non-conforming [kənˈfɔrmɪŋ] behaving in ways that do not match the ways in which males or females are expected to behave. The report reveals that transgender and gender non-conforming people face injustice in many places. nonconformist [ˌnɒnkənˈfɔːmɪst] someone who does not accept the ways of thinking or behaving accepted by most other people in their society or group. fall short 让人失望, 未达预期, 不达标, 低于预期
to fail to reach an amount or standard that was expected or hoped for,
causing disappointment. to be less than the amount or standard that is
needed or that you want This year's profit will fall short of 13%. He would sack any of his staff who fell short of his high standards. August car sales fell short of the industry's expectations. Sometimes I live up to the expectations sometimes I fall short. come up short 未达目标, 没能达标, 失败 to fail to win or achieve something We've
been to the state tournament four times, but we've come up short every
time. He struck the ball tentatively, and it came up short. I went home,
wanting to do something very special, but came up short. Judged by
their own standards, they came up short. make the grade 满足要求, 不达标, 不令人满意 to be satisfactory; to be what is expected. Satisfy the requirements, qualify; also, succeed. I'm sorry, but your work doesn't exactly make the grade. Thismeal doesn't just make the grade. It is excellent. Barbara certainly has made the grade as a trial lawyer. He wanted to get into medical school but he failed to make the grade. to be good enough Sorry
if I didn't make your grade. An excuse like "I didn't call because I
couldn't find your number" doesn't make the grade for most women. run [true] to form 和预想的一样, 分毫不差, 和想的一点不差, 走向符合预期 To behave or act in the expected manner or way. Act as one expects, especially in keeping with previous behavior. She
ran to form, arriving an hour late. The door-to-door campaign was
running true to form, with solicitors always arriving at dinnertime. The election has run to form so far, full of little else but smear tactics and mudslinging. Susie's attendance has always been pretty erratic and, running to form, she didn't come to today's meeting. not cut the mustard = not cut it 符合条件, 符合要求 not satisfactory or right for the situation Cutting taxes for the rich doesn't cut the mustard with most middle-class people. Usage notes: sometimes used in the form cut the mustard: When you're a kid, you always think you have to prove that you can cut the mustard. pass muster 过关, 通过 to be acceptable or satisfactory. The tortillas and tacos we offered for lunch today didn't pass muster with the students. Etymology:
based on the military use of the phrase pass muster (= to gather
soldiers in a group to show officers they are acceptably dressed and
equipped) His English up to this point would hardly pass muster. They passed muster with the sentries. to reach the expected or necessary standard. The passports are obviously false: they'll never pass muster at Immigration. Farmer and drone pilot Will Bignell demonstrates the effectiveness of remote controlled drones to muster sheep. West Australian cattle farmer uses drone to muster stock. Mr
Pilkington has mustered stock by aerial helicopter and also has a
fairly typical son who likes to play computer games, so it seemed to
make sense to experiment with a quadcopter, or drone, for mustering. A muster (Au/NZ) or a roundup (US) is the process of gathering livestock.
Musters usually involve cattle, sheep or horses, but may also include
goats, camels, buffalo or other animals. Mustering may be conducted for a variety of reasons including routine livestock health checks and treatments,
branding, shearing, lamb marking, sale, feeding and transport or
droving to another location. Mustering is a long, difficult and
sometimes dangerous job, especially on the vast Australian cattle
stations of the Top End, 'The Falls' (gorge) country of the Great
Dividing Range and the ranches of the western United States. The group
of animals gathered in a muster is referred to as a "mob" in Australia and a "herd" in North America. on spec I. using money risked in the hope of profit; on speculation. He lives by buying and selling houses on spec. I think it might be an idea to build a few yachts on spec just now. With the hope of selling it, as opposed to on commission (for hire). I'm writing an article on spec. I hope some magazine will buy it. If you do something on spec, you do it hoping to get something that you want, but without being asked or without being certain to get it. I sent in an application on spec. When searching for a job Adrian favours networking and writing letters on spec. II. as specified; right on specifications. This has been built exactly on spec—just as you asked. It's important to make sure the design is on spec or the customer will not pay. put sth across/over on sb 蒙混过关( put across = put over I. to explain an idea, belief etc in a way that is easy to understand. When you put something across or put it over, you succeed in describing or explaining it to someone. He
has taken out a half-page advertisement in his local paper to put his
point across. This is actually a very entertaining book putting over
serious health messages. He really enjoys putting across a technical
argument. I need a better
way of getting my message across to people. He was trying to put across a
serious point. Television can be a useful way of putting across health
