用法学习: 1. belabour = US belabor I. 喋喋不休, 啰嗦. 过度解释. To discuss or explain (something) excessively or repeatedly; to harp on or overelaborate. to explain something more than necessary. If you say that someone belabours the point, you mean that they keep on talking about it, perhaps in an annoying or boring way. I won't belabour the point, for this is a familiar story. There's no need to belabour the point. Nothing is belaboured, which gives a freshness to the story. It's four episodes, but they did not flag 乏味 or drag. Nor did they race. The pacing 节奏, 进展 is well considered -- it has the feel of a small town as opposed to the racier tempi (tempo的复数) of a big city. (flag: If you flag or if your spirits flag, you begin to lose enthusiasm or energy. His enthusiasm was in no way flagging. By 4,000m he was beginning to flag.) II. to hit someone or something hard and repeatedly. If you belabour someone or something, you hit them hard and repeatedly. Men began to belabour his shoulders, his head, his arms with sticks. She belaboured him with her walking stick. III. to criticize someone. racy I. (of a person's manner, literary style, etc) having a distinctively lively and spirited quality; fresh. Racy writing or behaviour is lively, amusing, and slightly shocking. II. having a characteristic or distinctive flavour. a racy wine. III. suggestive; slightly indecent; risqué. exciting and slightly shocking, especially because of relating to or suggesting sex: a racy story. a racy style. a racy advertisement. racy swimwear. She is trying to create a racier image for herself. a racy comedy. causing slight shock because sex is mentioned or suggested: a racy story. smut I. disapproving
magazines, books, pictures, films or jokes that offend some people
because they relate to sex. If you refer to words or pictures that are
related to sex as smut, you disapprove of them because you think they
are rude and unpleasant and have been said or published just to shock or
excite people. I find the media's growing obsession with smut and sensation deplorable. ...schoolboy smut. There's an awful lot of smut on television these days.
II. dirt or ash (= powder left when something has burned) that makes a
mark on something. Smut or smuts is dirt such as soot which makes a
dirty mark on something. III. a plant disease that mainly affects
grasses such as wheat. Smut was destroying many of the crops. Some smuts can cause significant yield losses. IV. pictures, writing, language, or performances that deal with sex and are offensive. smutty 色色的, 色兮兮的 disapproving related to or containing smut: I was really embarrassed by his smutty jokes. lascivious [ləˈsɪvɪəs] 太色情的 adj [disapproval]
feeling or revealing an overt sexual interest or desire. expressing a
strong desire for sexual activity. feeling or expressing strong sexual
desire. If you describe someone as lascivious, you disapprove of them
because they show a very strong interest in sex. The man was lascivious, sexually perverted and insatiable. ...their lewd and lascivious talk. a lascivious smile. "he gave her a lascivious wink". formulaic [ˌfɔː.mjəˈleɪ.ɪk] 俗套的, 套路化的, 老套的, 照本宣科的, 公式化的 containing or consisting of fixed and repeated groups of words or ideas. If you describe a way of saying or doing something as formulaic, you are criticizing it because it is not original and has been used many times before in similar situations. His paintings are contrived and formulaic. The text was dull and formulaic. well worn 老掉牙的 I. 穿旧了的 Well worn clothes have been worn often and are becoming old. A well-worn object or piece of clothing has been worn or used so frequently that it looks rather old and untidy. ...well-worn brown shoes. a well-worn sports jacket. II. 老掉牙的, 没有新意的. 了无新意的. 不新鲜的. used very often or too often. A well-worn expression, remark, or idea has been used so often that it no longer seems to have much meaning or to be interesting. To use a well-worn cliche, it is packed with information. ...well-worn party dogma and ideology. Ecology can be written about without relying on well-worn examples such as tropical rain forests. The story where an outsider turns up in a remote Australian town and delves into dark goings on is a well-worn one. 2. corral [kəˈrɑːl] I. 圈起来. to move horses, cows etc into a corral. To place inside of a corral. After we corralled the last steer, we headed off to the chuck wagon for dinner. II. mainly journalism to move people into a place and stop them from leaving it. III. 收起来. 收敛. 聚拢. 赶在一起. To capture or round up. to organize a group of people and persuade them to do something. Police corralled most of the demonstrators in a small area near the station. We were corralled into helping him. The
lawyer frantically tried to corral his notes as his briefcase fell
open. Between us, we managed to corral the puppy in the kitchen. noun. 牛栏. 围栏. 圈. 猪圈(pigsty a pen or enclosure for a pig or pigs. a very dirty or untidy house or room.). an enclosed space where horses, cows etc are kept temporarily. An enclosure for livestock, especially a circular one. We had a small corral out back where we kept our pet llama. American media seem
to get their own corral, and the celebrities are happy to speak to
them. But we always get lumped in with the foreign media section. You've
basically got to beg those famous people to talk to you. "Make something sing 多姿多彩, 茁壮成长" is an idiomatic phrase, not a literal one. It's used to mean to make something more vibrant, exciting, or appealing. Think of it as bringing out the best in something, like bringing out the natural beauty of a landscape or the potential of a product. to showcase best qualities. She was a talented violinist who could make her instrument sing. In a relationship, you can fake it enough to get by, but not enough to make things sing. When we are aligned, and having so much fun together, our rapport is as natural as it is unstoppable. The whole team had once been aligned with Phil 围着...转, now it's all about him and me. We are marching in sync now, finally. sing for your supper 赚回来, 挣回来 old-fashioned to do something for someone else in order to receive something in return, especially food: Dan's upstairs fixing my computer - I'm making him sing for his supper. 3. decorum [dɪˈkɔːrəm] 教养, 规矩, 秩序, 彬彬有礼, 有礼有节 behaviour in keeping with good
taste and propriety. Decorum is behaviour that people consider to be
correct, polite, and respectable. behaviour that is controlled, calm,
and polite: I was treated with decorum and respect throughout the
investigation. "he had acted with the utmost decorum". And, in an
ultimate protest and breach in decorum 撕破脸皮, House and Senate Democratic
leaders didn't leave to join the escort committee despite being called
to do so. act with decorum: As young ladies we were expected to act with proper decorum. behave with decorum: Employees of this company should behave with decorum and respectability at all times. breach
of decorum 有违教养, 破坏传统, 破坏秩序, 打破禁忌: A violation of established social norms or
expectations, especially as relates to polite society or specific
professions. In an unexpected breach of decorum, she announced her
candidacy before the governor officially resigned. Discussing personal
problems can sometimes be seen as a breach of decorum in polite company.
