Random Flashcards
nifty
: very good, useful, or attractive
Full Definition
: very good : very attractive : fine
Other forms: nif·ti·er; nif·ti·est
Portray
1 : to make a picture of : depict
2 a : to describe in words
b : to play the role of : enact
por·tray·er noun
Examples
the author portrays her characters with lifelike vividness
traditionally, European authors portrayed the natives as wise and noble
a landscape that portrays the scenery near the town where the painter grew up
Wobbly
likely to wobble
搖搖晃晃的
a wobbly ladder/table
搖搖晃晃的梯子／桌子
I’ve been in bed with flu and my legs are still feeling all wobbly.
我因流感而臥床休息，腿仍然感覺搖搖晃晃的。
“Look, I’ve got a wobbly tooth,” said my little daughter, proudly.
「瞧，我有一顆牙活動了。」我的小女兒驕傲地說道。
humorous I’m trying to tone up my wobbly bits (= fat areas of the body) generally.
Ethnic
Of a nation or racial group of people
The factory’s workforce reflects the ethnic mix from which it draws its labour.
Conflicts between the different ethnic groups in the country exploded into civil war.
Genocide
The murder of a whole group of people, especially a whole nation, race or a religious group.
ethnic genocide.
A genocidal regime.
indistinct
not clear
不清楚的，模糊的
an indistinct shape/sound/recollection
be versed in sth
be versed in sth
› to know a lot about a particular subject or be experienced in a particular skill
對…很熟練；通曉；精通
I’m not sufficiently versed in computers to understand what you’re saying.
detrimental
causing harm or damage
危害，損害
These chemicals have a detrimental effect/impact on the environment.
這些化學品對環境有危害。
Their decision could be detrimental to the future of the company.
embodiment
the embodiment of sth
› someone or something that represents a quality or an idea exactly
（某種品質或思想的）化身，表現，典型
He was the embodiment of the English gentleman.
他是典型的英國紳士。
She was portrayed in the papers as the embodiment of evil.
preen / make tidy
(of a bird) to clean and arrange its feathers using its beak
（鳥）用喙整理（羽毛）
› disapproving to spend time making yourself look attractive
精心打扮
Roald always spends ages preening (himself) before he goes out.
羅阿爾德出門前總是花很長時間精心打扮。
squarely /
directly and certainly 徑直地；直截了當地；毫不含糊地 She refused to come down squarely on either side of the argument. 她拒絕直接加入爭論的任何一方。 She punched him square on the jaw.
respiration
breathing 呼吸 Her respiration was slow and difficult. 她呼吸緩慢、吃力。 The diaphragm is the principal muscle of respiration. 膈膜是主要的呼吸肌。
fatigue
extreme tiredness
疲憊，勞累
She was suffering from fatigue and a stress-related illness.
她勞累不堪，還患了與壓力有關的疾病。
› specialized weakness in something, such as a metal part or structure, often caused by repeated bending
（金屬部件的）疲勞
The crash was caused by metal fatigue in one of the propeller blades.
feign
to pretend to feel something, usually an emotion
假裝（某種感情），裝作
You know how everyone feigns surprise when you tell them how old you are.
你知道當你告訴別人你的年齡時，他們如何故作驚訝。
She responded to his remarks with feigned amusement.
compensation
money that is paid to someone in exchange for something that has been lost or damaged or for some problem
賠償金；補償金
She received £40 000 in compensation for a lost eye.
她得到四萬英鎊，作為對失去一隻眼睛的賠償。
You should claim/seek compensation.
你應該要求賠償。
a compensation claim
feasible
able to be made, done or achieved
可行的；行得通的；做得到的
With the extra resources, the scheme now seems feasible.
有了額外的資源，這個計劃現在看來是可行的。
[+ to infinitive] It may be feasible to clone human beings, but is it ethical?
複製人類也許可以做到，但是這合乎道德嗎？
› possible or reasonable
可能的；合理的
It’s quite feasible (that) we’ll get the money.
peremptory
expecting to be obeyed immediately and without asking questions
不容置辯的；專橫的，霸道的
He started issuing peremptory instructions.
他開始下達一些強制性的命令。
She was highly critical of the insensitive and peremptory way in which the cases had been handled.
