| 例句 |
ease verb
⇨ ease (ease the pain) ⇨ help 2 (ease access for the disabled)ease noun
⇨ comfort ease verb ease ♦︎ relieve ♦︎ alleviate ♦︎ soften ♦︎ allay ♦︎ cushion ♦︎ soothe ♦︎ lightenThese words all mean to become or make sth less unpleasant or severe. 这些词均表示缓解、舒缓、减轻。PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆to ease / relieve / alleviate / soothe the pain◆to ease / relieve / alleviate / allay / soothe sb's fear / anxiety◆to ease / relieve / alleviate sb's problems / suffering◆to ease / relieve / alleviate / soften / allay / soothe / lighten a feeling◆to ease / relieve / alleviate pressure / stress / poverty◆to ease / relieve / alleviate / lighten the burden◆to ease / relieve / lighten the load◆to ease / alleviate / soften / cushion the impact of sth◆to do little / nothing to ease / relieve / alleviate / soften / allay / soothe / lighten sth■ ease [transitive, intransitive] to make sth less painful, severe or strong; to become less painful, severe or strong （使）缓解，减轻◆The plan should ease traffic congestion in the town.这项计划应该能缓解城里的交通拥堵状况。◆It would ease my mind (= make me less worried) to know that she was happy.知道她幸福会使我安心些。◆The pain gradually eased a little.疼痛慢慢减轻了些。◆The snow was easing up and people were leaving their houses.雪小了，人们开始外出。■ relieve / /rɪˈliːv/ / [transitive] to remove or reduce an unpleasant feeling or pain; to make a problem less serious 解除，减轻，缓和（不快或痛苦）；降低⋯的严重性◆Take painkillers and hot drinks to relieve the symptoms.服用止痛药、喝热饮以缓解症状。◆Don't resort to alcohol to relieve stress.不要靠饮酒来缓解压力。◆Being able to tell the truth at last seemed to relieve her.最终能够讲出真相似乎让她好受了些。◆Aid workers called for further effort from governments to relieve the famine.救援人员呼吁各方政府进一步努力赈济饥荒。 see also relief ⇨ relief , relief ⇨ aid ■ alleviate / /əˈliːvieɪt/ / [transitive] (rather formal) to make a feeling or problem less severe or strong 减轻；缓和；缓解◆Her words did little to alleviate his fears.她的话一点儿也未能减轻他的恐惧。◆A number of measures were taken to alleviate the problem.采取了一些措施缓解这个问题。OPP aggravate , exacerbate ⇨ weaken ■ soften / /ˈsɒfn; NAmE ˈsɔːfn/ [transitive] to reduce the force or the unpleasant effects of sth 减轻（力度）；缓解，缓和（负面影响）◆Airbags are designed to soften the impact of a car crash.气囊用来减轻汽车碰撞时的冲击力。◆The government may try to soften the blow (= make things seem less unpleasant and easier to accept) with a cut in interest rates.政府可能会降息来缓和形势。■ allay /əˈleɪ/ / [transitive] (formal) to make an unpleasant feeling less strong 减轻（负面情绪）◆The government is keen to allay the public's fears.政府亟盼减轻公众的恐惧。◆The inquiry has done little to allay suspicion.这次调查丝毫未能减少人们的怀疑。■ cushion / /ˈkʊʃn/ / [transitive] to protect sb/sth from harm or the unpleasant effects of sth 减轻（伤害）；缓和（打击）◆The south of the country has been cushioned from the worst effects of the recession.该国南部受到保护，没有遭受经济衰退造成的最恶劣的影响。◆He broke the news of my brother's death to me, making no effort to cushion the blow (= make the news less shocking).他把我弟弟的死讯直接告诉了我，而不是努力说得委婉。NOTE 辨析 Soften or cushion?In many cases you can use either word. However, when cushion is used in the passive, the focus is on who or what benefits from the situation, rather than what has been reduced or eased. 在许多情况下这两个词可以通用，但是当cushion用于被动语态时，表达的重点在于谁是这种情况下的受益者，而不是哪一方面得到了缓解◆Homeowners will be cushioned from any tax rises.房产业主将免受税费提高的影响。◆All grief is softened with time.所有的悲伤都会随着时间流逝而变淡。 ■ soothe / /suːð/ / [transitive] to reduce an unpleasant feeling or pain 减轻，缓解，缓和（不快或痛苦）◆Only when Maisie came to hold him and soothe his fears did he feel safe.梅茜走过来抱住他，减轻了他的恐惧，他才觉得安全了。◆Take a warm bath to soothe tense, tired muscles.洗个热水澡，让紧张疲劳的肌肉放松一下。NOTE 辨析 Relieve or soothe?You can relieve or soothe pain or painful feelings; you can soothe, but not relieve a painful part of the body. 表示缓解痛苦或痛苦的感受用relieve或soothe均可，但减轻身体部位的疼痛则用soothe，不用relieve◆Take a warm bath to relieve tense, tired muscles. You can relieve, but not soothe the cause of the pain or feelings. 解除造成痛苦的原因要用relieve，不用soothe◆Don't resort to alcohol to soothe stress. ■ lighten [transitive] to reduce the amount of work, debt, worry or other problem that sb has 减轻，减少（工作量、债务、担忧等）◆This equipment is designed to lighten the load of domestic work.这一设备是为减轻家务负担而设计的。◆The measures will lighten the tax burden on small businesses.这些措施将减轻小型企业的税务负担。ⓘ In this meaning lighten is nearly always followed by the nouns load or burden. 表达此义时，lighten几乎总是后接名词load或burden。 help2 verb I was only trying to help. 我只是想帮忙。This should help reduce the pain. 这个应有助于缓解疼痛。help ♦︎ facilitate ♦︎ benefit ♦︎ assist ♦︎ aid ♦︎ clear the way ♦︎ ease ♦︎ open the wayThese words all mean to make it easier for sth to happen or to improve sth. 这些词均表示促进、改善。PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆to help / assist / aid in (doing) sth◆to clear the way / open the way for sth◆to help / clear the way for / open the way for sb to do sth◆to help / facilitate / assist / aid / ease a process◆to help / facilitate / assist / aid / ease the development of sth◆to facilitate / assist / ease the flow / transition / transfer / passage / introduction of sth◆to help / facilitate / ease matters◆to clear / ease / open the way (for sth)◆to undoubtedly help / facilitate / benefit / assist / aid sth◆to greatly / certainly help / facilitate / benefit / assist / aid sth◆to considerably help / benefit / assist sth■ help [intransitive, transitive] to improve a situation; to make it easier for sth to happen 改善；促进；促使◆The money raised helped towards the cost of organizing the event.筹来的钱解决了组织这个活动所需的部分经费。◆Iron helps in the formation of red blood cells.铁促进血红细胞的形成。◆This should help (to) reduce the pain.这个应有助于缓解疼痛。◆The exhibition helped her establish herself as an artist.这个展览奠定了她的艺术地位。◆It certainly helped being able to talk about it.能谈谈这件事当然很有好处。OPP hinder , hamper ⇨ block 1 see also help ⇨ aid noun , helpful ⇨ valuable 2 ■ facilitate / /fəˈsɪlɪteɪt/ / [transitive] (formal) to make an action or process possible or easier 促进；促使；使便利◆The new trade agreement should facilitate more rapid economic growth.新贸易协定应该会促使经济加速发展。◆Structured teaching facilitates learning.有条理的讲授有利于学习。■ benefit (-t- or -tt-) [transitive] to be useful or bring an advantage to sb, especially a particular group of people, or improve their life in some way 对⋯有益；使受益◆We should spend the money on something that will benefit everyone.我们应该把这笔钱花在大家都能受益的事上。◆The new tax laws will clearly benefit those on low wages.很明显新税法将使低收入者受益。 OPP disadvantage ⓘ To disadvantage sb or a group of people is to bring them a disadvantage [transitive, usually passive]. * disadvantage作及物动词时表示使陷入不利处境，通常用于被动语态◆In the past women have been disadvantaged by the narrow range of occupations open to them.过去妇女一直处于弱势，因为她们可从事的工作范围很窄。 see also beneficial ⇨ valuable 2 ■ assist [intransitive, transitive] (rather formal, especially written) to make it easier for sth to happen 促进；促使◆Two approaches might assist in tackling the problem.有两种方法可能有助于解决问题。◆These activities will assist the decision-making process.这些活动将有利于决策。■ aid [transitive, intransitive] (formal) to make it easier for sth to happen 促进；促使◆New drugs are now available to aid recovery.促进康复的新药现已问世。◆Aided by strong winds, the fire quickly spread.借助强风，火势迅速蔓延。◆Computers can be used to aid in management decision-making.计算机可用于辅助管理人员作出决策。NOTE 辨析 Facilitate, assist or aid?In some cases you can use any of these words. 在有些情况下这三个词可以通用◆to facilitate / assist / aid a process / transition促进进程／转变◆to facilitate / assist / aid the development of sth促进某事的发展 Facilitate and assist have a wider range of collocates than aid, including many nouns that describe a process such as passage, flow, transition, transfer, introduction and removal. Assist is often followed by in. * facilitate和assist的搭配词比aid多，其中包括许多描述过程的词，如passage、flow、transition、transfer、introduction和removal。assist常后接in◆assist in the development of sth有利于某事的发展 Aid can also be used in this way, but not facilitate. * aid也可这么用，但facilitate不可以◆facilitate in the development of sth Facilitate and assist are nearly always used to describe making helpful processes easier; aid can also be used to talk about unhelpful processes. * facilitate和assist几乎总是表示促进好事的进展，aid还可表示加剧坏事的发展◆Facilitated/assisted by strong winds, the fire quickly spread. ■ clear the way idiom to remove things that are stopping the progress or movement of sth 清除障碍◆The ruling could clear the way for extradition proceedings.这个裁决也许能为引渡程序扫清障碍。■ ease [transitive] to make sth easier, especially by removing or changing sth that has been making it difficult （尤指清除障碍以）使⋯容易些◆Ramps have been built to ease access for the disabled.为方便残疾人出入修建了坡道。■ open the way idiom to make it possible for sb to do sth or for sth to happen, especially sth which was not possible before 开方便之门◆The agreement could open the way for the country to pay off its debts.这一协定使得该国有望还清债务。 comfort noun comfort ♦︎ easeThese are both words for the state of being relaxed and free from pain or worry. 这两个词均表示舒适、安逸。PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆comparative / relative comfort / ease◆a life of comfort / ease■ comfort [uncountable] the state of being physically relaxed and free from pain; the state of having a pleasant life, with everything that you need 舒服；安逸；舒适◆These tennis shoes are designed for comfort and performance.这些网球鞋的设计穿起来舒服，有利于发挥。◆With DVD, you can watch the latest movies in the comfort of your own home.有了DVD，你就可以在自己家里舒舒服服地观看最新的电影。◆The hotel offers a high standard of comfort and service.这家旅馆提供高标准的舒适享受和优质服务。◆They had enough money to live in comfort in their old age.他们有足够的钱舒舒服服地安度晚年。■ ease [uncountable] (rather formal, especially written) the state of feeling relaxed or comfortable without worries, problems or pain 舒适；安逸；自在◆In his retirement he lived a life of ease.他退休后过着悠闲舒适的生活。 |