Kids, get your elbows off the dinner table! Didn't anyone ever tell you
that's a breach of decorum? decorous [ˈdɛk(ə)rəs] in keeping with good taste and propriety; polite and restrained. 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. "Charlotte gave David a decorous kiss". NOTE: decorum implies stiffness or formality in rules of conduct or behavior established as suitable to the circumstances [levity not in keeping with decorum.] (levity [ˈlev.ə.ti] 不认真, 不严肃, 轻佻 humour or lack of seriousness, especially during a serious occasion. amusement or lack of seriousness. Levity is behaviour that shows a tendency to treat serious matters in a non-serious way. At the time, Arnold had disapproved of such levity. a moment of levity. a brief moment of levity amid the solemn proceedings.); decency implies observance of the requirements of modesty, good taste, etc. [have the decency to thank her]; propriety 合乎礼节 ( propriety [prəˈpraɪə.ti] correct moral behaviour or actions: Their sense of social propriety is eroded. Critics questioned the propriety of the senator’s appearance at a political fundraiser with a convicted criminal. The director insisted that there was no question as to the propriety of how the funds were raised. She was careful always to behave with propriety. proprieties the rules of polite social behaviour: observe the proprieties: They'd invited us to dinner so we thought we'd better observe the proprieties and invite them back.) suggests conformity with conventional standards of proper or correct behavior, manners, etc. [his offensive language oversteps the bounds of propriety]; dignity, in this connection, implies conduct in keeping with one's position or one's self-respect; etiquette refers to the forms established by convention or prescribed social arbiters for behavior in polite society. aplomb [əˈplɑm] 优雅, 淡定, 不慌不忙, 不紧不慢, 从容不迫
a confident relaxed manner when dealing with a difficult situation. If
you do something with aplomb, you do it with confidence in a relaxed
way. The whole cast executed the production with truly professional aplomb. No one has ever kissed ass with more aplomb than him. Rosalind conducted the meeting with characteristic aplomb 标志性的淡定优雅/with her usual aplomb. vocabulary: Aplomb is the ultimate test for cool: grace under pressure. Use aplomb to show great restraint under even the most trying circumstances.
In retail, it's always a good idea to handle the angry customers with
aplomb. Angry at the long lines at the grocery store? Irritated because
the driver ahead cut you off? Take a deep breath, and approach life's
messes with aplomb. When you think of aplomb, think cool, calm and collected. Not frazzled, furious, and fiery. Aplomb comes from the French word meaning "perpendicularity," from the phrase à plomb for "poised upright, balanced." apoplectic [ˌapəˈplɛktɪk] 七窍生烟的, 气愤异常的 adj informal overcome with anger; furious. extremely and obviously angry. If someone is apoplectic, they are extremely angry about something. It's enough to make them choke with apoplectic rage. My father was apoplectic when he discovered the truth. He was apoplectic with rage/fury. "Mark was apoplectic with rage at the decision". He sat down in front of Jack Black and tore his movie to shreds, and Jack was apoplectic: 'Who the fuck are you? I'm walking into a fucking ambush ere.' Apoplexy [ˈæp.ə.plek.si] 气到爆炸的, 五脏俱裂的, 肝胆俱裂的(I. a stroke resulting from a brain haemorrhage. II. very great anger: He has already caused apoplexy with his books on class and on war. In a fit of apoplexy, he thumped the table with both hands.) refers to the rupture of an internal organ and the associated symptoms. Informally or metaphorically, the term apoplexy is associated with being furious, especially as "apoplectic". Historically, it described what is now known as a hemorrhagic stroke, typically involving a ruptured blood vessel in the brain; modern medicine typically specifies the anatomical location of the bleeding, such as cerebral apoplexy, ovarian apoplexy, or pituitary apoplexy. dissent [dɪˈsent] 异议 I. a strong difference of opinion on a particular subject, especially about an official suggestion or plan or a popular belief. strong difference of opinion; disagreement esp. about official decisions. Dissent is strong disagreement or dissatisfaction with a decision or opinion, especially one that is supported by most people or by people in authority. He is the toughest military ruler yet and has responded harshly to any dissent. Political dissent would no longer be tolerated. I made a gesture of dissent. There was very little room for dissent or different points of view. voice of dissent When the time came to approve the proposal, there were one or two voices of dissent. II. in sports such as football and rugby, the offence of disagreeing with a decision made by a referee. Rooney was booked for dissent after the referee failed to award United a penalty. III. 反对意见. A dissent is also a legal opinion by a judge in a court that differs from the opinion of most of the other judges of the court. verb. [dɪˈsent]. I. to disagree with other people about something: dissent from If you dissent, you express disagreement with a decision or opinion, especially one that is supported by most people or by people in authority. Just one of the 10 members dissented. No one dissents from the decision to unify. There are likely to be many dissenting voices. Anyone wishing to dissent from the motion should now raise their hand. II. (of a judge) to offer a legal opinion in a court that differs from the opinion of most of the other judges of the court: A staunch conservative, he frequently dissented from the court's majority opinion. dissenting showing a strongly different opinion on a particular question, especially an official suggestion or plan, a legal decision, or a popular belief: dissenting voice 反对的声音 There was only one dissenting voice. In the end, the bill sailed through both houses without a dissenting vote. dissentient [dɪˈsɛnʃ(ə)nt] adj. in opposition to a majority or official opinion. "dissentient voices were castigated as 'hopeless bureaucrats'". noun: a person who opposes a majority or official opinion. thrash sth out 好好谈过. 通过反复商讨解决. 认真讨论过. 反复讨论, 详细讨论 discuss something frankly and thoroughly, especially to reach a decision. to discuss a problem in detail until you reach an agreement or find a solution. to discuss a problem, disagreement, etc. in detail until you find a solution or reach an agreement: to thrash out an agreement/a deal/a solution. thrash out details/problems/terms: Meanwhile, the two companies continue to thrash out the details of their merger plan. If we have an important decision to make, we sometimes spend a whole day thrashing it out in a meeting. "it is essential that conflicting views are heard and thrashed out". We had thrashed it out in numerous heavy conversations, there was no dissenting view between us. in flux = in a (constant) state of flux 不稳定, 常常在变 Apt to change or fluctuate; prone to instability. in constant change; ever-changing. Well, all of our vacation plans are in flux now that Sheila's broken her ankle. The country's political structure has been in flux ever since the revolution. A: "No, their wedding plans are still in flux." B: "Wow, I wonder if they'll actually make it down the aisle." I can't describe my job because it's in a constant state afflux. The price of gold is influx. 3. black mark 美中不足的地方, 遗憾, 污点, 黑点 noun informal British a note or record of a person's misdemeanour or discreditable action. the fact of people noticing and remembering something that you have done wrong or failed to do. A black mark against someone is something bad that they have done or a bad quality that they have which affects the way people think about them. There was one black mark against him. If I'm late for work again, it will be another black mark against me. "a black mark went down against his name for turning down the job". The only black mark on that day was my stomach. I couldn't hold down any food, constantly getting up and going to the bathroom. It turns out, I was unexpectedly pregnant. It was morning sickness. functional 实际的, 职能的, 功用的, 功能上的, 实用的 I. designed to be practical and useful rather than attractive: functional clothing. ...modern, functional furniture. The decor is functional. ...modern, functional furniture. The decor is functional. II. (of a machine, system, etc.) working in the usual way. working in the expected or necessary way: The timeline is for the site to be fully functional in 18 months. Is the central heating functional yet? III. a functional alcoholic, addict, etc. someone who can behave, work, and live in a way that seems normal although they are addicted to (= unable to stop using too much) alcohol, drugs, etc.: While functional alcoholics drink excessively, most do not display the obvious physical or psychological damage associated with