你大概也注意到了,有些英文单词有点精神分裂……
它们可以有互相矛盾的两个意思,让背单词的小伙伴也感到很分裂。
不过如果联系上下文语境,它们想表达的意思似乎也不那么难理解了呢。
双语君给大家整理出40个这样的英语单词,大家体会体会。
1
[size=1em]sanction [ˈsæŋkʃən]“制裁”vs“批准”
▷Economic sanctions will only be lifted when the aggressor nation withdraws its troops.
只有侵略国撤回其军队,经济制裁才会解除。
▷They tried to get official sanction for the scheme.
他们想使计划获得正式批准。
2
[size=1em]overlook“检查;监视”vs“忽视;忽略”
▷I am overlooking her work.
我正在监督她的工作。
▷I think there is one key fact that you have overlooked.
我认为你忽略了一个重要的事实。
3
[size=1em]finished“完成的”vs“失败的”
▷Are you finished with that drill?
你的那个练习做完了吗?
▷This financial crisis means that the government's economic policy is finished.
这次金融危机意味着政府的经济政策失败了。
4
[size=1em]dust“擦去……的灰尘”vs“在……上撒粉末”
▷I was dusting the mantelpiece when I noticed a crack.
我在擦壁炉台的时候发现了一道裂纹。
▷Dust the top of the cake with icing sugar.
在蛋糕上撒些糖霜。
5
[size=1em]left“留下”vs“离开”
▷He left the house by the back door.
他从房子的后门离开了。
▷His shoes left muddy marks on the floor.
他的鞋在地板上留下了泥印。
6
[size=1em]trim“添加,装饰”vs“修剪,剪枝”
▷The children are trimming up a Christmas tree with ribbons, laces.
孩子们正在往圣诞树上挂彩带和蕾丝。
▷He trimmed dead branches off a tree.
他从树上剪掉枯枝。
7
[size=1em]cleave [kli:v]“劈开;分开”vs“粘住;紧贴”
▷With one blow of the knight's axe, he clove the rock in twain (= into two pieces).
武士大斧一挥,将石头劈成了两半。
▷The ancient ivy cleaved to the ruined castle walls.
古老的常春藤紧紧攀附在破败的城堡墙上。
注意:表“粘住;紧贴”时,cleave通常与to连用。
8
[size=1em]scan“细看,审视”vs“粗略地看”
▷She anxiously scanned the faces of the men leaving the train.
她焦急地盯着一张张下火车的人的脸。
▷I scanned through the booklet but couldn't find the address.
我很快地翻阅了一遍小册子,但没有找到那个地址。
9
[size=1em]fast“快速的”vs“固定的”
▷Computers are getting faster all the time.
计算机一直在提速。
▷She made her end of the rope fast to a tree.
她把绳子的一头牢牢地绑在树上。
10[size=1em]off“关掉”vs“响起”
▷She turned off the TV.
她关掉了电视。
▷The alarm went off.
闹铃响了起来。
11[size=1em]weather“经受住”vs“受侵蚀”
▷The company weathered the recession.
这家公司挺过了经济衰退。
▷The rock was weathered.
岩石风化了。
12[size=1em]screen“放映;播出”vs“遮掩;遮蔽”
▷The programme was not screened on British television.
这个节目没有在英国电视上播出过。
▷She raised her hand to screen her eyes from the bright light.
她抬手遮住耀眼的亮光。
13[size=1em]help“帮助”vs“抑制”
▷How can I help you?
我如何才能帮你呢?
▷I couldn't help laughing.
我忍不住大笑起来。
14[size=1em]clip“剪下来”vs“别上去”
▷I clipped his picture from the newspaper.
我把他的照片从报纸上剪了下来。
▷He clipped his flashlight to his belt.
他把手电筒别在腰间。
15[size=1em]fine“糟糕的;不合时宜的”vs“优秀的;极好的”
▷He picked a fine time to leave us.
在那个时候扔下我们走了,他可真是会挑时间。
▷This building is the finest example of its type.
这幢建筑是同类建筑中最杰出的代表。
16[size=1em]flog“鞭笞,棒打”vs“推销,出售”
▷Soldiers used to be flogged for disobedience.
过去士兵们常常因不守军令而遭鞭笞。
▷He tried to flog his old car, but no one would buy it.
他想快点儿卖掉他的旧车,但没人愿意买。
17[size=1em]ravel“使纠缠;使错综复杂”vs“弄清;解开”
▷Mark's interference merely ravelled things further.
马克的掺和只是让情况进一步复杂化了。
▷It took Daisy a long time to ravel out all the wool.
黛西花了很长时间才把毛线解开。
18[size=1em]mean“吝啬的,小气的”vs“极好的,出色的”
▷He's too mean to buy her a ring.
他太吝啬了,舍不得给她买一枚戒指。
▷She's a mean piano player.
她是个出色的钢琴演奏家。
19[size=1em]toss out“丢弃”vs“提出”
▷She tossed out my old chair.
她把我的旧椅子扔了。
▷I decided to toss out the idea.
我决定提出这个想法。
注意:第二个例句在特定情况下也可以指“抛弃”那个想法,要根据上下文而定。
20[size=1em]buckle ['bʌkl]“坍塌,垮掉”vs“系牢”
▷My knees buckled with fear.
