用法学习: 1. black op = black operation 绝密任务, 秘密任务, 秘密行动 Often black ops. a secret mission or campaign carried out by a military, governmental, or other organization, typically one in which the organization conceals or denies its involvement. Some national intelligence agencies use black ops to undermine enemy governments. The company even resorted to an industrial black op to steal secrets from its competitor. Booklist's Carl Hays praised the novel, saying, "King devotees will, of course, devour this latest suspenseful page-turner, but any reader looking for a smart thriller about an unusual black ops organization will find this compelling and rewarding. With his usual blend of plot twists and vividly drawn characters, King remains at the top of his game." cosmic [ˈkɒz.mɪk] I. 宇宙的. relating to the universe and the natural processes that happen in it: ...cosmic debris. cosmic dust/radiation. II. informal very great: of cosmic proportions: The earthquake was a disaster of cosmic proportions. on a cosmic scale 宇宙级别的 The voyage was characterized by mayhem and disappointment on a cosmic scale. III. Cosmic means belonging or relating to the universe. ...the cosmic laws governing our world. ...humanity's place in the cosmic order of things. Talking of Mrs. Sigsby and the people at the Institution, Laura Miller of The New York Times said "Of all the cosmic menaces 宇宙恶人 that King's heroes have battled, this slow creep into inhumanity may be the most terrifying yet because it is all too real." 2. hard luck 不幸的 I. If you say that someone had some hard luck, or that a situation was hard luck on them, you mean that something bad happened to them and you are implying that it was not their fault. We had a bit of hard luck this season. It was jolly hard luck on him, wasn't it? II. If someone says that a bad situation affecting you is just your hard luck, they do not care about it or think you should be helped, often because they think it is your fault. The shop assistants didn't really want to discuss the matter, saying it was just my hard luck 运气不好, 运气不佳. III. [informal, feelings] You can say 'hard luck' to someone to show that you are sorry they have not got or done something that they had wanted to get or do. Hard luck, chaps, but don't despair too much. hard-luck 倒霉的, 不走运的 marked by, relating to, or experiencing bad luck or difficulty. another loss for the team's hard-luck pitcher. hard-luck stories. chicken scratch 鬼画符 I. writing that is untidy and difficult to read. to write something in an untidy way that is difficult to read: Here are a couple of back-of-the-napkin examples that I chicken-scratched over lunch. He struggled to read her chicken-scratched notes. Most men do not decorate their penmanship 练书法. They just chicken-scratch. You might end up with the wrong medication if your pharmacist can't read your doctor's chicken scratch. Understanding his chicken scratches would have been difficult enough, but his English was really old-fashioned as well. Using the chicken-scratch cursive scrawl of his left hand, he began writing. II. a thin, straight mark on a surface: I gave my daughter some chalk and she made chicken scratches and sounded out her name. III. food that chickens enjoy, usually a mixture of seeds, dropped on the ground for them to find in addition to their main food: Given that chicken scratch is a treat, it should not exceed 10 percent of their daily intake. As its name implies, chicken scratch 鸡刨食 is something that chickens will scratch around in the dirt to find and eat. 3. cootie [ˈkuːti] noun child's word or humorous INFORMAL NORTH AMERICAN I. 虱子. a body louse. a very small insect that lives and lays its eggs in people's hair: I may have at one point in my childhood had cooties. "it has to be laundered immediately in case of cooties and is then tossed directly into the ironing basket." II. a children's term for an imaginary germ said to have infected a person of the opposite sex or someone considered socially undesirable. a real or imaginary germ or disease, especially one that is infectious: "he would run around the playground and chase me around and I thought he had cooties". Maybe she thinks he smells or she'll get cooties from him. You pour it into your mouth without touching your lips in order to avoid catching your friends' cooties. A "cootie shot" is a playful, pretend vaccination against imaginary germs called "cooties," often involving a rhyme and drawing circles and dots on someone's arm. It's a children's game rooted in the concept of imaginary illnesses and is a way to playfully avoid or protect oneself from these imagined germs. wiki: Cooties is a fictitious childhood disease, commonly represented as childlore. It is used in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines as a rejection term and an infection tag game (such as Humans vs. Zombies). It is similar to the British "dreaded lurgi", and to terms used in the Nordic countries, in Italy, India and Iraq. A child is said to "catch" cooties through close contact with an "infected" person or from an opposite-sex child of a similar age. 4. ethereal [iˈθɪə.ri.əl] adjective I. 轻飘的, 缥缈的, 优雅的 very light and delicate, especially in a way that does not seem to come from the real, physical world. 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. ethereal beauty. an ethereal being. High, echoing string sounds give an ethereal quality to the music. II. 超凡脱俗的, 超凡的, 非尘世的. 非凡间的. Ethereal means unrelated to practical things and the real world. extremely light and delicate, as if not of this world: ethereal music. an ethereal beauty. ...the ethereal nature of romantic fiction. ...in the ethereal realm of the divine. Cabinets of curiosities (收藏室, 展览馆的早期形态)(They corresponded to the natural and manmade 'marvels' that comprised the princely cabinet of curiosities. Many great collections were made on that basis, and her cabinet of curiosities reflects a very engaging personality. He kept her in a small cabinet of curiosities in his studio, and consulted her endlessly on the crucial sculptural subject of blobbiness.) (also known as wonder-rooms ), were encyclopedic collections of objects whose categorical boundaries were, in Renaissance Europe, yet to be defined. Although more rudimentary collections had preceded them, the classic cabinets of curiosities emerged in the sixteenth century. The term cabinet originally described a room rather than a piece of furniture. Modern terminology would categorize the objects included as belonging to natural history (sometimes faked), geology, ethnography, archaeology, religious or historical relics, works of art (including cabinet paintings), and antiquities. In addition to the most famous and best documented cabinets of rulers and aristocrats, members of the merchant class and early practitioners of science in Europe formed collections that were precursors 前身 to museums. Cabinets of curiosities laid the groundwork for the development of modern museums. As collections grew and knowledge expanded, the need for more organized and public displays led to the establishment of dedicated institutions. Cabinets of curiosities served not only as collections to reflect the particular interests of their curators but also as social devices to establish and uphold rank in society. There are said to be two main types of cabinets. As R. J. W. Evans notes, there could be "the princely cabinet, serving a largely representational function, and dominated by aesthetic concerns and a marked predilection for the exotic(predilection [ˌpriːdɪˈlɛkʃn] 偏好, 偏爱
a preference or special liking for something; a bias in favour of
something. If you have a predilection for something, you have a strong
liking for it. "my predilection for Asian food". ...his predilection for fast cars and fast horses. Ever since she was a child, she has had a predilection for spicy food. vocabulary: A predilection is a preference for or bias toward something. If you have a predilection for wool clothing, you should take up knitting.
