BlogJava-Treacle-随笔分类-English

Five words per week, we are on the right track. [2005-07-01]

Blake HAN — Fri, 01 Jul 2005 05:54:00 GMT

generosity
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -ties
1 a : the quality or fact of being generous (质量或者)
b : a generous act (大方的行为)
2 : ABUNDANCE (丰富)

Example: Thank you for your generosity.

desperately
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin desperatus, past participle of desperare
1 a : having lost hope (失去希望地)

   b : giving no ground for hope

2 a : moved by despair

   b : involving or employing extreme measures in an attempt to escape defeat or frustration

3 : suffering extreme need or anxiety (渴望得到痛苦的尽头)

4 : involving extreme danger or possible disaster (及其的危险或可能有灾难的)

5 : of extreme intensity (及其的强烈)
6 : SHOCKING, OUTRAGEOUS

Example: I am desperately hard up.

lump
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English
1 : a piece or mass of indefinite size and shape (一块不定大小不定形状的东西)
2 a : AGGREGATE, TOTALITY (总数)

   b : MAJORITY
3 : PROTUBERANCE; especially : an abnormal swelling (瘤，异常的肿块)
4 : a person who is heavy and awkward; also : one who is stupid or dull (笨重的人)
5 plural a : BEATINGS, BRUISES (打，瘀伤)

   b : DEFEAT, LOSS (击败)


Example: The words lumped in her throat.

throat
1 a (1) : the part of the neck in front of the spinal column (脊椎骨前面脖子的部分)
      (2) : the passage through the neck to the stomach and lungs (从脖子到胃和肺的通道)
   b (1) : VOICE
      (2) : the seat of the voice
2 : something resembling the throat especially in being an entrance, a passageway, a constriction, or a narrowed part: as
   a : the orifice of a tubular organ especially of a plant
   b : the opening in the vamp of a shoe at the instep
   c : the part of a tennis racket that connects the head with the shaft
3 : the curved part of an anchor's arm where it joins the shank

Example: The words lumped in her throat.

cousin
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English cosin, from Old French, from Latin consobrinus, from com- + sobrinus second cousin, from soror sister -- more at SISTER
1 a : a child of one's uncle or aunt (叔叔或者阿姨的孩子)
   b : a relative descended from one's grandparent or more remote ancestor by two or more steps and in a different line
   c : KINSMAN, RELATIVE (有亲戚关系的人)

2 : one associated with or related to another : COUNTERPART
3 -- used as a title by a sovereign in addressing a nobleman
4 : a person of a race or people ethnically or culturally related

Example: I have many cousins.

Technorati Tags: English

Blake HAN 2005-07-01 13:54 发表评论

Five words per week, we are on the right track. [2005-06-24]

Blake HAN — Fri, 24 Jun 2005 02:21:00 GMT

crestfallen

crest(鸟冠) + fallen(下垂)

Pronunciation: 'krest-"fo-l&n
Function: adjective
1 : having a drooping crest or hanging head (鸟冠耷拉下来，垂着头)
2 : feeling shame or humiliation : DEJECTED (感到羞愧或耻辱)

Example: Their opponents came away totally crestfallen, their 40th match in the global event ending in the worst possible fashion.

gander

Pronunciation: 'gan-d&r
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English gandra; akin to Old English gOs goose
1 : the adult male goose (成年的雄鹅)
2 : SIMPLETON (呆瓜，呆鹅)

Function: noun
Etymology: from the outstretched neck of a person craning to look at something (像鹅那样升长脖子去看东西)
: LOOK, GLANCE (看，暼)

Example: He took another gander at the engine

sheepish

Pronunciation: 'shE-pish
Function: adjective
1 : resembling a sheep in meekness, stupidity, or timidity (像绵羊一样温顺，愚蠢或胆怯)
2 : affected by or showing embarrassment caused by consciousness of a fault (由于过失而导致/显露的尴尬)

<a sheepish grin> 苦笑

Example: sb. looked properly sheepish.

