19 Flashcards
ascertain
弄清，確定，查明
The police have so far been unable to ascertain the cause of the explosion.
警方到目前為止尚未查明爆炸原因。
disseminate
散佈，傳播，宣傳
One of the organization’s aims is to disseminate information about the disease.
該組織的宗旨之一就是宣傳關於這種疾病的知識。
dormant
蟄伏的，沉睡的，休眠的
The long-dormant volcano has recently shown signs of erupting.
休眠了很久的火山最近出現了要噴發的跡象。
potentate
權力大的統治者；（尤指不受議會等約束的）君主
internecine
互相殘殺的；致命的；毀滅性的
derive
1.取得，得到[（+from）]
She derives great pleasure from her stamp collection. 她從集郵中獲得很大樂趣。
2.衍生出，導出[（+from）]
Many English words are derived from Latin. 許多英文字源於拉丁語。
nepotism
偏袒（或重用）親戚；任人唯親
prerogative
特權[C]
Unfortunately new ideas are not the prerogative of those who spent a long time doing research.
不巧的是，新觀念並非為長時間從事研究工作的人所壟斷。
dearth
缺乏，不足[S][（+of）]
a dearth of food
食物匱乏
tyro
初學者；生手；新手
obloquy
破口大罵；攻擊；恥辱，汙名
sophistry
詭辯，謬論[C]
the lawyer’s sophistry
律師的詭辯
factitious
人工的；不自然的；虛假的
encomium
讚頌；頌詞
charisma
- 非凡的領導力
- （基督教）神授的能力
3.魅力
A great leader must have his (her) own charisma.
一個偉大的領導人一定要有他（她）超凡的個人魅力。
genocide
種族滅絕；集體屠殺
prevarication
支吾；說謊
hyperbole
修辭的誇張法；誇張的語句
munificent
寬宏的；慷慨的；豐厚的
to eat humble pie
認錯；道歉
After boasting that his company could outperform the industry’s best, he’s been forced to eat humble pie.
他吹噓他的公司可以勝過業內最好的企業，但之後，他就不得不承認言過其實了。
a pig in a poke
盲目購買（或接受）的東西
a flash in the pan
曇花一現
Sadly, their success was just a flash in the pan.
不幸的是，他們的成功僅僅是曇花一現。
to pour oil on troubled waters
平息風波，調停爭端
My husband’s always arguing with my father, and I’m the one who has to pour oil on troubled waters.
我丈夫老和我父親爭吵，我不得不做他們的調停人。
the sword of Damocles
達摩克利斯劍（比喻隨時可能發生的禍事）
The threat of a cut in funding is hanging over the Opera House like a sword of Damocles.
政府威脅說要削減預算，這就好像是一把懸在歌劇院上方的達摩克利斯劍。
Pyrrhic victory
以極大代價換取的勝利，得不償失的勝利
She won the court case, but it was a Pyrrhic victory because she had to pay so much in legal fees.
她贏了這場官司，但得不償失，因為她得支付高額訴訟費。
a wet blanket
掃興的人
beard the lion in his den
入獅穴捋獅鬚(走訪某要人以向其提出質詢、獲得某種好處等)
crocodile tears
鱷魚的眼淚，貓哭老鼠假慈悲
to carry the day
【口】成功; 獲勝
Despite strong opposition, the ruling party carried the day.
執政黨儘管遭到強烈反對, 還是獲勝了。
Skid Row
（失業酒徒）無家可歸的
to go up in smoke
化成了煙，被大火燒毀
Because of the fire, hundreds of houses went up in smoke.
由於這場大火，數百棟房屋被燒毀。
未達到預期的效果，化爲泡影
When the business went bankrupt, 20 years of hard work went up in smoke.
公司破産時，20年的苦心經營化爲烏有。
to throw down the gauntlet
發出挑戰
A price war looks likely now that a leading supermarket has thrown down the gauntlet to its competitors.
一場價格戰似乎一觸即發，因為一個龍頭超級市場已經向對手們發出了挑戰。
feeling no pain
: to be drunk
He had been at the bar for several hours and he was clearly feeling no pain.
Hobson’s choice
別無選擇的局面
It’s a case of Hobson’s choice, because if I don’t agree to their terms, I’ll lose my job.
我沒有選擇的餘地，因為如果不答應他們的條件，我就會失去工作。
to rule the roost
當家作主；主宰；支配一切
In that family it is the grandma who rules the roost.
那個家庭是奶奶當家。
stock in trade
典型特點；典型行為；慣用手法
The song was perfect for the soft vocals that are her stock-in-trade.
這首歌非常適合用她最為擅長的柔聲唱法演唱。
to take down a peg
下某人面子; 殺某人威風
They were doing that to take him down a peg.
他們那樣做是為了殺殺他的威風。
pass the buck
推卸責任
She’s always trying to pass the buck and I’m sick of it!
她老是想推卸責任，我非常討厭這一點。
to lionize a person
把某人捧為名流。
When the famous poet Dylan Thomas visited the United States, he was lionized wherever he lectured.
著名詩人狄蘭·湯瑪斯造訪美國時，在各地的演講均備受追捧。
I’m from Missouri
這句話有時後面要加一句：I need to be shown.或You have got to show me.，意思是密蘇里州的人很固執（stubborn），不太信任別人，一定要人家證明一下（prove it to me），所以密蘇里州也被稱為The Show Me State.
red-letter day
值得紀念的日子；有特殊意義的日子；喜慶日
The day I first set foot in America was a red-letter day for me.
首次踏上美國的那一天對我來說有著特殊意義。
let sleeping dogs lie
過去的事就讓它過去吧；不要再去揭傷疤
thumbs down
拇指向下；不贊成，反對
They gave our plan the thumbs down (= they have disagreed with our plan).
他們不贊成我們的計劃。
cause célèbre
【法】轟動的訟案，有名的案例
one swallow doesn’t make a summer
獨燕不成夏（指一件好事的發生並不意味著整體情況會好轉）
bitter pill to swallow
不得不吞的苦果；必須接受的殘酷事實
Losing to a younger player was a bitter pill to swallow.
輸給了更為年輕的對手是殘酷的事實。
an ax to grind
別有用心
sour grapes
酸葡萄（指由於得不到而貶低某物）
I don’t think it’s such a great job - and that’s not just sour grapes because I didn’t get it.
我認爲這份工作不怎麽樣——我可不是因爲吃不到葡萄說葡萄酸。
swap horses in midstream
過了一半，臨時換馬，也就是“臨陣換將”或“陣前換將”。
to cool one’s heels
等下去
Let him cool his heels for a while: that’ll teach him to be impolite.
讓他等一會兒吧, 好教訓教訓他別那麼沒禮貌。