Predilection is based on the Latin verb praediligere, or "prefer before
others," which breaks down to prae, before, and diligere, "choose or
love." We often use the word predilection for tendencies that people
seem to have been born with, also called predispositions [ˌpriːdɪspəˈzɪʃn]. If you're a night owl, you probably have a predilection for cities, while morning people tend to prefer the country.)," or the less grandiose ( grandiose [ˈɡrandɪəʊs] 高大上的 adj. I. impressive and imposing in appearance or style, especially pretentiously so. "the court's grandiose facade". designed to look very impressive, but really looking artificial or silly a grandiose building. Blackwell was a pathological liar and a tendency towards the grandiose.
II. conceived on a very grand or ambitious scale. intended to achieve
something important or difficult, but unlikely to be successful because
of not being sensible. grandiose illusions about wielding power. "grandiose plans to reform the world". If you describe something as grandiose, you mean it is bigger or more elaborate than necessary. Not one of Kim's grandiose plans has even begun. Grandiose delusions (GD) 自大狂, 妄想症, also known as delusions of grandeur or expansive delusions,
are a subtype of delusion that occur in patients suffering from a wide
range of psychiatric diseases, including two-thirds of patients in manic
state of bipolar disorder, half of those with schizophrenia, patients
with the grandiose subtype of delusional disorder, and a substantial
portion of those with substance abuse disorders. GDs are characterized
by fantastical beliefs that one is famous, omnipotent, wealthy, or
otherwise very powerful. The delusions are generally fantastic and
typically have a religious, science fictional, or supernatural theme.
There is a relative lack of research into GD, in contrast to persecutory
delusions and auditory hallucinations. About 10% of healthy people
experience grandiose thoughts but do not meet full criteria for a
diagnosis of GD.), "the more modest collection of the humanist scholar or virtuoso, which served more practical and scientific purposes." Evans goes on to explain that "no clear distinction existed between the two categories: all collecting was marked by curiosity, shading into credulity, and by some sort of universal underlying design". 5. Sasquatch [ˈsæs.kwɒtʃ] 大脚怪((in Canadian folklore) in British Columbia, a hairy beast or manlike monster said to leave huge footprints.), also known as Bigfoot, is a large, hairy, bipedal primate-like creature said to inhabit forests in North America, particularly in the Pacific Northwest, according to folklore. The name "Sasquatch" originates from the Salish word "Sasquits," while "Bigfoot" is more commonly used in the United States. While many believe it is a mythical creature, some Indigenous cultures, like the Sts'ailes, consider it a sacred being. be left for dead = leave someone/something for dead = give someone/something up for dead = abandon someone/something for dead 丢下等死, 任由其死 be abandoned as being almost dead or certain to die. "she was left for dead after being repeatedly hit over the head with a rock". to leave a person or animal in a condition where they could be dead, because you intended to kill them or do not care whether they live. To abandon a person or other living creature that is injured or otherwise incapacitated, assuming that the death of the one abandoned will soon follow. They knocked me unconscious and left me for dead. The men were simply shot and left for dead. Someone had hit the fox with a car and left it for dead on the road. He ran away from the tangled wreckage, giving her up for dead. Newborn babies have been abandoned for dead. salt 恼羞成怒 I. Slang. =salty. Can mean bitter, resentful, or easily offended. angry, upset, or hostile, especially due to embarrassment or failure. In modern slang, "salt" or "salty" typically means angry, upset,
or bitter. It's often used to describe someone who is reacting
negatively to a perceived slight, loss, or frustrating situation,
especially in online and gaming contexts. He gets all salty whenever he loses. Someone might say "I got salty when I lost that match" or "He got really salty when his team lost." My cousin Johnny. Salt, swagger, and reckless abandon. II. Experienced/Tough: Used to describe someone who is experienced, worldly, and perhaps a bit rough around the edges, often in a nautical context (e.g., "He's a salty sailor"). III. Coarse/Earthy: Can describe language that is blunt, direct, and perhaps a bit vulgar. with reckless abandon 无拘无束的, 自由自在的, 疯狂的, 不考虑其他的, 随性的, 任性的 in a very wild and reckless way. unrestrained surrender to impulse or passion, without regard for convention, appearances, good sense, or risk. He played with reckless abandon, his enthusiasm for the game flowing from his every pore. With this data deal you'll be able to stream movies and music with reckless abandon. She decided with reckless abandon to quit her job and move to Tahiti. swagger verb If you swagger, you walk in a very proud, confident way, holding your body upright and swinging your hips. to walk or behave in a way that shows that you are very confident and think that you are important. to walk, esp. with a swinging movement, in a way that shows that you are confident and think you are important: He swaggered into the room just like any bully would. They swaggered into the room. A broad-shouldered man wearing a dinner jacket ( = tuxedo jacket) swaggered confidently up to the bar. The burly brute swaggered forward, towering over me, and shouted. swagger around A group of young men swaggered around outside the bar. His swaggering self-confidence irritates many people. noun. I. a way of walking or behaving that shows you are confident: a swagger He walked out of the room with a self-confident swagger. Underneath all his swagger he's actually pretty nervous. He walked with something of a swagger. He walked out of the room with a swagger that made me want dislike him. swaggering in an extremely confident way that shows you think you are very important: He was an arrogant, swaggering young man. He is swaggeringly confident. Such swaggering self-confidence irritates a lot of people. swaggerer someone who behaves in an extremely confident way and thinks they are very important: He was never a swaggerer. swag I. old-fashioned slang 赃款, 偷来的. 赃物 stolen goods: The cartoon showed a picture of a robber carrying a bag with "swag" written on it. II. free things that you are given, for example at an event: The bag was full of swag 促销品, 赠品 from the conference: coupons, samples, pens, etc. III. [ U ] Australian English old-fashioned possessions wrapped in a cloth and carried by a person who does not have a home or a job, but walks around from place to place. IV. a fashionable and confident appearance or way of behaving. bold self-confidence of behaviour or style. he's got swag to his game. That girl's got swag. V. a piece of material hung above a window as a decoration: The dining room has curtains with swags. picture of swag. VI. a chain of flowers, leaves, fruit, etc. hung as a decoration: a mantelpiece decorated with swags of holly. go on the swag Australian and New Zealand informal to become a tramp. swags of Australian and New Zealand informal lots of. swagger (走路的姿势和姿态显得自信傲慢) VS swag(个人风格和气质自信时尚酷): Swagger focuses on the act of walking or behaving confidently. Swagger is a term that has been around for centuries, and it originally referred to the way someone carried themselves. It was often used to describe people who were confident and had a lot of self-esteem. Swag encompasses a broader concept of style, confidence, and coolness, and also refers to promotional items. Swagger generally refers to a confident, arrogant, or boastful manner of walking or carrying oneself. Swag, in its modern usage, is a slang term derived from "swagger" and often refers to a confident, stylish, and cool attitude or personal style, cool attitude, often associated with a person's personal style and charisma. "That outfit has so much swag!" or "He's got that effortless swag.", but it also has a separate meaning as promotional items given away by companies. promotional items or merchandise that companies give away at events, trade shows, or as part of marketing campaigns. These items might include branded apparel, accessories, or other freebies. 