markBrE /mɑːk/ NAmE /mɑːrk/► SEE ALLbe close to/near the markbe quick/slow off the markget off the markhit/miss the markleave/make your/its mark (on sth/sb)make your markmark my wordsmark timemark youup to the marka black mark (against sb)high-water markovershoot the markoverstep the mark/linea question mark hangs over sb/sththere’s a question mark (hanging) over sb/sthtoe the linebe/fall wide of the mark ●be close to/near the ˈmarkalmost correct or accurate接近准确；几乎无误◆The estimate of the total cost had been pretty close to the mark, in fact. 事实上，总成本的评估相当准确。◆She thinks it will take six months to complete the job, but I think eight would be nearer the mark. 她认为用六个月时间就可以完成这项工作，但我觉得可能要八个月。●be ˌquick/ˌslow off the ˈmarkbe quick/slow to do sth or understand sth（做事或理解问题时）反应敏捷／迟钝◆You have to be quick off the mark when you answer a newspaper advertisement for an apartment. 一旦在报纸的广告栏里找到合适的公寓，就要尽快回复。◆Jenny was rather slow off the mark, and they had to explain the joke to her. 珍妮反应相当迟钝，他们不得不把这个笑话解释给她听。NOTE In athletics, your mark is your starting point in a race.在田径运动中，mark 指赛跑中的起跑线。●get off the ˈmarkstart scoring, especially in cricket（尤指在板球运动中）开始得分◆Stewart got off the mark with a four. 斯图尔特以一记四分球开始得分。●ˌhit/ˌmiss the ˈmarksucceed/fail in achieving or guessing sth击中／没有击中目标；达到／没有达到目的；猜测正确／错误◆He blushed furiously and Robyn knew she had hit the mark. 他气得满脸通红，罗宾知道自己的目的达到了。●ˌleave/ˌmake your/its ˈmark (on sth/sb)do sth important, that has a lasting effect or makes a lasting impression (on sth/sb)（给…）留下久远的影响（或印象）◆As Minister for Education, he left his mark on British politics. 作为教育大臣，他在英国政坛留下了深远的影响。◆Her two unhappy marriages have left their mark (= have made her an unhappy person). 她前两次不幸的婚姻对她打击很大。●ˌmake your ˈmarkbecome famous because you are very good at sth（由于表现突出而）出名◆He’s an actor who has made his mark in comedy shows. 他是一个以演喜剧片出名的演员。●ˌmark my ˈwords (old-fashioned, spoken) (often used for introducing a warning常用于提醒) listen carefully to what I am saying注意听我讲话；留心听我的话◆He’ll be back, mark my words! He never stays away for long. 听我说！他很快就会回来，他从不离开太久。●mark ˈtimestay in one situation, job, etc., not making any progress, but waiting for an opportunity to do so等待时机◆‘What are you doing at the moment?’ ‘I’m just marking time until somebody offers me a better job.’ “你目前在做什么？”“没做什么，我在等待更好的工作机会。”NOTE If soldiers mark time, they march on one spot without moving forward. * mark time 原指士兵原地踏步。●ˌmark ˈyou (old-fashioned, spoken, especially BrE) used to remind sb of sth they should consider in a particular case注意；听着；不过◆She hasn’t had much success yet. Mark you, she tries hard. 她还没取得什么成功，可是她非常努力。●ˌup to the ˈmarkas good as it/they should be达到要求；符合标准；称职◆His English and history are very good, but his maths is not really up to the mark. 他的英语和历史成绩很好，但是数学较差。◆I don’t think we should promote her. She’s just not up to the mark. 我认为我们不该给她升职，她根本不能胜任。●a black ˈmark (against sb) (BrE) sth that sb has done which makes other people dislike or disapprove of them（不利于某人的）污点，短处◆It was another black mark against her that she had not gone to the last meeting.上一次会议她没有参加，这又成了不利于她的另一个把柄。OPPbrownie points●high-ˈwater markthe highest stage of achievement（事业的）顶点，顶峰◆This was the high-water mark of the ancient Greek civilization.这是古希腊文明的顶点。NOTE This refers to the highest mark left by the sea on the land or by a river when it floods.这个习语原指海潮或河水泛滥时在陆地上留下的最高水位线。●overshoot the ˈmarkmake a mistake when you are judging the amount, etc. of sth言过其实；夸张◆He overshot the mark by about $3 million.他多说了大约 300 万美元。ORIGINIf you overshoot the mark, you shoot an arrow further than you intended and miss the target. * overshoot the mark 指射出的箭超过了预期的距离，因而未能击中靶子。●overstep the ˈmark/ˈlinego beyond the limit of what is polite or acceptable（行为）越轨，出格；言行过分◆He has really overstepped the mark this time, shouting at the referee like that.这次他冲着裁判那么大喊大叫，的确做得有点过分。●a ˈquestion mark hangs over sb/sth●there’s a ˈquestion mark (hanging) over sb/sththere is some doubt about sb/sth在…上画问号；对…有疑问◆A question mark hangs over the future of this club.俱乐部的未来还是个问号。◆There’s a question mark over his loyalty to the company.他对公司是否忠诚还是个问号。●toe the ˈline (NAmE alsotoe the ˈmark) obey the orders and accept the ideas, aims and principles of a particular group or person听从…的指挥；接受…的想法（或原则）；遵从…的路线◆The Prime Minister is angry because some members of the government are not toeing the line.首相非常生气，因为有些政府官员不服从他的命令。OPPoverstep the mark/line●be/fall wide of the ˈmark ( be (a long) way off the ˈmark) be not at all correct or accurate远离目标；不准确；离谱◆No one knew where Bangalore was, and their guesses were all wide of the mark.没人知道班加罗尔的位置，他们都是瞎猜。OPPon the nose