alcoholism. IV. relating to the performance of basic tasks. Functional means relating to the way in which something works or operates, or relating to how useful it is. ...rules defining the territorial boundaries and functional limits of the local state. The Indian cavalry under Haig became a functionally efficient unit. It satisfies the user's requirements both functionally 功能上 and emotionally. functional ability Numerous surgical operations had left the patient with little functional ability. functional disorder 机能 Acupuncture has proved useful in treating functional disorders. functional assessment They performed functional assessments of 16 patients with Parkinson's disease. V. relating to the way in which something works or operates. Functional equipment works or operates in the way that it is supposed to. We have fully functional smoke alarms on all staircases. functional 功能上的 equivalent Such a document would be the functional equivalent of a national identity card. functional requirement She performed an extensive evaluation of the museum's functional requirements. VI. relating to language functions, for example saying sorry, asking for something, or refusing something: functional language 实用语言 The course will teach participants functional language. Spanish functional phrases being taught to the police include "Calm down", "Speak Slower" and "You're under arrest". VII. intended to be used; practical rather than attractive. Our furniture isn't very fancy, but it's functional. Is the plumbing functional yet (= does it work)? When you are young, you make this decision that's not exactly flippant, but definitely functional 切合实际的 - as if an abortion was almost inevitable alternative to the morning-after pill, or contraception. VIII. HR, WORKPLACE relating to the different areas of skill in a business: functional areas/departments 职能部门. functional expertise 够用的技能. Taxpayers will save time and resources by dealing with one team rather than several different functional areas. IX. designed for a practical purpose rather than for the way something looks: highly functional 实用的 but stylistically unremarkable designs. The new business plan rendered the department's computers functionally obsolete 失去用处, 没用, 百无一用. cross-functional 跨部门的 involving people or departments who do different types of work for the same company. denoting or relating to a system whereby people from different areas of an organization work together as a team. "the need for a cross-functional approach to problem solving". Most corporations understand the need to use cross-functional teams for developing new technologies and products. stylistic [staɪlɪstɪk] 风格上的 Stylistic describes things relating to the methods and techniques used in creating a piece of writing, music, or art. There are some stylistic elements in the statue that just don't make sense. While both share some similarities they are stylistically very different. in a way that relates to the style of something: stylistically similar 风格相近的. Her music crosses a lot of lines stylistically. wiki: A cross-functional team (XFN), also known as a multidisciplinary team or interdisciplinary team, is a group of people with different functional expertise working toward a common goal. It may include people from finance, marketing, operations, and human resources departments. Typically, it includes employees from all levels of an organization. Members may also come from outside an organization (in particular, from suppliers, key customers, or consultants). Cross-functional teams often function as self-directed teams assigned to a specific task which calls for the input and expertise of numerous departments. Assigning a task to a team composed of multi-disciplinary individuals increases the level of creativity and establishes common opinion. Each member offers an alternative perspective to the problem and potential solution to the task. In business today, innovation is a leading competitive advantage and cross-functional teams promote innovation through a creative collaboration process. Members of a cross-functional team need not be well versed 熟练于 in multi-tasking per se, but must be prepared to help out in different aspects of building an actual product as they are collectively responsible for their cross-functional team duties as well as their normal day-to-day work tasks. Some researchers have viewed cross-functional interactions as cooperative or competitive in nature, while others have argued that organization's functional areas are often forced to compete and cooperate simultaneously with one another ("coopetition") and it is critical to understand how these complex relationships interplay and affect firm performance. 4. veritable 名副其实的, 肉眼可见的 adj used to describe something as another, more exciting, interesting, or unusual thing, as a way of emphasizing its character. (used to emphasize how great or unusual something is by comparing it to something else): If current projections hold, Montgomery County will experience a veritable explosion in its school-age population (= it will have many more students). My garden had become a veritable jungle by the time I came back from holiday. The normally sober menswear department is set to become a veritable kaleidoscope of colour this season. You can use veritable to emphasize the size, amount, or nature of something. a veritable feast of pre-match entertainment. ...a veritable army of security guards. "not touch the sides 远远不够, 差得远, 差得多, 不够塞牙缝的" is a colloquial British English expression that means to make a minimal or insufficient impact, often in the context of consuming food or drink. It suggests that something was consumed so quickly that it barely made contact with the "sides" of your stomach or digestive system. "That snack didn't even touch the sides" means that you were still hungry after eating it because it was not enough to satisfy your appetite. In other words, it implies that something was insufficient, hardly made a difference, or barely scratched the surface of the situation. I had some liquid morphine a couple of hours ago as well as the tablets. They don't seem to be touching the sides. I sought medication instead, but it was hard to find anything that could numb the sensation. I remember getting prescribed a strong painkiller called tramadol - but even that barely touche the sides. A morphine drip was the only thing that could blunt the pain. Rafters 房梁结构 (packed to the rafters) are inclined structural members, usually timber or steel, that form the framework of a roof. They extend from the ridge or hip of the roof to the eaves (or wall plate), supporting the roof covering and associated loads. Essentially, they are the sloping beams that give a roof its shape and structural support. A serpentine streamer is a type of party accessory made out of long strips of paper, wound up in a roll, which form snakelike patterns in the air when thrown. Serpentine streamers 蛇形带子(streamer 晚会彩带: Streamers are long rolls of coloured paper used for decorating rooms at parties. a long, narrow strip of brightly coloured paper that is used as a decoration for special occasions such as parties: We decorated the office with streamers for Paul's leaving party. ) can also be used as party decorations, usually hung up from the ceiling across the room, as they form visually appealing serpentines. Serpentine streamers can be used as party favors 回礼, 伴手礼(A party favor is a small gift given to the guests at a party as a gesture of thanks for their attendance, a memento of the occasion, or simply for fun. ). The streamers usually come in rolls that contain multiple strips. They have to be separated into smaller rolls before use. The most basic technique of using a party streamer is to take the streamer and pull it out of its roll. A less known technique is to blow inside the roll, making the streamer flow out on the current of air. The roll can also be cut across to produce confetti. Party streamer guns exist, which aid in deploying party streamers. 5. exactitude = exactness 准确无误, 毫厘不差 the quality of being exact. Exactitude is the quality of being very accurate and careful. the condition of having great detail, or of being complete, correct, or true in every way: He paints with photographic exactness. He brings intensity and exactness to his music. ...the precision and exactitude of current genetic mapping. the care and exactitude with which the research has been executed. shoot/fire from the hip I. 直言不讳. to speak in a very direct and honest way: Jeff is a straight talker who always shoots from the hip. II. 第一反应. 快速反应. 