6. pro shop 专业店, 高尔夫用品店(Johnny: But when I tell you I literally took flight... Yeah, right through the pro shop window? Yeah, and not a scratch on me 毫发无伤. I got that phone call. Ugh. What did the cops say about your aeronautical adventure? Johnny: I don't know. They were cool.) a retail outlet at a golf club, typically run by the resident professional, where golfing equipment can be purchased or repaired. A pro shop is a sporting-goods retail outlet found at a sports facility, most commonly a golf course, where it is typically located in the country club building. Pro shops can also be found at bowling alleys, pool and snooker halls, tennis and racquetball courts, ice and roller hockey rinks, and football (soccer) facilities. Pro shops specialize in selling sports equipment and branded items particular to the sport or venue. Pro shops at golf facilities usually provide equipment such as golf balls, clubs, shoes, and tees, as well as golf-themed gift items, and sometimes snacks or refreshments. Pro shops will usually have items on display to test and evaluate before purchase. Pro shops are often managed by a professional player referred to as a house pro, and overseen by a general manager who is employed by or acts as a consultant contractor. Shops may also be run by a retail manager at larger venues (or those too small to attract a pro). House pros are often available to advise on game-related issues such as rules, and the proper equipment for particular needs and conditions; and sometimes for instruction, including group lessons and one-on-one training (usually for a fee). They also sometimes perform paid personal equipment maintenance, such as restringing tennis racquets, drilling and fitting bowling balls, re-tipping pool/snooker cues, and skate sharpening. 7. They're gathering 集合. Now, see, you look iconic in that outfit and I look like a golf caddy. No, you don't. But... My mom's gonna fillet me. What do I do? Oh, I... Switch with me 换换, 交换, 跟我换. Are you sure? Yeah. I won't get in trouble. I'm Cadence the First. I have plenty of "get out of jail free" cards to spare. OK, fine. come with (someone or something) I. to depart in the company of someone or something; to travel with someone or a group. To accompany someone; go along with someone: I didn't go to the mall alone—some friends came with me. Come with me. We'll go to my place. Are you going to come with the tour? Are you going to come with? II. Regional (Chicago & Milwaukee) To accompany; go along. Used intransitively: I'm going to the store; do you want to come with? Anybody want an ice pop? Ooh, ice pop. I'm coming with 我也去. "Throw a parade 庆祝一下" generally means to organize and participate in a public procession, often as a celebration or demonstration of support. It can also be used more broadly to describe showing something off or making a spectacle of something. You throw someone a parade when they do something great worth celebrating. Like when the Cavs won the championship a few years ago, Cleveland threw them a parade. Nowadays, it's usually used sarcastically. For example: "Jimmy took out the trash today." "Wow, throw him a parade then. Isn't that what he's supposed to do?" Turns out I need a new doubles partner this year. The Eastern Connecticut Championship will never be the same. Yeah, well, things got messy when we started losing. Messy how? Well, we had all these travel matches. You know how it goes. Hotel rooms and chaperones who don't actually chaperone. Gat: Wait. We're talking about Jackson, right? Not your mixed doubles partner. Wait, is this a big coming out moment? Dude, congrats. Whatever. Don't throw a parade or anything. Still figuring it out. Look, the point is, one night, we just sort of went for it. And it got weird. Everything changed. Like, ruined our vibe. No rhythm on the court. We're not even, like, friends anymore. It blows. I'm sure it kind of messed up the whole team too. parade as something/be paraded as something 假装, 伪装成 (= masquerade sth as sth else) if something parades as something else that is better, someone is pretending that it is the other better thing – used to show disapproval. It's just self-interest parading as concern for your welfare. It's just old-fashioned racism parading as scientific research. bodega [boʊˈdeɪ·ɡə] 拉丁便利店 I. (in a neighborhood with a lot of Spanish-speaking people) a small store that sells food and other items for the house. a small shop that sells things that are often needed, especially one in an area of a US city where a lot of Latino people live (= people whose families originally come from Latin America): Around the neighbourhood, bodegas and groceries sit vacant. Would you run down to the bodega and pick up a quart of milk and some kitty litter? So robbing a bodega. That's a level up for you 升级, 升了一级. Yeah, I don't know why I did that. You know, I knew the owner, like, my whole life. They used to give me free M&Ms. Didn't call the cops, though. Just my mom. That's why she sent me to India over the break. She thought time with my grandparents would somehow teach me how to respect my elders. II. a bar or wine shop, especially in Spain or a Spanish-speaking country: Try to visit a bodega, one of the large wine cellars to be found in towns and most villages. 8. gruel I. A thin, watery porridge, formerly eaten primarily by the poor and the ill. a light, usually thin, cooked cereal made by boiling meal, esp. oatmeal, in water or milk. II. Punishment. III. Something that lacks substance. thin gruel. Tulsi Gabbard's 'seditious conspiracy' claim is based on thin gruel. gruelling [ˈɡruːəlɪŋ] 累人的, 繁重的 adj. extremely tiring and demanding. A gruelling activity is extremely difficult and tiring to do. He had complained of exhaustion after his gruelling schedule over the past week. This flight was more gruelling than I had expected. "a gruelling schedule". extremely tiring and difficult, and demanding great effort and determination: Junior doctors often have to work a gruelling 100-hour week. He eventually won the match after five gruelling sets. grovelling [ˈɡrɒvlɪŋ] 谄媚的 acting obsequiously in order to obtain forgiveness or favour. "his grovelling references to ‘great’ historians". noun. obsequious behaviour aimed at obtaining forgiveness or favour. "it was time to give in and do a bit of grovelling". witticism [ˈwɪtɪsɪz(ə)m] 俏皮话, 聪明的反击, 回嘴 a witty remark. a remark that is both clever and humorous. A witticism is a witty remark or joke. "Maurice roared with laughter at his own witticisms". An uncomfortable layer of menace lurks beneath the witticisms. 9. rally I. 