我因为害怕而膝盖瘫软。
▷Buckle your seat belt.
请系好安全带。
21[size=1em]compromise“和解,让步”vs“危害,损害”
▷In the end I agreed to compromise.
最终我同意让步。
▷The virus will compromise our immune system.
这种病毒会损害我们的免疫系统。
22[size=1em]bolt“逃跑”vs“锁住”
▷The horse bolted at the sound of the shot.
那匹马听到枪声后跑走了。
▷You'd better bolt your doors.
你最好锁上门。
23
[size=1em]trip“旅行”vs“绊倒”
▷The trip from York to Newcastle takes about an hour by train.
乘火车从约克到纽卡斯尔大约要花1个小时。
▷She had a nasty trip on the stairs.
她在楼梯上重重地绊了一跤。
24[size=1em]apology“道歉,谢罪”vs“辩解,解释”
▷lease accept my apology. 请接受我的道歉。
▷The consequence of those measures will be the best apology for my conduct.
这些措施产生的后果将成为我所作所为的最佳辩解。
25[size=1em]consult“寻求咨询”vs“提供咨询”
▷If you have any questions, consult an attorney.
你有任何问题,都可以咨询律师。
▷The retired executive consults for several large companies.
这位退休高管为好几家大公司提供咨询。
26[size=1em]custom“惯常,习惯”vs“特殊的,定制的”
▷He left the house at nine exactly, as is his custom.
他照常9点准时离开了家。
▷Justin Bieber looks suave in his custom suit.
穿上了定制西装的贾斯汀·比伯展现了儒雅风范。
27[size=1em]first-degree“最低级”vs“最高级”
▷first-degree burn
一度烧伤(处于烧伤级别的低级)
▷first-degree murder
一级谋杀(处于谋杀级别的高级)
28[size=1em]enjoin [in'dʒɔin]“嘱咐”vs“禁止”
▷He enjoined caution.
他嘱咐要谨慎行事。
▷The government enjoined the publication of the book.
当局禁止出版这本书。
29[size=1em]bound“去往,前往”vs“束缚,绑缚”
▷She was on a plane bound for Moscow.
她在前往莫斯科的飞机上。
▷We found the girl bound.
我们发现女孩被绑起来了。
30[size=1em]seed“播撒种子”vs“去掉种子”
▷He is seeding the fields with wheat.
他在地里种小麦。
▷Wash, seed and cut the pepper into small pieces.
将辣椒洗净,去籽,切成小片。
31[size=1em]dollop ['dɔləp]“(固态的)一团,一块”vs“(液态的)一点,少许”
▷a dollop of whipped cream
一团生奶油
▷a dollop of whiskey
少量威士忌
32[size=1em]garnish ['ɡɑ:niʃ]“增添配菜”vs“扣钱”
▷Garnish the dish with parsley before serving.
这道菜端上桌之前,可以在上面配些欧芹点缀一下。
▷His employer garnished his wages in order to pay his debt.
雇主扣除了他的一部分工资用于支付他所欠的债务。
33[size=1em]lease“(房东)出租”vs“(租客)租用”
▷It was agreed they would lease him the flat.
按照约定他们要把公寓租给他。
▷He went to Toronto, where he leased an apartment.
他去了多伦多,在那儿租下一间公寓。
34[size=1em]out of“在外”vs“在内”
▷I hardly get out of the house because I work out of my home.
我几乎不出屋,因为我在家里办公。
注意:第一个out of表示“在……之外”,第二个out of表示“在……之内”。
35[size=1em]model“榜样的,优于别人的”vs“按原样复制的模型”
▷She really is a model student.
她真是个模范学生。
▷There is a model of a wooden house.
这儿有一个木屋模型。
36[size=1em]presently“现在”vs“不久之后”
▷Of 200 boats, only 20 are presently operational.
200条船中,目前只有20条可用。
▷The room was hot and presently her eyes grew heavy and she began to feel sleepy.
屋子里很热,不一会儿她就觉得眼皮发沉,昏昏欲睡。
37[size=1em]out“亮了”vs“灭了”
▷It's a good thing the full moon was out when the lights went out.
熄灯之后,满月出来了。很好。
注意:第一个out表示“出来”,第二个out表示“灭掉”。
38[size=1em]resign“辞职”vs“重新签署”
▷She resigned as director.
她辞去了董事职务。
▷Athletes who renew their contracts resign with their teams.
想要续签的运动员都与各自的队重新签署了合约。
注意:第二句里的resign也可以写作re-sign [ri'sain],发音不同于“辞职”的resign。
39[size=1em] fight with“与……打架”vs“与……并肩战斗”
▷He fought with his mother-in-law.
他和岳母吵架了。
▷He fought with his mother-in-law.
他和岳母并肩战斗。
注意:还是这句英文,意思也可以理解为“他以岳母为武器进行战斗”。
40[size=1em]unbending“倔强的;坚定的”vs“放松,随意”
▷He has earned a reputation as a stern and unbending politician.
作为政治家,他以强硬和不妥协而闻名。
▷After a glass or two of wine she began unbending a little.
一两杯酒下肚后她开始放松了一点儿。
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