直觉反应. to react quickly, without thinking carefully about something. If you say that someone shoots from the hip or fires from the hip, you mean that they react to situations or give their opinion very quickly, without stopping to think. Judges don't have to shoot from the hip 快速反应. They have the leisure to think, to decide. We're not going to shoot from the hip - we're going to think things through. He often shoots from the hip without having all the facts. listicle 清单式的文章 a newspaper, magazine, or online article that is in the form of a list: I hate those listicles called things like "10 Things You Didn't Know About Cats". fetal = UK foetal [ˈfiːtl] 胚胎的 I. relating to a fetus. fetal abnormalities. fetal stages of development. "nutrients essential for normal fetal growth". II. denoting a posture characteristic of a fetus, with the back curved forwards and the limbs folded in front of the body. fetal position = foetal position a position in which someone lies in a curved shape with legs and arms bent and close to the body: He was curled up in a fetal position on the floor, sobbing. hubris (conceit) 自负, 过度自信, 过得自尊, 过度骄傲 [ˈh(j)uːbrɪs] is extreme or excessive pride or dangerous overconfidence and complacency, often in combination with (or synonymous with) arrogance. excessive pride or self-confidence. a way of talking or behaving that is too proud. an extreme and unreasonable feeling of pride and confidence in yourself. If you accuse someone of hubris, you are accusing them of arrogant pride. It was an act of hubris that was to cost him dear. Hubris brought him down in the end. He was punished for his hubris. "the self-assured hubris among economists was shaken in the late 1980s". 6. fair game 随便欺负, 人人可期负, 任人宰割 ( sitting duck ) someone or something that people are allowed to criticize. someone or something considered reasonable to criticize. If you say that someone is fair game, you mean that it is acceptable to criticize or attack them, usually because of the way that they behave. Politicians were always considered fair game by cartoonists. Anyone running for the presidency is fair game. Celebrities are fair game for the press. sitting duck 好欺负 If you say that someone is a sitting duck, you mean that they are easy to attack, cheat, or take advantage of. someone or something that is very easy for an enemy to shoot or attack: A car without side-impact airbags is a sitting duck if it's hit broadside by an SUV. With their bullets all gone, the soldiers were sitting ducks for the enemy. Nancy knew she'd be a sitting duck when she raised the trap door. 7. intolerant [ɪnˈtɒl(ə)rənt] adj I. 不容异说的, 不包容的, 心胸狭隘的. 不宽容的. not tolerant of views, beliefs, or behaviour that differ from one's own. refusing to accept particular ideas, beliefs, behaviour, especially because they are different from your own, or refusing to accept people who are different from you: intolerant of In the later years of his rule he became increasingly intolerant of dissent. She can be very intolerant of students who don't understand what she's talking about. There is no place here for such bigoted, intolerant comments. "as a society we are more intolerant of certain types of violence than we were in the past". II. 不能容忍的. 受不了的. unable to be given (a medicine or other treatment) or to eat (a food) without adverse effects. not able to eat a particular type of food or take a particular type of medicine without it having a bad effect: gluten intolerant My husband is severely gluten intolerant. dairy intolerant I suspect I am dairy intolerant, but I don't like the taste of soya milk. intolerant of People who are intolerant of wheat can usually eat bread made with spelt. intolerant to The treatment can be used as an alternative for patients intolerant to statins. "some people are intolerant of aspirin". III. (of a plant or animal) not able to grow or survive well in particular physical conditions: intolerant of 经受不住的 These fish are particularly intolerant of cold water. Weeds are generally intolerant of shade. High light levels are needed to ensure good growth from these shade intolerant species. He began to speak out against racism and intolerance. intolerable 让人难以忍受的 too bad or unpleasant to deal with or accept. too bad or difficult to bear or to be accepted. If you describe something as intolerable, you mean that it is so bad or extreme that no one can bear it or tolerate it. They felt this would put intolerable pressure on them. Human rights abuses by any party are intolerable. ...intolerably cramped conditions. Her leg ached intolerably. Living conditions were intolerable after the storm. This hot weather is becoming intolerable. The situation has become intolerable. The constant fighting made life at home intolerable. Three-quarters of the world's population live in conditions that people in the West would find intolerable. 8. be swimming in/with something disapproving I. If food is swimming in/with a liquid, it has too much of that liquid in it or on it. If something is swimming in liquid or is swimming with liquid, it is surrounded by and covered with it. He polished off a large steak and broccoli swimming in thick sauce. The salad was swimming in oil. II. (of an object) to seem to move around. If objects swim, they seem to be moving backwards and forwards, usually because you are ill. Alexis suddenly could take no more: he felt too hot, he couldn't breathe, the room swam. Getting up too suddenly made the room swim 摇晃 before her eyes. III. If your head swims, you feel confused and are unable to think or see clearly: head swims 天旋地转, 眩晕, 头晕目眩, 头晕 If your head is swimming, you feel unsteady and slightly ill. The musty aroma of incense made her head swim. After the second or third drink, my head began to swim. sink or swim If you say that someone will have to sink or swim, you mean that they will have to succeed through their own efforts, or fail. The government doesn't want to force inefficient firms to sink or swim too quickly. It was very much sink or swim. foible [ˈfɔɪbl] 小缺点, 小毛病 a minor weakness or eccentricity in someone's character. a strange habit or characteristic that is seen as not important and not harming anyone. A foible is a habit or characteristic that someone has which is considered rather strange, foolish, or bad but which is also considered unimportant. ...human foibles and weaknesses. We all have our little foibles. "they have to tolerate each other's little foibles". 9. A double-hung window, also commonly referred to as a double-sash window (sash 窗扇), is a type of window that has two operable sashes that slide up and down. There are two main operable parts of a double-hung window — the top sash and the bottom sash. They are both able to open to provide ventilation. drag the chain 不积极的, 不热衷的, 磨磨唧唧的的. 慢腾腾的, 慢悠悠的 informal Australian work slowly and ineffectively; lag behind. to lag behind or shirk one's fair share of work. "the government is dragging the chain on this issue". gamesmanship [ˈɡeɪmzmənʃɪp] 花招, 小把戏, 策略 the art of winning games by using various ploys and tactics to gain a psychological advantage. the activity of trying to win a game by doing things that are not really breaking the rules but are intended to destroy the confidence of the other player. "the negotiations were primarily exercises in propaganda and gamesmanship". free rein (言行或情感的) 自由, 自主, 无约束, 无拘无束, 自由自在 the freedom to do, say, or feel what you want. freedom to act and make decisions without first getting permission: The young filmmakers were given free rein to experiment with new themes and techniques. The young film-makers were given free rein to experiment with new themes and techniques. He deliberately gave his emotions free rein as he played the sonata. "Bring the vibe 带来气氛" means to create or set a specific atmosphere, feeling, or energy within a situation, often with a positive and lively connotation. It suggests making a space or event more enjoyable, upbeat, and engaging by putting out a certain kind of energy. "Bring the vibe" can suggest that someone is bringing a positive attitude or outlook to a situation. "Putting out the vibe" means projecting or exuding a particular mood, feeling, or energy, often with the intention of attracting attention or creating a specific atmosphere. It's a way of communicating nonverbally how you are feeling and what you're like. It s an expression commonly used in the context of the movie Dumb and Dumber. It means to create a positive, relaxed, and friendly atmosphere or energy. It's about being approachable, outgoing, and having a good, welcoming presence. The phrase is often used in situations where someone is trying to attract attention or make a good first impression. The phrase originates from the movie Dumb and Dumber, where the character Lloyd Christmas says, "I'm gonna hang by the bar, put out the vibe". In the context of the movie, and generally, it means to be open to interaction, to create a good mood or atmosphere, and to be friendly and welcoming. People might use the phrase to describe a person who is good at creating a positive atmosphere or who is easy to get along with. vibe out I. 