团结. to (cause to) come together in order to provide support or make a shared effort: Supporters/Opponents of the new shopping development are trying to rally local people in favour of/against it. The president has called on the people to rally to/behind the government. The general rallied his forces to defend the town. "Workers of the world unite!" was their rallying cry/call (= a phrase said to encourage support). When people rally to something or when something rallies them, they unite to support it. His supporters have rallied to his defence. He rallied his own supporters for a fight. II. 恢复. 好转. 缓过来. 复原. to return to a better condition. When someone or something rallies, they begin to recover or improve after having been weak. He rallied enough to thank his doctors. Markets began to rally 复苏 worldwide. The nurse said my mother had rallied after a poor night. The team played badly in the first half of the game but rallied in the second. The pound rallied against the dollar in trading today. noun. I. a public meeting of a large group of people, esp. to show support for a particular opinion, political party, or sports team. a public meeting of a large group of people, especially supporters of a particular opinion: About three thousand people held a rally to mark international human rights day. Supporters of the policy are reported to be gathering for a mass rally. 5,000 people held an anti-nuclear rally. an election/campaign rally. He helped organize the first national rally against the war. II. 拉力赛. a car or motorcycle race, especially over long distances on public roads. A rally is a competition in which vehicles are driven over public roads. Between them the pair won the women's section of the Monte Carlo Rally three times. ...an accomplished rally driver. The French driver has taken the lead in the Paris-Dakar rally. III. a continuous exchange of hits between players in tennis, squash or badminton. A rally in tennis, badminton, or squash is a continuous series of shots that the players exchange without stopping. ...a long rally. IV. an improvement: After a brief rally the shares returned to 126p. Share prices fell again today after yesterday's rally 转好, 好转. rally round (someone) to help or support someone. When people rally around or rally round, they work as a group in order to support someone or something at a difficult time. So many people have rallied round to help the family. Connie's friends rallied round her. When I'm ill, my friends always rally round. 10. How did the game go? We won. We took care of business( take care of business 办事, 做该做的 to do what needs to be done. To do whatever is necessary to resolve something, make progress, get by, cope with one's circumstances, etc. Our last manager was really lazy. I'm hoping the person they're bringing in to replace him will take care of business 办事. I know it can seem overwhelming when there's so much to get done, but just start taking care of business one step at a time. Sarah is good at taking care of business, so she's been put in charge of organizing the event. doing what I am supposed to do; an answer to the question "What are you doing lately?" Bill: Hey, man. What you been doing? Tom: Just taking care of business. Andy: Look, officer, I'm just standing here, taking care of business, and this Tom guy comes up and tries to hit me for a loan. Tom: That's not true! ). You better order food before last call( last orders = last call (in a bar or pub) said to inform customers that closing time is approaching and that any further drinks should be bought immediately. an announcement made
in a bar shortly before service of alcoholic beverages ends (sometimes
used attributively): We do last call 30 minutes before we close the doors, and we stop serving drinks 10 minutes after last call. I'm getting too old for last call hookups. "last orders, gentlemen, please". The very last opportunity to do or order something. The bartender is doing last call—do you want another drink? This is the last call for flight 408 to New Jersey. Any passengers not already on board please report to terminal three immediately. last call (for something) and last chance (for something) Fig. the last opportunity for doing, getting, or having something. the time when the
customers in a place where drinks are sold (such as a bar) are told that
they can order one more drink before it closes. This is the last call for ice cream and cake. It's almost all gone. ). "last call hookups" generally implies the idea of engaging in casual sexual encounters, often with someone met at a bar or party, at the end of the night when the bar is closing. It suggests a situation where, after the last call has been made, individuals might be more inclined to pursue a brief, intimate encounter. 11. squirrelly = squirrely [ˈskwɪrəlɪ] I. 松鼠似的. like or typical of a squirrel in appearance or behaviour. relating to or similar to a squirrel (= a small furry animal with a thick long tail that climbs trees): I'm not keen on her squirrelly food choices. Tom is a pot-bellied man with a squirrelly little moustache. II. US informal 紧张的. 神经质的. very nervous, sensitive, strange, or unpredictable. nervous and unable to stay still and calm. I could tell right away that the girls were squirrelly and unusually frantic. Like lots of people, I get squirrelly when I'm forced to leave a message. I get a little squirrelly if I'm stuck in the house all day. III. 不老实的, 不诚实的. 不说实话的. not completely honest, or not to be trusted: There's something a little squirrelly about the whole thing. Some of the numbers in the preliminary report look squirrelly. The driver was acting squirrelly about his insurance information. IV. difficult to deal with or solve: We developers live for these sorts of squirrelly problems. Apparently, it was a very complicated, squirrelly 难搞的, 困难的 case. V. making sudden uncontrolled movements: Loosen your grip on the handlebars - tension makes the bike squirrelly 摇晃不稳的. These skis can get squirrelly in high-speed turns. 12. The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, introduced legislation on the first full day of parliamentary sittings to add sabotage, promotion of communal violence, attacks on the defence system, and serious threats to Australia's border security to the rules for compulsory questioning. But the bill would also end so-called sunset provisions 日落条款, the effective expiry dates which require parliament to reconsider the powers on a regular basis. Under the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act, intelligence operatives have powers to issue a questioning warrant requiring a person as young as 14 to give information or produce items that may assist in a serious investigation. The powers are scheduled to sunset ( noun. I. business, law mainly US specialized used to describe a part of a law or contract that states when it will end, or the conditions under which it will end: She added a sunset clause that nullified the agreement after 10 years of marriage. II. business, law mainly US specialized used to describe a date by which something must legally end: Proposed changes include eliminating a lower charge for companies, moving the charge's sunset date 适用期 from 2012 to 2025. verb. to end a law or legal agreement or allow it to end, or to come to an end: He is looking at the possibility of sunsetting some of these regulations. The provision lasts just four years - starting in 2022 and sunsetting in 2026. ) on 7 September this year. They will be temporarily extended, for 18 months, to allow parliament to consider the wider bill, which would make the powers permanent. "Since its introduction, the framework has been subject to five parliamentary reviews and two independent reviews, causing the parliament to extend the sunset date five times," he said. "Removing the sunset provision reflects the government's view that these powers now form an essential part of Asio's collection powers, particularly in light of the threat environment." 