她嚴厲批評了對這些案件毫不體察、武斷死板的處理方式。
peremptorily adverb
›
“Now,” he said peremptorily, “Step forward and state your name.”
「嗨，」他咄咄逼人地說：「向前邁一步報上名來。」
dissent
strong difference of opinion on a particular subject; disagreement, especially about an official suggestion or plan or a popular belief
（尤指對正式建議、計劃或普遍看法的）不同意，異議
When the time came to approve the proposal, there were one or two voices of dissent.
perverse / perversely / perversity
strange and not what most people would expect or enjoy
有悖常理的；任性的
Jack was being perverse and refusing to agree with anything we said.
傑克一意孤行，我們說甚麼他都反對。
She took a perverse pleasure in hearing that her sister was getting divorced.
有悖常理的是，她聽說她妹妹要離婚時竟幸災樂禍。
perversely adverb
›
The best way to understand this book is to start, perversely, at the end.
讀懂這本書的最好方法是打破常規，從結尾開始讀。
perversity noun [C or U]
›
The author of the book seems to be obsessed with sexual perversity and death.
prosper
(of a person or a business) to be or become successful, especially financially
（人或企業）成功；（尤指經濟上）繁榮，昌盛
A lot of microchip manufacturing companies prospered at that time.
inscrutable
enigmatic
(especially of a person or their expression) not showing emotions or thoughts and therefore very difficult to understand or get to know
（尤指人或其表情）高深莫測的，難以捉摸的
an inscrutable face/expression/smile
神秘莫測的面孔／表情／笑容
inscrutably adverb
›
She smiled inscrutably.
她的笑容讓人捉摸不透。
rancor
a feeling of hate and continuing anger about something in the past
記恨；積怨；怨恨
They cheated me, but I feel no rancour towards/against them.
他們欺騙了我，但是我並沒有對他們懷恨在心。
rancorous adjective formal
›
a rancorous dispute
充滿敵意的爭執
dictum
a short statement, especially one expressing advice or a general truth
格言，雋語
He followed the famous American dictum, ‘Don’t get mad, get even’.
figment
a figment of sb’s imagination
› something which seems real but is not
（某人）憑空想像的事物，臆造的東西
Was it just a figment of my imagination or did I hear John’s voice in the other room?
missive
an official, formal or long letter
公函，公文
She sent a ten-page missive to the council, detailing her objections.
proficient / proficiency
skilled and experienced 熟練的；精通的 a proficient swimmer 游泳好手 She's proficient in two languages. 她精通兩種語言。 It takes a couple of years of regular driving before you become proficient at it.
competent
able to do something well
有能力的；能幹的；稱職的
a competent secretary/horse-rider/cook 能幹的秘書／騎手／廚師 I wouldn't say he was brilliant but he is competent at his job. 我雖然不會說他是才華橫溢，可他還是能勝任工作的。 → Opposite incompetent
competently adverb
›
I thought she played the role very competently.
我認為她把這個角色演繹得很出色。
copious
in large amounts; more than enough 大量的，豐富的；過量的 They drank copious amounts of wine. 他們喝了好多酒。 He took copious notes during the lecture. 他上課時作了大量筆記。
copiously adverb
›
We ate and drank copiously at the party.
我們在聚會上大吃大喝。
inane
extremely silly or with no real meaning or importance
極其愚蠢的；無意義的；無聊的
He’s always making inane remarks.
他老是發表愚蠢空洞的言論。
There are too many inane quiz shows on television these days.
現在電視上無聊的智力遊戲節目太多。
inanely adverb › He grinned inanely. 他咧嘴傻笑著。 inanity noun [C or U] › His speech was full of inanities that were meant to be funny. 他的講話中充滿了用來逗趣卻沒有甚麼意義的笑話。 I was amazed at the inanity of her comments.
to refrain from
to avoid doing or stop yourself from doing something
避免；忍住；節制
We refrained from talking until we knew that it was safe.
我們緘默不語，直到確定安全了才開始說話。
The sign on the wall said “Please refrain from smoking.”
consuming
describes an emotion that is very strong
（感情）強烈的
Running is a consuming passion with him.