沉浸于. To become absorbed by the music one is listening to, especially that which is very calming or relaxing. I put on my fancy headphones and vibed out to the tunes of my favorite DJ. II. To experience a state of peaceful, contented happiness. I work in a busy office building all week, so I like to spend my weekends vibing out 享受安逸 in nature. 9. shtick = schtick [ʃtɪk] 惯用伎俩, 惯用搞笑的桥段, 一系列搞笑的动作 the type of humour typical of a comedian (= person whose job is to make people laugh). An entertainer's schtick is a series of funny or entertaining things that they say or do. Such stories are all part of his schtick. Pratfalls and other physical gags are typical of Carey's shtick. a particular ability or behaviour that someone has and that they are well known for. miffed [mɪft] 气愤, 生气 annoyed at someone's behaviour towards you. annoyed, esp. at someone's behavior toward you. If you are miffed, you are slightly annoyed and hurt because of something which someone has said or done to you. I was a bit miffed about that. Philip was pretty miffed at being cut out of his father's will. I was miffed because she didn't call all week. She hadn't called for a week and I was getting miffed. The Calling: Next week's class assignment, I want it all in the narrative 记叙的方式( Narrative writing 记叙文 is a style that allows the writer to tell a story. It can include actual events told in chronological order or it may include imagined events told in a timeline that the author creates. Narrative writing can sustain the reader's attention and help them visualize a realistic experience from the words.). Sense of place ( 描述环境 The term sense of place refers to a multidimensional, complex construct used to characterize the relationship between people and spatial settings. It is a characteristic that some geographic places have and some do not, while to others it is a feeling or perception held by people (not by the place itself). It is often used in relation to those characteristics that make a place special or unique, as well as to those that foster a sense of authentic human attachment and belonging. Others, such as geographer Yi-Fu Tuan, have pointed to senses of place that are not "positive," such as fear. Some students and educators engage in "place-based education" in order to improve their "sense(s) of place," as well as to use various aspects of place as educational tools in general. The term is used in urban and rural studies in relation to place-making and place-attachment of communities to their environment or homeland. The term sense of place is used to describe how someone perceives and experiences 独特的感受 a place or environment. Sense of place refers to the emotive bonds and attachments people develop or experience in particular locations and environments, at scales ranging from the home to the nation. Sense of place is also used to describe the distinctiveness or unique character of particular localities and regions. A "sense of place" refers to the emotional and psychological connections people develop with specific locations. It's more than just being in a place; it's about the feelings, memories, and experiences associated with that location, creating a sense of belonging and identity. This sense of place can be positive, like feeling comfortable and safe in one's home, or negative, like feeling disconnected or lost in a new environment. ), no dialogue. And I beg you, please, no more than three pages 'cause I'm only human. And prose ( prose [prəʊz] written language in its ordinary form rather than poetry: I've always preferred reading prose to poetry. written language in its ordinary form rather than in the form of poems. Prose is ordinary written language, in contrast to poetry. Shute's prose is stark and chillingly unsentimental. What he has to say is expressed in prose of exceptional lucidity and grace. Prose is language that follows the natural flow or rhythm of speech, ordinary grammatical structures, or, in writing, typical conventions and formatting. Thus, prose ranges from informal speaking to formal academic writing. Prose differs most notably from poetry, which follows some type of intentional, contrived, artistic structure. Poetic structures vary dramatically by language; in English poetry, language is often organized by a rhythmic metre and a rhyme scheme.) only, Julia. No rhyming. I double beg you. Zack, hang back( hang back I. 犹豫. 慢腾腾 to be slow to do something, often because of fear or having no confidence. If you hang back, you move or stay slightly behind a person or group, usually because you are nervous about something. I saw him step forward momentarily but then hang back, nervously massaging his hands. There's no need to hang back - you can sing as well as anyone. II. 稍等. 稍候. to wait before doing something, esp. when others have already begun. If a person or organization hangs back, they do not do something immediately. They will then hang back on closing the deal. Even his closest advisers believe he should hang back no longer. Most of them went up to their hotel rooms, but I hung back. ), would you? Sit a sec, will you? Uh-oh, being held after class. I finished the manuscript. Oh. And? Oh, I did that much ( After hearing you overwhelmed someone emotionally or helped more than you thought: "I did that much, huh?" (meaning: I had more impact than I realized.) say this/that much for someone/something to say something good about someone or something considered to be bad: I'll say this much for Kay, she always agrees to help whenever we ask her. ) huh? This is a very difficult thing for me to say. It'll be more so ( (all) the more so 更是如此 —used to say why something (such as an attribute or quality) applies to a greater degree or extent. even more than before: Several publishers rejected her book, but that just made her all the more 反而更加, 更加, 越发, 格外 determined. The play was impressive—(all) the more so because the students had written it themselves. All is used in structures such as all the more = all the better 更加, 越发 to mean even more or even better than before. The living room is decorated in pale colours that make it all the more airy. 'How are you?'—'All the better for seeing you.' ) for you to hear. I don't think you were meant to be a writer, at least not a novelist. There are ways to make a living utilizing your writing skills, but... What does that mean? I am a writer. Fiction is not your calling. That's not true. No, that's not true. Just because you didn't respond to something ( respond to something If diseases or patients respond to treatment, the treatment begins to cure them: It remains to be seen whether the cancer will respond to treatment. to say or do something as a reaction to something that has been done or has happened: respond to sth Aid must double to respond to natural disasters. respond by doing sth In focussing on carbon reduction, many companies respond by attempting relatively simple fixes. respond to sth to say or write something as a reaction to something that has been said or written, for example, a letter: I will need to respond to his email today. ) doesn't... You're the one that said, "Don't let anyone tell you you can't write." Those were your words. Yes, they were. Well, I'll get better. That's all. I'll just get better. You'll remember I made an admission early on that I did not think this craft 手艺 could really be taught. Plot, convention, story structure, sure. But at the end of the day, either a person can write or he cannot. You cannot. 10. The Calling: I'm told that your husband and Vincent argued Monday night. The neighbors heard. Certainly, you must have. No, actually, I didn't. Leonard and I met some friends for a drink, and he came home early. I returned an hour later. But if they did argue, I can guess what it was about. Tell me. Well, just Vincent is a disappointment to his father. Because? Because his father is the way he is ( that's (just) the way something/somebody is/that's (just) the way something goes 他就是那样的人, 他就是那么一个人, 就是那么回事 used to say that a particular situation or person cannot be changed Don't try to fight it. That's just the way it is. Sometimes Tim needs to be alone. That's the way he is. ). As far as I'm concerned, the wrong person went missing. 11. I'm a noisy sleeper, snoring, moving, shifting constantly. subterfuge [ˈsʌbtərˌfjudʒ] 花招, 伎俩, 诡计, 虚情假意 the use of lies and tricks. Subterfuge is a trick or a dishonest way of getting what you want. Most people can see right through that type of subterfuge. The party has predictably rejected the proposals as a subterfuge. Catherine was tired of his lies and subterfuge. vocabulary:
If you want to surprise your mom with a sweatshirt, but don't know her
size, it might take an act of subterfuge, like going through her closet,
to find it out. Subterfuge is the use of tricky actions to hide or get something 耍花招. It's pronounced "SUB-ter-fyooj." As a countable noun, a subterfuge is a tricky action or device: She employed a very clever subterfuge to get the information she needed.