12. theatre I. behaviour that is not sincere and is intended just to produce a particular effect or to attract attention. activity that is performed in a showy or exaggerated manner, esp in order to capture attention or support rather than for practical purposes. the debate was merely theatre. Her tears were pure theatre. II. an area or place in which important military events happen. A theatre of war or other conflict 战场, 战区 is the area or region in which the war or conflict is happening. a major area of military activity. the theatre of operations. ...the Prussian army's battle to join up with Wellington, away from the main theatre of war. a theatre of war. III. writing that is suitable for dramatic presentation a good piece of theatre. operating theatre 手术室 a room in a hospital or other medical centre equipped for surgical operations. Even amid the bluster 叫嚣, 虚张声势, 咋呼 and theatrics of Trump's global trade wars, his singling out of Brazil was conspicuous — the United States has a significant trade surplus in goods and services with the Latin American giant, making it an unusual target for Trump's protectionism. Security theater 装模作样的安全措施, 做样子的安全措施. 安全面子工程( Security theater refers to security measures that give the appearance of enhanced safety without actually providing a significant increase in security. These measures are often highly visible and dramatic, but ultimately ineffective at deterring or preventing actual threats. The term was coined by security expert Bruce Schneier to describe the TSA's airport security procedures. 9/11 was the ultimate way to push through many privacy invasive surveillance measures masquerading as security, when they were really just security theatre. ) is the practice of implementing security measures that are considered to provide the feeling of improved security while doing little or nothing to achieve it. The term was originally coined by Bruce Schneier for his book Beyond Fear and has since been widely adopted by the media and the public, particularly in discussions surrounding the United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Practices criticized as security theater include airport security measures, stop and frisk policies on public transportation, and clear bag policies at sports venues. 13. cuss [kʌs] 骂人, 说脏话 mainly US old-fashioned informal to say words that are not polite because you are angry. If someone cusses, they swear at someone or use bad language. got cussed out by his boss. Tosh was known to be a man who would cuss and shout. He rails and cusses at those pop stars. Puppy chow, also known as monkey munch, muddy buddies, muddy munch, reindeer chow, or doggy bag, is the name for a homemade candy made in the United States, primarily in the Midwestern States. The recipe's name and ingredients can differ depending on the version, but most recipes will typically include cereal, melted chocolate, peanut butter (or other nut butters), and powdered sugar. Nut free versions can be made using nut butter alternatives, like Notnuts or sun butter. Corn, wheat, or rice cereal can be used, usually Chex and/or Crispix. Splitting headache 头疼欲裂. pitch in and help 尽一份力来帮忙 To volunteer to join in (with someone) to help out (with some task). Jim is always willing to pitch in and help with any housework that needs doing. We all pitched in and helped so that the house would be clean before Mom and Dad got home. The only way we'll get the project finished in time is if everyone pitches in and helps. "Pitching in and helping out" means contributing to a common effort, typically by working together or providing support. It implies joining a group to accomplish a task or goal, often by offering assistance, resources, or effort. 14. Concealed carry, or carrying a concealed weapon (CCW) 私下持枪, is the practice of carrying a weapon (usually a sidearm such as a handgun), either in proximity to or on one's person in public places in a manner that hides or conceals the weapon's presence from surrounding observers. In the United States, the opposite of concealed carry is called open carry 公开持枪. leave someone on read (seen) 已读不回, 不回信息 (Internet slang) To read someone's instant message(s) without giving a response, particularly on a platform that lets one see whether a message has been viewed. To read a text message from someone and intentionally not respond
to them. Refers to "read receipts" that show the sender exactly when
someone read their text. My boyfriend left me on read yesterday after I asked him to send me a picture of his dog, which made me very angry! If you're not into this dude, stop leaving him on read and just break up with him already. He left you on read again? Dang, that's cold. bluetick (Internet slang) To ignore (a message) sent through a social messaging app, especially one where a reply is expected or requested. The recorder 竖笛, 木笛, 牧童笛, 直笛 a musical instrument consisting of a wooden or plastic tube that you blow down while covering holes with your fingers. a family of woodwind musical instruments in the group known as internal duct flutes: flutes with a whistle mouthpiece, also known as fipple flutes, although this is an archaic term. A recorder can be distinguished from other duct flutes by the presence of a thumb-hole for the upper hand and holes for seven fingers: three for the upper hand and four for the lower. It is the most prominent duct flute in the western classical tradition. The flute is a member of a family of musical instruments in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, producing sound with a vibrating column of air. Flutes produce sound when the player's air flows across an opening. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, flutes are edge-blown aerophones. A musician who plays the flute is called a flautist or flutist. The bamboo flute has a long history, especially in China and India. Flutes have been discovered in historical records and artworks starting in the Zhou dynasty (c.1046–256 BC). The oldest written sources reveal the Chinese were using the kuan (a reed instrument) and hsio (or xiao, an end-blown flute 箫, often of bamboo) in the 12th–11th centuries BC, followed by the chi (or ch'ih) in the 9th century BC and the yüeh in the 8th century BC. Of these, the bamboo chi is the oldest documented transverse flute. 15. make a play for something/someone 想得到, 追求, 试身手, 想方设法得到(某物), 千方百计追求(某人) attempt to attract or attain. to try to get something, or start a relationship with someone, sometimes by using a plan. to try to win the attention or admiration of a person who you find attractive. To attempt to attain something, often through some kind of plan or scheme. We need a quarterback, so we're going to make a play for 试图得到, 追逐 Jones in the offseason. Most start-ups are formed in the hope that some huge corporation will make a play for them before they get too big. One of the women made a play for him. I wouldn't have made a play for him if I'd known he was married. "we invited men to make a play for the award". make a play for someone to attempt to attract the romantic interest of someone. Ann made a play for Bill, but he wasn't interested in her. I knew he liked me, but I never thought he'd make a play. I know she's way out of my league, but I'm going to make a play for Stacy. 16.