messages. II. to sing, play music, or act in a film or play in a clear effective way She can really put a song across. put yourself across 表现自己, 表达自己 to express your ideas clearly and effectively so that people can see what you are really like. Emily puts herself across very well. ) to lie about (something) to (someone). to cause a piece of false information to be believed by one or more people. Don't try to put anything over on her. She'll see right through you. You didn't manage to put that story over on the tax people, did you? scrape through If you scrape through an examination 勉强过关, 擦边过关, you just succeed in passing it. If you scrape through a competition or a vote, you just succeed in winning it. Both
my brothers have university degrees. I just scraped through a couple of
A-levels. If we can get a draw, we might scrape through. scrape home by 勉强过关: to achieve victory in a way that is not very impressive. Their candidate scraped home by just fifteen votes. breeze past: I. To pass by (someone or something or an issue or problem) without consideration, notice, difficulty or concern. She breezed past the issue so I didn't get her take on it. II. To easily overtake or pass (someone) in a competition. She breezed past her opponents to win the race. Even former Wimbledon champions John McEnroe and Pat Cash questioned the ease 轻松 with which Venus breezed past 轻松过关, 并不血刃 her younger sister to reach the final. The girls make a good massage, not one of the best, but very passable还算是不错的, 过关的. come through something (with flying colors) 轻松过关, 有惊无险的过关, 挺过去. Fig. to survive something quite well. (See also with flying colors. Colors here refers originally to flags.) Todd came through the test with flying colors. Mr. Franklin came through the operation with flying colors. A sanity check or sanity test 不太荒谬, 不太离谱 ( Sniff test = smell test, common sense test, Beer question, litmus test, acid test) is a basic test to quickly evaluate whether a claim or the result of a calculation can possibly be true.
It is a simple check to see if the produced material is rational (that
the material's creator was thinking rationally, applying sanity). The point of a sanity test is to rule out certain classes of obviously false results, not to catch every possible error. A rule-of-thumb or back-of-the-envelope calculation
may be checked to perform the test. The advantage of performing an
initial sanity test is that of speedily evaluating basic function. Beer question: The beer question is a thought experiment in politics
that attempts to measure authenticity and likability in politicians by
asking or polling voters about which politicians they would prefer to
drink beer with, as in, spending casual time "hanging out" with. The
question has been discussed as far back as the 2000 United States
presidential election, as well as in the context of fictional political
works such as The West Wing. The question has been criticized for the
gender bias implicit in referencing a predominantly male drinking
culture, and some have questioned the relevance of likability in
choosing candidates for public office. The beer question, often utilized
in opinion polling, asks respondents a simple question, generally along
the lines of "With which candidate would you rather have a beer?" The
question is generally thought to provide information on how voters
perceive some combination of likability and authenticity in politicians,
with Erica J. Seifert describing it in her book The Politics of
Authenticity in Presidential Campaigns, 1976-2008 as " a battery of
character and personality questions typically asked by academic and
professional polling organizations". 前外交部长新工作: The opposition's foreign affairs spokeswoman
Penny Wong said Ms Bishop had been appointed because of her global
network of contacts. "Not only doesn't it pass the pub test 不符合常识, 大多数都认可, 一般常识
( In Australia, the Pub Test is a measurement of your general knowledge
of current events, politics and sport. Australian term, often used by
the media, to describe the collective opinion of the everyday
Australians to the conduct and reputation of public figures such as
elected officials and celebrities, or to current events. In many cases
"the pub test" is a device employed by journalists to invoke the
"temperature" of an issue among the general public, without actually
engaging with members of the public. In other cases, journalists may
canvas the patrons of a pub in order to elicit public opinion, while
also providing a humorous flavour to their story by including quotes
from or footage of inebriated patrons. The
general consensus is that deputy prime minister's decision to leave his
wife and children for a young woman on his staff, failed the 'pub test'
among most Australians. ), it looks on the face of it like another breach of the ministerial standards,"
Senator Wong told ABC News today. She said Palladium had profited more
than $500 million from decisions made when Ms Bishop was foreign
minister. out of line (with something) I. Lit. not properly lined up in a line of things. I
told you not to get out of line. Now, get back in line. One of those
books on the shelf is out of line with the others. Please fix it. II. Fig. 不符合 beyond certain set or assumed limits. Your bid on this project is completely out of line with our expectations. The cost of this meal is out of line with what other restaurants charge. Your asking price is quite out offline! III. Fig. [of something said or behavior] improper. completely unacceptable. 不可接受, 难以接受, 过分了. (push boundaries 也有类似的意思. He
was really pushing boundaries by pour ashes all over Ryan Seacrest's
body. "Pushing the boundaries between fiction and fantasy".) I'm
afraid that your behavior was quite out of line. I do not wish to speak
further about this matter. Bill, that remark was out of line. Please be
more respectful. Your request is out of line. Usage notes: often used with get and step: When a student steps out of line, someone should do something about it.