Subterfuge is from French, from Old French suterfuge, from Late Latin
subterfugium, from Latin subterfugere "to escape," from subter
"secretly, under" plus fugere "to flee." an element of something a small amount of an emotion or quality: There was certainly an element of truth in what she said. Don't you think there's an element of jealousy in all of this? the element of surprise We walked quietly up to the door to preserve the element of surprise. Yet it seems the ethos of 'work hard, play hard' now has the added element of 'be seen to work-out hard'. Additionally, the guards had the added element of diffusion of responsibility which gave them the opportunity to remove personal responsibility and place it on a higher power. The show was originally broadcast live, so some of the riskier propositions took on added elements of 多了一点, 额外多了一些 danger and suspense. 12. "Set a course for someplace 设定行程, 设定航程, 设定目的地" means to determine and initiate a direction or path towards a specific destination or goal, whether in a literal sense (like a ship) or figuratively (like a project or plan). It involves establishing a plan, strategy, or direction to follow. "Set a course" means to establish a direction or plan of action, often in a figurative sense. In navigation, it refers to determining the path a ship or aircraft will take. In a more general context, it means to create a plan or strategy for achieving a goal, whether it's a personal career path or a project's success. stay the course 坚持不放弃, 坚持住 I. To persevere with as much determination, energy, or fortitude as one can until the end of a race, competition, or contest. Hold or persevere to the end. No, he's not resigning; he's going to stay the course. This metaphoric expression, alluding to a horse running an entire race, was first recorded in 1916. Despite an early setback in the first half, the home team stayed the course and managed to earn a draw. II. To continue attempting or pursuing something difficult to its end or conclusion. If you can't stay the course when things get a bit messy, then you just aren't cut out for this line of work. on course for something likely to achieve something We're well on course for a victory in a general election. If a ship or aircraft is on course, it is travelling along the correct route. If it is off course, it is no longer travelling along the correct route. The ill-fated ship was sent off course into shallow waters and rammed by another vessel. be in a funk 消沉, 沮丧 US informal to be very unhappy and without hope: He's been in a real funk since she left him. "Out of a funk" means to be free from a state of feeling sad, depressed, or unmotivated. It implies a return to a more positive or normal state of mind. It's like shedding a temporary slump or feeling off your game. During those tough years, he was the one who always tried to bring me out of my funk, He wouldn't let up until I did. flab 肥肉 informal disapproving soft, loose flesh on someone's body. If you say that someone has flab, you mean they have loose flesh on their body because they are rather fat, especially when you are being critical of them. soft, loose flesh on the body of a person or an animal: I’m trying to burn off excess flab. Carol scratched at her flabby 肉嘟嘟的 upper arm. Don had a hefty roll of flab overhanging his waistband. I need to lose this flab on my belly! When I sat down in the kayak that day, felt my fat bunch up around my waist, and there was a paparazzi primed for the shot. I remember seeing that photo online later, and I almost saw past the flab, because what stood out most was the misery on my face. bunch (something) up 摞起来, 堆积起来, 堆叠起来, 聚集起来, 聚在一起, 堆在一起 If material bunches up, or if someone bunches it up, it moves into tight folds. If people or things bunch up or bunch together, or if you bunch them up or bunch them together, they move close to each other so that they form a small tight group. They were bunching up, almost treading upon each other's heels. People were bunched up at all the exits. If they need to bunch aircraft more closely together, they will do so. Your shirt's all bunched up at the back. lit I. very good, enjoyable, or exciting. Something or someone that is lit is extremely enjoyable or extremely good. My baby girl's 5th birthday party was lit! Paul McCartney was lit! That car is lit. It was the most lit party ever. II. drunk or under the influence of drugs: He's so lit he can't even speak. You only had one drink you seemed lit already. lamplit 街灯照亮的 illuminated by light from a lamp or lamps. lit by a lamp the lamplit room. "lamplit streets". 12. laconic [ləˈkɒnɪk] 话少的, 话不多的, 简明扼要的 (succinct) (of a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words. using very few words to express what you mean. If you describe someone as laconic, you mean that they use very few words to say something, so that they seem casual or unfriendly. Usually so laconic in the office, Dr. Lahey seemed less guarded, more relaxed. 'At least we weren't kidnapped.'—'I'm glad of that,' was the laconic response. A week or so later he laconically announced that Digby had been transferred to another post. She had a laconic wit. "his laconic reply suggested a lack of interest in the topic". effusive [ɪˈfjuː.sɪv] 热情洋溢的 expressing welcome, approval, or pleasure in a way that shows very strong feeling. If you describe someone as effusive, you mean that they express pleasure, gratitude, or approval in a very enthusiastic way. effusive greetings. an effusive person. He was effusive in his praise 盛赞 for the general. She was very gushing and very effusive. She greeted them effusively. They gave us such an effusive welcome it was quite embarrassing. turn tail 转头就跑, 掉头就跑 turn round in order to run away. to turn around and run away, usually because you are frightened: As soon as they saw we had guns, they turned tail and ran away. "when the militia units realized they faced a determined enemy they turned tail and fled". 13. due I. Due 应有的 应得的 attention or consideration is the proper, reasonable, or deserved amount of it under the circumstances. After due consideration it was decided to send him away to live with foster parents. I hope people will use the footpaths and treat them with due attention. II. Something that is due, or that is due to someone, is owed to them, either as a debt or because they have a right to it. I was sent a cheque for £1,525 and advised that no further pension was due. I've got some leave due to me and I was going to Tasmania for a fortnight. He had not taken a summer holiday that year but had accumulated the leave due him. III. If someone is due for something, that thing is planned to happen or be given to them now, or very soon, often after they have been waiting for it for a long time. She was due for a follow-up appointment. He was not due for release until 2020. I reckon I'm due one of my travels. IV. Dues are sums of money that you give regularly to an organization that you belong to, for example a social club or trade union, in order to pay for being a member. Only 18 of the U.N.'s 180 members had paid their dues 欠费 by the January deadline. V. Due is used before the words 'north', 'south', 'east', or 'west' to indicate that something is in exactly the direction mentioned. They headed due north 正北方. The Thames flows due south 正南方 from Oxford, through the market town of Abingdon. ...a mining town 40 miles due east of Los Angeles. prevaricate [prɪˈvær.ɪ.keɪt] 闪烁其词, 回避, 闪躲, 犹豫, 不确定 to avoid telling the truth or saying exactly what you think. If you prevaricate, you avoid giving a direct answer or making a firm decision. The moment Sue held her newborn daughter Ashika, the years of prevaricating 犹疑 about launching her search to find her parents were over. British ministers continued to prevaricate. After months of prevarication, the political decision had at last been made. He accused the minister of prevaricating. stilted 太正经的. 一本正经的 adj. (of a manner of talking or writing) stiff and self-conscious or unnatural. (of a person's behaviour or way of speaking or writing) too formal and not smooth or natural: He writes in a formal and somewhat stilted style. The dialogue sounded stilted and unnatural, perhaps because of the translation from the original Russian. "we made stilted conversation". This poor guy. I was trying, but the situation wasn't ideal. He had just been ambushed on the way into a club by two gay men who insisted on him meeting their Australian fag hag. It won't surprise you to learn that it was a stilted, tortured, terrible conversation. A fag hag is, in gay slang, a woman who associates either mostly or exclusively with gay and bisexual men. The phrase originated in gay male culture in the United States and was historically an insult. Some women who associate with gay men object to being called fag hags while others embrace the term. The male counterpart, for heterosexual men who have similar interpersonal relationships with gay and bisexual men, is fag stag. Fag hags are frequently stereotyped as outgoing women who are seeking a substitute for heterosexual relationships, or who are secretly (or openly) sexually attracted to gay men. In fact, many women who identify as fag hags are already in romantic relationships, either with straight men or with women, but seek out the alternative experience of socializing with gay men. 14. linear I. involving events or thoughts in which one follows another one directly: Usually, stories are told in a linear way, from start to finish. These mental exercises are designed to break linear thinking habits and encourage creativity. (esp. of stories or ideas) continuing in a clear and reasonable way from one part to the next: The book offers excitement, linear plot development, and dramatic descriptions. How you go from what you want to what you get isn't always linear or simple. II. involving a situation in which one thing changes at the same rate as another, so that the relationship between them does not change. A linear process or development is one in which something changes or progresses straight from one stage to another, and has a starting point and an ending point. Her novel subverts the conventions of linear narrative. ...the linear view of time. The throughput remains constant and the latency shows a linear increase. III. mathematics specialized A linear equation (= mathematical statement) describes a situation in which one thing changes at the same rate as another, so that the relationship between them does not change. Linear equations have the form of straight lines, rather than curves, on a graph: These equations form a straight line graph so they are called linear equations. IV. media specialized used to refer to traditional television in which programmes are broadcast at particular times on particular channels to a general audience: Linear TV is the traditional way television has been provided to households for decades. The BBC says that viewers are watching 44% more linear channels compared with this time last year. V. media, theatre & film specialized Linear editing is a method of editing video, images, or audio (= sound) files by working through each part of a file in order, rather than going directly to the part of the file you want to edit: conventional linear editing of videotape.