"Bathroom camping 躲在厕所里" refers to the Gen Z trend of using a bathroom as a temporary refuge to escape from overwhelming situations or overstimulation. It's a way to find privacy and quiet, even if just for a short while, to decompress and recharge. Essentially, people are seeking a safe and private space, even if it's just a bathroom, to avoid social pressures, noise, or stressful environments. 17. Cheerleading (cheer squad 啦啦队) is an activity in which the participants (called cheerleaders) cheer for their team as a form of encouragement. It can range from chanting slogans to intense physical activity. It can be performed to motivate sports teams, to entertain the audience, or for competition. Cheerleading routines typically range anywhere from one to three minutes, and contain components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting. Cheerleading originated in the United States, where it has become a tradition. It is less prevalent in the rest of the world, except via its association with American sports or organized cheerleading contests. A cheer squad is a group of people who perform organized cheers, chants, and sometimes gymnastics routines to support a sports team or other event, often during games. They aim to energize the crowd and boost team morale. Cheer squads may also be referred to as a cheerleading squad or spirit squad. 18. Occam's razor = Ockham's razor [ˈɒkəm] a
scientific and philosophical rule that entities should not be
multiplied unnecessarily which is interpreted as requiring that the
simplest of competing theories be preferred to the more complex or that
explanations of unknown phenomena be sought first in terms of known
quantities. In philosophy, Occam's razor (also spelled Ockham's razor or Ocham's razor; Latin: novacula Occami) is the problem-solving principle that recommends searching for explanations constructed with the smallest possible set of elements. It is also known as the principle of parsimony or the law of parsimony. Attributed to William of Ockham, a 14th-century English philosopher and theologian, it is frequently cited as Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem, which translates as "Entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity", although Occam never used these exact words. Popularly, the principle is sometimes paraphrased as "of two competing theories, the simpler explanation of an entity is to be preferred." parsimony [ˈpɑː.sɪ.mə.ni] 小气, 不肯花钱, 抠门 the quality of not being willing to spend money or to give or use a lot of something. unwillingness to spend money or to give things to people. Parsimony is extreme unwillingness to spend money. Due to official parsimony, only the one machine was built. There is no excuse for such corporate parsimony over staff salaries. She criticised government parsimony with defence investment. Her stepfather's parsimony was well known. parsimonious The government has been parsimonious in its spending on the arts. 19. colicky [ˈkɒl.ɪ.ki] 肚子疼 suffering from or relating to a severe but not continuous pain in the bottom part of the stomach or bowels, that mainly affects babies. experiencing or denoting severe pain in the abdomen (colic) due to wind or intestinal obstruction. "she was a colicky baby". She was admitted to hospital suffering from a sudden colicky pain. drunk tank 醉鬼牢房 INFORMAL NORTH AMERICAN a large prison cell for the detention of drunks. a cell (= locked room) in a police station where people who are drunk can be kept: Police picked him up and threw him in the drunk tank. "he woke up in the drunk tank". clam up = shut up like a clam 沉默不语, 闭口不言, 拒不开口 to become silent suddenly, usually because you are embarrassed or nervous, or do not want to talk about a particular subject. If someone clams up, they stop talking, often because they are shy or to avoid giving away secrets. As soon as I told her my name, she clammed up. He just clams up if you ask him about his childhood.
square: 1. square up 转头以面对面 I. to turn so that you are facing someone directly, in order to prepare to fight them: The players squared up to 转头对着, 转向面对 each other and started shouting. In the meadow beside the lane, two hares were squaring up. to face someone or something bravely; to tackle someone or something. You'll have to square up to the bully or he'll make your life miserable. It's time to square up to 直面, 正视 your financial problems. You can't just ignore them. to deal with a problem or difficult person bravely and with determination. If you square up to 硬杠 a problem, person, or situation, you accept that you have to deal with them and take action to do so. The world's most prestigious insurance company was last night squaring up to take on MPs who have accused it of being riddled with corruption. ...a woman squaring up to the deepest crisis she has yet had to face. I thought she squared up to the situation admirably. He had the courage to square up to the issue which everyone else had been avoiding. II. to prepare to compete, argue, or fight with someone. to begin to compete or argue with another person, group, or organization: The two teams will be squaring up to 面对面的竞争 each other in the final next week. The candidates are preparing to square up on Friday in the first presidential debate. Germany's biggest carmaker is squaring up for fierce wage negotiations with its employees. Three of the country's biggest supermarket groups are squaring up to banks in a battle over cash machine charges. square up (for fighting) to get ready for an argument or a fight. John was angry and appeared to be squaring up for a fight. When those two square up, everyone gets out of the way. III. in some sports, to bring the body into a position where it is directly facing an opponent or the ball, goal, etc.: You missed the shot because you didn't square up before you let go. She squared up 调整身形 and kicked the extra points that won the game. square up on someone 直面, 对质, 对峙(confront): It's not enough for you to ruin my deployment, you got to go ahead and ruin my leave, too. Would you rather have Jason come chase you down after this bender? Jace would totally understand, okay? That right there, that is old-school team shit. Wow. You know, I never realized the old-school teams were full of selfish assholes. It's time to put your big boy pants on. Let's go. Really? You're gonna square up on me for pulling you out of a career-ender? Yeah, I am. Okay. Yeah, 'cause that ego of yours is gonna get an ass-whupping 打屁股 one day. Let's hurry up and go. Come on. They got to bond. The way we bond is via structure and discipline. Nah, it's about who would have your back at 3:00 A.M. at the after-after-party. Yeah, people having your back by learning the steps is a sign that they'll have your back out there. Janine! Are you saying you'd square up on a stranger 打一架 for me? Go ahead and get stuff started. I'll be back after I finish my exciting blue slushy. IV. if two things that should be the same do not square up, they seem different or show different results: The accounts don't seem to square up 账对不上, 账不对, 不对账. square something up 对好, 放好, 调整好, 对齐, 冲好 to arrange something so that it is square or rectangular, or in a straight line. to cause something to have right angles. Please square the door frames up better before you nail them in. Can you square up this box a little better? They learned how to stack straw bales, squaring up the corners. The planks on one wall are not straight, squared up along the bottom edge but about a half inch off at the top. Square up the fabrics to make the edges parallel to each other. He used his foot to square up the doormat that the dogs had sent skidding across the wooden floor. II. settle or pay an account 结账. "Would you square up the bill?" square up with someone 付账, 找平, 扯平, 结账, 算账 to pay someone the money that you owe them. to pay back money that is owed. Let me know how much my share in the activity is and I'll square up with you tomorrow. If you pay for both tickets now, I'll square up with you later. To settle a debt: Let's square up later for the dinner. (= Let's pay each other back.). 