| 释义 |
water /ˈwɔːtə(r)/
NAmE also /ˈwɑːt-/► SEE ALLbe (like) water off a duck’s backbe (all) water under the bridgehold waterlike waterblood is thicker than waterblow sb/sth out of the waterpour/throw cold water on sthdead in the waterin deep water(s)(take to sth) like a duck to watera fish out of waterkeep your head above water(come) hell or high wateryou can take/lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drinkin hot watermake sb’s mouth waterpass waterpour oil on troubled water(s)test the water/waterstread water
●be (like) water off a ˌduck’s ˈback (informal) used to say that sth, especially criticism, has no effect on sb （尤指批评）（像）耳边风◆His book got bad reviews, but it was all water off a duck’s back — he doesn’t care at all what they say.
他的书遭到恶评，不过他对这些批评充耳不闻，他才不在乎呢。●be (all) water under the ˈbridge (spoken) be an event, a mistake, etc. that has already happened and is now forgotten or no longer important 已成往事；已经过去◆We had a terrible quarrel five years ago but that’s all water under the bridge.
五年前，我们曾激烈争吵过，但是现在那都已成往事，没人再计较了。●hold ˈwater (informal) (of a theory, etc. 理论等) remain true even when examined closely 经得起论证；站得住脚◆Your argument just doesn’t hold water.
你的观点站不住脚。 NOTE If a container holds water, no water escapes. * hold water原指容器不漏水。 ●like ˈwater (informal) in large amounts; in great quantity 大量地；无节制地◆They’re still spending money like water.
他们仍然挥金如土。●blood is thicker than ˈwater (saying) your family is more important than other people 血浓于水；家人总比外人亲；疏不间亲◆Tony was angry with his brother for a while, but blood is thicker than water, and in the end he forgave him.托尼一时很生哥哥的气，不过毕竟血浓于水，最后他还是原谅了哥哥。●blow sb/sth out of the ˈwater (informal) 1. destroy sb/sth completely 彻底摧毁某人／某事物；把…打得落花流水2. show that sb/sth is not good at all 表明某人／某物一点也不好◆A DVD music system plays discs that look like CDs, but blows them out of the water.DVD 音乐播放设备播放的光盘外表像 CD，可是比 CD 的效果要好太多了。●pour/throw cold ˈwater on sth (informal) discourage or try to prevent a plan, etc. from being carried out; be unenthusiastic about sth 给…泼冷水；阻止…施行；对…不热心◆I’ve had lots of ideas about how to improve sales but my manager pours cold water on all my suggestions.我对于如何增加销售额有很多想法，可是经理对我所有的建议都泼冷水。●ˌdead in the ˈwatera person or plan that is dead in the water has failed and has little hope of succeeding in the future （人或计划）已失败，成功无望◆Now the scandal is out, his leadership campaign is dead in the water.现在丑闻已经传扬出去，他竞选领导层毫无希望了。●in deep ˈwater(s)in trouble or difficulty 处于困境；陷于危难◆She was getting into deep water when she tried to argue that murder is sometimes justified for political reasons.在试图论证政治谋杀有时具合理性时，她陷入了困境。●(take to sth) like a ˌduck to ˈwater(be able to do sth) naturally and without any difficulty 像鸭子入水般容易；自然地；毫无困难地◆‘Do the children like living in the country?’ ‘They’ve taken to it like ducks to water. They’ve never been happier!’“孩子们喜欢住在乡下吗？”“他们一下子就喜欢上了，从没见到他们这么开心过！”●a ˌfish out of ˈwater (informal) a person who feels uncomfortable or embarrassed in unfamiliar surroundings 离水之鱼；不得其所的人；不适应陌生环境的人◆Everybody else knew each other really well, so I felt a bit like a fish out of water.别人彼此都知根知底，我觉得有点不自在。●keep your ˈhead above watersucceed in staying out of debt; manage to deal with tasks, responsibilities, etc. 设法不负债；能应付工作；能过得去◆The company had great difficulty keeping its head above water during the economic crisis.在经济危机期间，公司难以为继。◆I don’t know how she manages to keep her head above water. She has so much to do.她要做的事那么多，我不知道她是怎么应付过来的。●(come) ˌhell or high ˈwaterwhatever the difficulties or opposition may be 不论有什么困难；无论如何◆Come hell or high water, we’ve got to reach the injured men tonight.哪怕得赴汤蹈火，今晚我们都要赶到伤员身边。●you can ˌtake/ˌlead a horse to ˌwater, but you ˌcan’t make it ˈdrink (saying) you can give sb the opportunity to do sth, but you cannot force them to do it if they do not want to 牵马河边易，逼它喝水难；你可以给别人机会，但如果他们不愿意干，就不能强迫他们；牛不喝水不能强按头●in hot ˈwater (informal) in trouble 处于困境◆She got into hot water for being late.她因迟到遇到些麻烦。◆The new clerk was in hot water because she forgot to ask for a receipt for the money.新来的职员忘了要收据，惹了麻烦。◆This sort of behaviour will land him in hot water.他的这种行为会给他带来麻烦的。●make sb’s ˈmouth watermake sb feel hungry; make sb want to do or have sth very much 使某人馋得流口水；引起强烈欲望；诱人◆The smell of your cooking is making my mouth water.你做的菜真香，我口水都要流出来了。◆The sight of all that money made his mouth water.这些钱看得他垂涎欲滴。▸ ˈmouth-watering adjective ◆a mouth-watering smell诱人的香味●pass ˈwater (formal) pass urine (= waste liquid) out of your body; urinate 排尿；小便；小解●pour oil on troubled ˈwater(s)try to settle a disagreement or dispute; take action which will calm a tense or dangerous situation 平息风波；疏解不和；调解争端◆He was always having rows with his son and his wife’s attempts to pour oil on troubled water usually made things worse.他总是与儿子争吵，妻子想调解，却往往使事情变得更糟。◆There’s going to be big trouble unless somebody pours oil on troubled waters fast.除非有人尽快调解争端，否则就会有大麻烦了。 OPP add fuel to the fire/flames ORIGIN Sailors used to pour oil on a rough sea to calm the water in order to make a sea rescue easier. 旧时水手往波涛汹涌的海面上倒油以使海水平静下来，使海上救援变得容易。●test the ˈwater/ˈwaterstry to find out whether sth is likely to succeed, by asking people for their opinions before you do sth 探听情况；试探反应；调查民意◆Your idea might not be popular with people, so before you start marketing it you should test the waters.你的想法不一定受欢迎，所以在推出之前你应该先调查一下民意。●ˌtread ˈwater1. keep yourself upright in deep water by moving your arms and legs 踩水（游泳动作）2. make no progress while you are waiting for sth to happen 停滞不前；维持现状；徘徊观望◆For the past year I’ve been treading water, in a boring job with no hope of promotion.过去一年我没什么进展，干着一份没有升迁希望的无聊差事。 |