bovine

Pronunciation: 'bO-"vIn, -"vEn
Function: adjective
Etymology: Late Latin bovinus, from Latin bov-, bos ox, cow -- more at COW
1 : of, relating to, or resembling bovines and especially the ox or cow (像牛的，尤其是)
2 : having qualities (as placidity or dullness) (有质量的-平静的或迟钝的)

Function: noun
: any of a subfamily (Bovinae) of bovids including oxen, bison, buffalo, and their close relatives (牛科的亚科)

Example: Her bovine face gave no response.

turkey

Pronunciation: 't&r-kE
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural turkeys
Etymology: Turkey, country in western Asia and southeastern Europe; from confusion with the guinea fowl, supposed to be imported from Turkish territory
1 plural also turkey : a large No. American gallinaceous bird (Meleagris gallopavo) that is domesticated in most parts of the world (火鸡)
2 : FAILURE, FLOP; especially : a theatrical production that has failed (失败)
3 : three successive strikes in bowling (保龄球三次大满贯)
4 : a stupid, foolish, or inept person (愚蠢的或无能的人)

Turkey 土耳其

Example: Gary wants to quit smoking. As of this moment he is going cold trunkey.

Technorati Tags: English

Blake HAN 2005-06-24 10:21 发表评论

Five words per week, we are on the right track! [2005-06-17]

Blake HAN — Fri, 17 Jun 2005 03:12:00 GMT

undertaker

Pronunciation: "&n-d&r-'tA-k&r, 2 is '&n-d&r-"
Function: noun
1 : one that undertakes : one that takes the risk and management of business : ENTREPRENEUR (企业家)
2 : one whose business is to prepare the dead for burial and to arrange and manage funerals (殡仪事务承办人)
3 : an Englishman taking over forfeited lands in Ireland in the 16th and 17th centuries (在16-17世纪接管爱尔兰土地的英国人)

Example: Leno is the undertaker of Augmentum.

merely

- mere·ly adverb

Main Entry: mere
Pronunciation: 'mir
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): superlative mer·est
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin merus; akin to Old English Amerian to purify and perhaps to Greek marmairein to sparkle -- more at MORN
1 : having no admixture : PURE (纯净的)
2 obsolete : being nothing less than : ABSOLUTE (不少于的)
3 : being nothing more than (不多于的)

<a mere mortal>

Example: That was merely a guess of mine.

bereaved

Pronunciation: bi-'rEvd
Function: adjective
: suffering the death of a loved one (丧失所爱人的)

Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural bereaved
: one who is bereaved (丧失亲友的人)

Example: If somebody is bereaved(adj), he is bereaved(noun).

plenty

Pronunciation: 'plen-tE
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English plente, from Old French plenté, from Late Latin plenitat-, plenitas, from Latin, fullness, from plenus full -- more at FULL
1 a : a full or more than adequate amount or supply (足够的数量或供给)

b : a large number or amount (很大的数量)

2 : the quality or state of being copious : PLENTIFULNESS (很好的质量或者形式)

Example: We spent plenty of time on performance tuning.

ought

Pronunciation: 'ot
Function: verbal auxiliary
Etymology: Middle English oughte (1st & 3d sing. present indic.), from oughte, 1st & 3d singular past indicative & subjunctive of owen to own, owe -- more at OWE
-- used to express obligation , advisability , natural expectation , or logical consequence (应该的)

Example: We ought to release our project next weekend.

Technorati Tags: English

Blake HAN 2005-06-17 11:12 发表评论

Five words per week, we are on the right track! [2005-06-10]

Blake HAN — Fri, 10 Jun 2005 01:15:00 GMT

obese

Pronunciation: O-'bEs
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin obesus, from ob- against + esus, past participle of edere to eat -- more at OB-, EAT
: excessively fat (过分肥胖)

Example: Now over 58 million Americans are obese.

epidemic

Pronunciation: "e-p&-'de-mik
Function: adjective
Etymology: French épidémique, from Middle French, from epidemie, n., epidemic, from Late Latin epidemia, from Greek epidEmia visit, epidemic, from epidEmos visiting, epidemic, from epi- + dEmos people -- more at DEMAGOGUE