This gremlin-looking toy from China is proving to be tariff-proof: (gremlin [ˈɡremlɪn] 小恶魔 (elf, pixie) a small imaginary creature that people blame when they have problems with machines. A gremlin is a tiny imaginary evil spirit that people say is the cause of a problem, especially in a machine, which they cannot explain properly or locate. The microphones went dead as if the technical gremlins had struck again. elf I. an imaginary being, often like a small person with pointed ears, in popular stories: The magical story features wizards, ogres, and elves. In the past people told tales of nature goddesses, fairies, and elves. II. (also Christmas elf) an imaginary being, usually shown as a small person with pointed ears and a pointed hat wearing red and green clothes, that is said to live at the North Pole and help Santa Claus prepare presents for Christmas: Santa has an army of elves making toys. The ad features dancing reindeers and Christmas elves. pixie 邪恶的小人 A pixie is an imaginary little creature like a fairy. Pixies have pointed ears and wear pointed hats. A pixie is a mythical creature, a type of fairy or sprite, primarily associated with British folklore, particularly in the southwestern regions of England. They are often depicted as small, mischievous beings with wings, and they are linked to the music of nature and the moonlit nights. Legend has it that pixies used to drink heather nectar from them. pixie-faced 清爽小脸的 Of a female, having facial features typically associated with pixies (short-cropped hair (pixie cut), a small cute nose, and bright or mischievous smile). ) A Bottega Veneta bag with Labubu ( Labubu is a brand of plush toys 绒毛玩具 created by Hong Kong designer Kasing Lung and marketed by Pop Mart. Labubu is a character designed by Kasing Lung, a Hong Kong–born artist raised in the Netherlands. It's part of Lung's story series The Monsters, which was influenced by Nordic folklore and mythology that he enjoyed during his childhood. ) bag charms 背包挂件( A bag charm is a decorative accessory, often a piece of jewelry, designed to be hung on a handbag, backpack, or other bag. They serve as a way to personalize and express oneself through fashion. Bag charms can range in style from playful and whimsical to sophisticated and elegant, ) during Paris Fashion Week on March 8, 2025. The impish (impish [ˈɪmpɪʃ] 坏坏的, 青春肆意的 looking or behaving as though you are doing something slightly bad that people think is funny. If you describe someone or their behaviour as impish, you mean that they are rather disrespectful or naughty in a playful way. Gillespie is well known for his impish sense of humour. He smiled at me impishly. an impish smile 坏笑. vocabulary: If you know someone who's playful and mischievous, you can describe them as impish. Your impish little brother probably gets away with all kinds of pranks because he's so cute. If you're impish, you might play practical jokes on people, tease them, tickle them, or be otherwise cheerfully annoying. The troublemaker in a kindergarten class is likely to be fairly impish, naughty and a little silly. The adjective impish comes from imp, a mythological creature that's similar to a fairy but known in folklore for its jokes and pranks. ) yet cute plushies ( plush adj. I. soft to touch: He sank into the chair's plush leather cushions. The soft, plush towel is made of 100 percent cotton terry and is available with frog, duck, bear, and rabbit hoods. II. ( lavish = lush = luxurious ) expensive, comfortable, and of high quality. If you describe something as plush, you mean that it is very smart, comfortable, or expensive. ...a plush, four-storey, Georgian house in Mayfair. ...one of the plushest posts in U.S. diplomacy. He took me out to a really plush restaurant. noun. 毛茸茸的东西. 毛绒绒的东西. thick, soft cloth, with a surface like short fur, that is used esp. for covering furniture. thick, soft cloth, with a surface like short fur, used especially for covering furniture or making toys for children. Plush is a thick soft material like velvet, used especially for carpets and to cover furniture. All the seats were in red plush. a plush(-covered) sofa. two metres of dark red plush. plush cushions/curtains. lavish [ˈlæv.ɪʃ] I. 昂贵的. 奢侈的. large in quantity and expensive or impressive. spending, giving, or using more than is necessary or reasonable; more than enough: The team has the most lavish training facility in the league. They live in a lavishly furnished apartment overlooking Central Park. lavish gifts/promises/praise. lavish spending. lavish banquets. The evening was a lavish affair with glorious food and an endless supply of champagne. The lavish production makes this musical truly memorable. II. 大方的, 不吝啬的. very generous: The critics were lavish in their praise for the paintings. lush I. (Of vegetation, especially grass) 绿草丛生的. 绿油油的. growing luxuriantly. Having or characterized by luxuriant vegetation: lush green. the lush decor of a grand hotel. a lush valley. lush greenery and cultivated fields. II. Very rich and providing great sensory pleasure. Extremely pleasing to the senses: a lush scent 怡人香气, 香气怡人; lush fruit; the lush sounds of an orchestra 动听的音乐. lush orchestrations. III. British informal Sexually attractive. Voluptuous or sensual: "[His]eyes swept over her lush young body until she was all the way out the door". IV. Very good or impressive: I had some really lush pressies.) are a global sensation among Gen Z and even those older. Naomi Lin's favorite high-end accessory is wildly popular, an acquired taste, and shockingly resilient in the face of a tariff onslaught. No, it's not Manolos or the latest offering from Prada — it's a gremlin-like plush. It's a Labubu, a palm-sized Nordic elf with bright eyes, sharp teeth and puckish ( 邪气的. 坏坏的. liking to make jokes about other people and play silly tricks on them. If you describe someone as puckish, you mean that they play tricks on people or tease them. He had a puckish sense of humour. a puckish sense of humour. ) grin. Lin, a medical student in Nebraska, owns dozens — and the one attached to her Chanel bag is dressed to the nines in a tweed outfit, matching headband and a mini "Chanel" purse. And Lin isn't the only one captivated by Labubus' ugly charm. Labubus are cute in the sense that they're soft, miniature and come in a range of costumes you'd dress your baby in — a jack-o-lantern ( 南瓜灯 a light made from a hollow pumpkin with holes cut into the sides like the eyes and mouth of a person's face, inside which there is a candle. ) for Halloween, or a tiny pair of denim overalls. But they have glowering ( glower [ˈɡlaʊə] 怒气冲冲 to look very angry, annoyed, or threatening: glower at If you glower at someone or something, you look at them angrily. He glowered at me but said nothing. He glowered and glared, but she steadfastly refused to look his way. There's no point glowering at me like that - you know the rules. figurative Large, black rain clouds glowered (= looked likely to produce rain) in the sky.) eyes and a jagged 犬牙交错的, sharp-toothed smile from ear to ear, an unblinking 等眼看着, 瞪着, 一眼不眨的, 直愣愣的盯着, 不眨眼的盯着, 死盯着 ( looking straight at someone or something in a steady way without blinking (= closing and opening your eyes quickly): He leaned threateningly towards me and fixed me with an unblinking stare. unblinkingly I. in a way that involves looking directly and continuously at a person or thing. If you describe someone's eyes or expression as unblinking, you mean that they are looking steadily at something without blinking. He stared into Leo's unblinking eyes. ...an expressionless, unblinking stare. She looked at him unblinkingly. She listened unblinkingly as the judge read out the sentence. The boy continued to stare unblinkingly at him. II. in a way that is completely clear, or shows no doubt or fear: The film is unblinkingly honest in its observations. We have to focus clearly and unblinkingly on this