2. square off I. to prepare to fight, compete, or argue with someone. if two people, groups, or organizations square off, they start to compete or argue with each other: State and federal agencies are squaring off over claims that the state is sitting on millions of dollars that should be used for hurricane recovery. The two giants in the fast-food industry are squaring off this month with the most aggressive advertising campaigns yet. II. to oppose someone in a competition or prepare to fight someone: Bradley is expected to square off with Cook in the next election. square something off I. If you square something off, you alter it so that it has the shape of a square. Peel a thick-skinned orange and square off the ends with a sharp knife. ...white modern buildings that look like squared-off wedding cakes. II. If one group or person squares off against or with another, they prepare to fight them. In Florida, farmers are squaring off against cities for rights to groundwater. French soldiers squared off with a gunman at a road checkpoint. The two teams square off for the first game of the series. 3. square (meal) 丰盛的餐食 a good and nutritious meal. (Always with quantifier when square is used without meal.) I need three squares a day—at least. The old beggar looks like he could use a square meal. 4. square deal A fair, honest transaction, deal, or arrangement. The president said he will pull out of trade deal talks until he feels sure we are getting a square deal. We aren't looking to be paid or treated better than our peers—we just want a square deal. $300 for that crappy old computer? That doesn't sound like a square deal to me, dude. note: Square here has the sense of 'honest', which as an adjective was associated originally with honourable play at cards. on the square (at square): I. honest(ly), fair(ly), genuine(ly), etc. honestly and openly. II. a phrase identifying someone as a Freemason he is on the square. Usage notes: This phrase is associated with Freemasonry: The angle measures the square, the symbol of earth and the realm of the material. The square represents fairness, balance, and firmness which is reflected in phrases such as "on the square" and "squared away." Something that is squared is something that is stable, a foundation for building upon. out of square 不四方, 不平整 Not square. In a way that's not producing square results. The shelving was out of square from the day it was built, and it only got worse from there. Don't be building out of square and then expect the prehung doors and windows to slip right in. 5. be a square peg (in a round hole) 格格不入, 不匹配, 驴唇不对马嘴 To act or think differently than most people, especially when it causes one to not fit in or be comfortable with others or in a particular situation. It only took three months to realize I was a square peg in a round hole at the firm. I guess I just don't buy into the whole corporate hierarchy of modern business. When the man in the fancy suit walked into the biker bar, it was obvious that he was a square peg. John was a bit of a square peg in a round hole throughout high school, but when he went to college he found all sorts of people he could relate to. One who acts or thinks differently than most people. Typically used in the phrase "a square peg in a round hole." The young girl who had a love of math and science often felt like a square peg in a round hole when surrounded by her peers. When the man in the fancy suit walked into the biker bar, it was obvious that he was a square peg. 6. square accounts (with somebody) I. pay somebody the money you owe them. To settle one's debt; to pay what one owes to someone. You'll need to square your account before you check out of the hotel. You can square your account at the end of the week. II. hurt somebody, usually because they have done something bad to you. To avenge a misdeed. Oh, I'll square my account with him after school—with my fists! I'm here to square accounts with Murphy for what he did to my sister. 7. square (one's) shoulders To prepare to do or deal with something difficult or unpleasant; to demonstrate courage, resolve, or determination. I know that you're nervous about the game, but you just need to square your shoulders and do your best. Many people in the audience were booing when her name was announced, but she squared her shoulders and stepped onto the stage to perform.
统一口径, 串供, 统一说法, 统一说辞 (Speak with one voice. Coordinate the message / messaging. Align positions / statements. Ensure consistency in statements / narratives. ): 1. We need to square up on what you are gonna say 想好怎么说, 想好说辞 if they wanna talk to you. 2. She was calm. Like her hubby. They were unified 一个说法, 说法一致, 众口一词, 统一口径 in their story(made one; united. behaving or treated as one group, country, or system. a unified school district a unified system or policy is the same everywhere it is used. It's hard to find a unified approach 放之四海而皆准 that will work well in all schools. a unified German state. a unified system of taxation. ). I [sighs] Still not certain it was the right tactic 好计策, 好棋, 妙棋, 策略. 3. 例子1: Sheldon: Leonard, we should probably have our story straight 对词, 串供, 串通好, 串词, 想好怎么说 in case we get caught(get something straight to correctly understand something. make a situation clear, especially by reaching an understanding. Let me get this straight – you didn't know they had your car. get your facts straight/right 搞清楚事情真相 to have the correct information about something, especially before criticizing someone or arguing with them. Before you start blaming us, you should get your facts straight.). Leonard: We're not getting caught. 例子2: We were both involved, had to get our story straight 统一口径. 4. get together I. [intransitive] 抛弃分歧, 达成一致. 串供. to reach an agreement on an issue that people have had different opinions about. get together on: Witnesses? Uh, two sisters. We've got the girls inside. I've kept them separate so they don't get together on their stories 串通. I hope the committee can get together on this matter. II. [transitive] to organize or produce something that has many separate parts We've got to get this report together by tomorrow. III. [transitive] to find or collect things that you need, so that they are in one place and ready to use. I got together 攒起来, 收集起来 a list of all their names and phone numbers. a. to obtain an amount of money that you need. I managed to get the deposit together. IV. [intransitive] informal if two people get together, they start a romantic or sexual relationship. get it together a. to be in control of your life, so that you are successful and are doing what you want to do. b. British spoken if two people get it together, they start a romantic or sexual relationship. get yourself together to become calm and in control of your emotions. be ranged against/with sth/sb = range yourself against/with sth/sb 加入反对／支持…的行列, 联合起来反对／支持
to be part of a group that opposes/supports a particular idea, plan, or
group. to be positioned or aligned with a group that opposes or is in
opposition to something or someone. "The opposition party was ranged against the government's proposal" means they took a position against the proposal. Most of the state Democratic party are ranged against the president. She ranged herself with my opponents.