1 : affecting or tending to affect a disproportionately large number of individuals within a population, community, or region at the same time (流行的)

<typhoid was epidemic>

2 a : excessively prevalent (过分流行的)

b : exciting similar emotions or conduct in others (让别人感到兴奋的表情或行为)

3 : of, relating to, or constituting an epidemic

Example: Buying goods on the installment plan has become epidemic in recent years.

muscular
Pronunciation: 'm&s-ky&-l&r
Function: adjective
1 a : of, relating to, or constituting muscle (由肌肉组成的)

b : of, relating to, or performed by the muscles (由肌肉完成的)
2 : having well-developed musculature (肌肉发达的)
3 a : of or relating to physical strength : BRAWNY (体力充沛的)

b : having strength of expression or character : VIGOROUS (表达清晰或有个性的)

Example: Leslie is a muscular man.

disease

Pronunciation: di-'zEz
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English disese, from Middle French desaise, from des- dis- + aise ease
1 obsolete : TROUBLE (麻烦)
2 : a condition of the living animal or plant body or of one of its parts that impairs normal functioning : SICKNESS, MALADY (使植物或者动物机能衰退的条件疾病)
3 : a harmful development (as in a social institution) (社会制度有害的发展)

Example: Most diseases could be wiped out.

propagate

Pronunciation: 'prä-p&-"gAt

Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): -gat·ed; -gat·ing
Etymology: Latin propagatus, past participle of propagare to set slips, propagate, from propages slip, offspring, from pro- before + pangere to fasten -- more at PRO-, PACT

transitive senses
1 : to cause to continue or increase by sexual or asexual reproduction (有性/无性繁殖)
2 : to pass along to offspring (繁衍后代)
3 a : to cause to spread out and affect a greater number or greater area : EXTEND (扩展，延伸)

b : to foster growing knowledge of, familiarity with, or acceptance of (as an idea or belief) : PUBLICIZE (宣传)

c : to transmit (as sound or light) through a medium (通过媒体传播)

intransitive senses
1 : to multiply sexually or asexually (有性/无性繁殖)
2 : INCREASE, EXTEND (增加，扩展)
3 : to travel through space or a material -- used of wave energy (as light, sound, or radio waves) (波的传播)

Example: We should propagate the company culture.

Technorati Tags: English

Blake HAN 2005-06-10 09:15 发表评论

Five words per week, we are on the right track! [2005-06-03]

Blake HAN — Fri, 03 Jun 2005 01:28:00 GMT

1. magnet

    Pronunciation: 'mag-n&t
    Function: noun
    Etymology: Middle English magnete, from Middle French, from Latin magnet-, magnes, from Greek magnEs (lithos), literally, stone of Magnesia, ancient city in Asia Minor
    1 a : LODESTONE b : a body having the property of attracting iron and producing a magnetic field external to itself; specifically : a mass of iron, steel, or alloy that has this property artificially imparted (磁铁)
    2 : something that attracts (有吸引力的东西)

Example: Augmentum is a magnet for developers.

2. unpredictable

Function: adjective
Text: likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly (意想不到的)

Example: We always met unpredictable bugs when real user begin to use our system.

3. cynical

    Pronunciation: 'si-ni-k&l
    Function: adjective
    1 : CAPTIOUS, PEEVISH
    2 : having or showing the attitude or temper of a cynic : as

a : contemptuously distrustful of human nature and motives (愤世嫉俗的)

b : based on or reflecting a belief that human conduct is motivated primarily by self-interest (犬儒主义)

Example: Do not make cynical remarks when I'm in trouble.

4. cereal

Pronunciation: 'sir-E-&l

    Function: noun
    1 : a plant (as a grass) yielding starchy grain suitable for food; also : its grain (谷物)
    2 : a prepared foodstuff of grain (as oatmeal or cornflakes) (由谷物制成的食品)