crisis. unflinching 不退缩的, 不害怕的 not frightened of or not trying to avoid something dangerous or unpleasant. You can use unflinching in expressions such as unflinching honesty and unflinching support to indicate that a good quality which someone has is strong and steady, and never weakens. The battalions continued to advance with unflinching courage. They were unflinchingly loyal to their friends. It is a brave and unflinching account of prison life. ) stare that would terrify anyone who caught its gaze in the middle of the night. The impish yet cute plushies are a global sensation among Gen Z and even those older, often hanging on handbags, backpacks and belt loops. People are flocking to shopping malls and waiting hours to purchase Labubus and their fellow creatures, who first appeared in "The Monsters" storybooks in 2015, in mystery "blind boxes 盲盒," meaning the buyer doesn't know which one they're getting in a given collection. The plushies' distributor, China-based toy company Pop Mart, is enjoying meteoric growth both in the mainland and abroad in the US: In 2024, Labubus generated 3 billion yuan ($410 million) of Pop Mart's 13.04 billion yuan ($1.8 billion) in revenue. Labubus and other figurines 小人儿 distributed by the company have so far proven resistant to the tepid 不温不火的 consumer sentiment in the US and the chaotic trade war between Washington and Beijing — and that growth hasn't slowed. But it's not just the size of the company's sales, it's their growth rate that's more impressive. Pop Mart's revenue outside China skyrocketed 375.2% to 5.07 billion yuan ($703 million) in 2024, and Citigroup research estimated Pop Mart's revenue in America grew between 895% to 900% last year. Offline, Pop Mart's brick-and-mortar stores from Los Angeles to Paris to Bangkok have infamously long lines, especially when new products are released. The growth is also fueled by a plethora of other figurines — there's Baby Molly, Crybaby, Dimoo, Pucky and at least 30 more on the company's US website. If you're lucky enough to snag a Labubu, they can cost up to $85. Resellers on StockX are upcharging 加价出售 ( an additional charge How much is the upcharge for white sidewall tires? While a surcharge is part of what must be paid, an upcharge is not always unexpected, and usually can be declined by rejecting the additional service or the suggested upgrade, albeit receiving less. 比如 A convenience fee 升级费用(享受附加服务): a pharmacy that carries basic grocery items and charges higher prices for the non-pharmaceutical one-stop-shopping items. 或者: Paying a smaller increment in price for a larger increase in what is received; in another it means paying an increase for a non-standard arrangement, what one writer called "upcharge money." The practice of amusement parks to charge both for admission and then for individual rides may be described as "Upcharge attraction". ) into the hundreds of dollars. And their fans are willing to splurge. Lin shelled out hundreds and spent hours on a TikTok Live to secure a Zimomo, a 22-inch creature with a spiked tail. "It's in high demand, so it would be on par with a luxury item," Lin said. Lin is not the only member of her family who is Pop Mart-obsessed. Her father, who bought Lin and her sister their first Labubus while visiting Taiwan, has a Crybaby plush on his suitcase. The meteoric growth of Pop Mart speaks to a larger history of Americans being attached to cute things from Asia (remember Hello Kitty?), Anne Cheng, an English professor at Princeton University, told CNN. Despite the push toward US-made products and the proliferation 扩散 of anti-Asian sentiment during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the growth trajectory for these toys just keeps going. Cheng said there's always been hypocrisy in the US, where Asian people have faced bigoted stereotypes, but when the products they make "come in little boxable, consumable small bits, then they're accessible." The little gremlins, baby and creature keychains also offer a glimpse into luxury that is more attainable for most consumers. Celebrities have played a big role in making them a status symbol. K-pop megastar Lisa told Vanity Fair she got into blind boxes in early 2024 and "spent all my money" while jet-setting to different Pop Mart locations around the world. Oh, and Rihanna has a Labubu too. Some Labubu collections are certainly reminiscent of past crazes. But compared to luxurious collectibles, like say, designer bags or watches, toys that cost an average of $20 to $40 are not as expensive, and in uncertain times, people are looking for affordable indulgences. People are "looking for a fix and looking for anything to bring them joy," said Ali Domrongchai, a food editor in New York City who just received her first Labubu as a gift this past year. Blind boxes are nothing new. The idea of buying something without knowing precisely what the package contains has driven many a craze, from baseball cards to video games. And the toy collective fanatics echo the Beanie Baby mania of the '90s, or what it felt like checking which McDonald's Happy Meal you got. Consumers who spoke to CNN all compared the immediate joy of opening a blind box to the high of gambling. China was so concerned about addiction that in 2023, it introduced strict regulation banning the sale of mystery boxes to children under 8 years old and requiring guardian consent for children who are older. "It plays into your desire for collecting things, then you keep buying them," Cheng said. Pop Mart, like the majority of the toy industry, will almost certainly be impacted by President Donald Trump's trade war with China. On its FAQ page, Pop Mart said that it will cover tariff-induced costs and that "customers will not be required to pay any additional customs fees." But its latest release in April, a tie-dyed line of pastel-colored Labubus, cost $27.99 – $6 more than the previous one. Citigroup said it expects the company to accelerate diversifying its supply chain and raise prices in the US market, or prioritize expanding in other countries. In the meantime, Pop Mart's stock, listed in Hong Kong, has been outperforming Tencent and Alibaba since the year began. For those who can't get their hands on a real Labubu, there are knock-offs — often called lafufus or fauxbubus — but they'll often have lower-quality fur or a slightly misshapen smile. And blind boxes aren't exclusive to Pop Mart. Cute, kitschy items(kitsch [kɪtʃ] n. 庸俗的, 俗气的, 投大众所好的. = corny. tawdry, vulgarized, or pretentious art, literature, etc., usually with popular or sentimental appeal. Art, decorative objects and other forms of representation of questionable artistic or aesthetic value; a representation that is excessively sentimental, overdone, or vulgar. a kitsch plaster bust of Beethoven.) are a staple of East Asian culture, and Asian discount stores like Miniso and Daiso, which combined have hundreds of locations in the US, sell highly coveted blind box toys for under $5. And the bigger the market gets, the more likely it is that competitors will arise in China, the Citigroup analysts warned. Domrongchai, the food editor in New York City, has been tuned into the hype: Her octogenarian great aunts have Labubus attached to their Louis Vuitton purses. And on a trip to visit family in Thailand last year, she visited "almost every mall in Bangkok" with her younger cousin to scour for the famous plush. But it was nowhere to be found, and $40 dollars for a toy is "an ungodly amount" for Thailand. Even for those who have managed to avoid the pull of the devilish smirk of a Labubu, there's always a growing fan base attempting to turn them to the dark side. When a CNN reporter, a self proclaimed Sanrio and Miffy fan, confessed she found the monsters more unsettling than cute, Domrongchai was quick to encourage her: "They're not that scary. They're silly guys. Look, you need to spend some time with them."