射击相关: 1. crack shot 神射手, 神枪手 (marksman, sharpshooter, good shot, good target-shooter, dead shot, sure shot) someone who is able to shoot a weapon very well and hit the thing they are aiming at. a person who is very good at shooting a gun. I hear she's become a crack shot. marksman someone who can shoot a gun very accurately: police marksman mainly UK Police marksmen were called to the scene. expert marksman He served as an expert marksman for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol SWAT team. sharpshooter I. a person who is skilled at firing (= shooting) a gun and accurately hitting what they are aiming at: There was an outcry when park officials decided to hire sharpshooters to cull the herd. police/army sharpshooters. II. a person who is able to accurately throw, kick, or hit the ball into the goal they are aiming at, especially in sports such as basketball: They acquired sharpshooter Ray Allen from Seattle. Their attacking system is aimed at freeing up the team's sharpshooters. dead shot 一枪致命的射手 an extremely accurate marksman or markswoman. An unerring marksman. "he is a dead shot with a rifle". sure-fire A sure-fire thing is something that is certain to succeed or win. If something's a sure-fire hit then Radio One will play it. ...a surefire best seller. (as) sure as shooting 毫无疑问, 确定无疑 With utmost certainty; quite definitely. (That is, as sure as a gun is to fire when its trigger is pressed.) It had to have been Mike who leaked our plans to the press, sure as shooting! Come into a great fortune and, as sure as shooting, the number of those who would be your friend increases tenfold. They just aren't right for each other; they're sure as shooting to break up eventually. 2. Shooting targets 射靶, 打靶 are objects in various forms and shapes that are used for pistol, rifle, shotgun and other shooting sports, as well as in darts, target archery, crossbow shooting and other non-firearm related sports. The center is often called the bullseye 靶心. Targets can for instance be made of paper, "self healing" rubber or steel. There are also electronic targets that electronically can provide the shooter with precise feedback of the shot placement. Stationary/static target. Dynamic target: Running target - target is moving sideways (e.g. 100 metre running deer, 10 meter running target). Moving target (example is defunct discipline moving target small-bore rifle). Disappearing target (example is defunct discipline disappearing target small-bore rifle). Flying target (used in skeet, trap, double trap). 3. trap shooter 飞碟射击, 多向飞靶射击 a person who shoots at clay pigeons (= round flat clay objects that are sent into the air): She held regional and national awards as a trap shooter. Britain's top trap shooter will be competing in his fourth Olympics. In trap shooting, the clay targets are launched away from the shooter. Yesterday, he was celebrating after winning a silver medal in trap shooting. crapshoot = crap shoot, crap-shoot 神鬼莫测, 莫名其妙, 难以预料, 无厘头 something whose result could be good or bad but is impossible to predict or control, because so much chance is involved: Almost every aspect of the music business is a crapshoot. It's hard to accept that life can be a crapshoot, where bad things happen to good people for no reason. Starting up a new magazine is a crap shoot at the best of times. Predicting the outcome of the tournament is pretty much a crap-shoot. 4. Shooting sports 射击体育项目 is a group of competitive and recreational sporting activities involving proficiency tests of accuracy, precision and speed in shooting — the art of using ranged weapons, mainly small arms (firearms and airguns, in forms such as handguns, rifles and shotguns) and bows/crossbows. Shooting sports can be categorized by equipment, shooting distances, targets, time limits and degrees of athleticism involved. Shooting sports may involve both team and individual competition, and team performance is usually assessed by summing the scores of the individual team members. Due to the noise of shooting and the high (and often lethal) impact energy of the projectiles, shooting sports are typically conducted at either designated permanent shooting ranges 射击场 or temporary shooting fields in the area away from settlements. 5. Target practice 打靶练习, 射击练习 ( the activity of shooting at targets (= circles with coloured rings around them) in order to improve your skill. practice at hitting the target in a sport such as archery or shooting. I do a lot of target practice in the week before a big competition. ) is a key part of both military training and shooting sports. It involves exercises where people shoot weapons at specific targets. The main goal is to improve the shooter's accuracy and skill with firearms. Through repeated practice, participants build essential abilities like aiming, trigger control, and firearm handling. This leads to better overall marksmanship 射击技术. Target practice also helps assess progress and identify areas for improvement. Ultimately, it's important for both combat effectiveness and success in recreational shooting. A shooting range 射击场, 打靶场, firing range, gun range or shooting ground is a specialized facility, venue, or field designed specifically for firearm usage qualifications, training, practice, or competitions. Some shooting ranges are operated by military or law enforcement agencies, though the majority of ranges are privately owned by civilians and sporting clubs and cater mostly to recreational shooters. Each facility is typically overseen by one or more supervisory personnel, known as a Range Officer (RO), or sometimes a range master in the United States. Supervisory personnel are responsible for ensuring that all safety rules and relevant laws are followed at all times. A live fire exercise (LFX) 实弹演习 is a military exercise in which live ammunition and ordnance is used, as opposed to blanks or dummies. The term can also be found in non-military usage.
