plain adj. ⇨plain1 (a plain white shirt)⇨plain2 (the plain truth)⇨average (plain common sense)⇨clear1 (plain to see)⇨clear2 (plain English)⇨ugly (a plain girl)⇨plain sailing⇨easy1plain noun ⇨plain
plain1
adjective
a plain white shirt白衬衣the plain truth显而易见的事实plain ♦︎ simple ♦︎ bare ♦︎ stark ♦︎ severe ♦︎ austereThese words all describe things that have no decoration or other unnecessary additions.这些词均表示不加修饰的、简朴的。SYNONYM SCALE 词义标尺下图显示这些词所表达简朴的程度
plain
➔
stark
simple
severe
bare
austere
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆a plain / a simple / an austere design◆a plain / simple / bare interior◆the simple / stark / austere lines of sth◆a plain / simple / bare / stark white...◆a plain / simple / stark / severe black...◆very plain / simple / bare / austere◆rather plain / stark / severe / austere◆almost bare / severe / austere■plainwithout decoration, a pattern, marks or other additions; not complicated无修饰的;无花纹的;素的;简单的◆Wear it with a plain white shirt.把它和白衬衣配着穿。◆Patterned carpet shows the dirt less than a plain colour.花色地毯比单色地毯耐脏。◆Do you want plain or lined paper?你想要白纸还是条格纸?◆plain food / cooking清淡的食物;简单的烹调方法◆plain yogurt(= without sugar or fruit)原味酸奶OPPfancy ⇨ decorative see also plain ⇨ ugly▸plainly
adverb
◆She was plainly dressed and wore no make-up.她穿着朴素,不施脂粉。■simple (especiallywritten, usuallyapproving) basic or plain, without anything extra or unnecessary; consisting of only a few parts; not complicated in structure朴素的;简朴的;部件少的;结构简单的◆The best gowns are simple and elegant.最好的礼服要简单、雅致。◆We had a simple meal of soup and bread.我们喝汤,吃面包,凑合了一顿。◆The accommodation is simple but spacious.住处很简朴,但很宽敞。◆It's quite a simple machine(= one that is not complicated and has only a few parts).这部机器一点也不复杂。◆ (grammar语法) a simple sentence(= one with only one verb)简单句OPPfancy ⇨ decorative▸simplicity / /sɪmˈplɪsəti/ /
noun
[uncountable] ◆ (approving) the simplicity of the architecture建筑风格的简洁质朴▸simply
adverb
◆The rooms were simply furnished.房间配有简单的家具。◆They live simply(= they do not spend much money).他们过着简朴的生活。■bare (especiallywritten) (of surfaces) not covered with or protected by anything(表面)无遮盖的,没有保护物的◆bare wooden floorboards未铺地毯的木地板◆The walls were bare except for a small mirror.墙上光秃秃的,只有一面小镜子。◆They found themselves in a huge bare hall.他们发现自己在一个空荡荡的大厅里。■stark (especiallywritten, oftendisapproving) without any colour, decoration or comfort了无修饰的;粗陋的◆The corridors were stark and uncarpeted.走廊上没有装饰,也没铺地毯。◆The hills stood stark against the winter sky.冬日的天空下,小山了无生气。■severe (usuallydisapproving) extremely plain and without anything that makes it look soft or beautiful过于简朴的◆Her hair was cut in a very short, severe style.她的头发剪得非常短,没有花样。◆She was wearing a severe dark grey jacket.她穿了一件很普通的深灰色夹克。▸severely
adverb
◆Her hair was tied severely in a bun.她的头发简单地盘成了一个发髻。■austere /ɒˈstɪə(r), ɔːˈstɪə(r); NAmEɔːˈstɪr/ (especiallywritten, usuallyapproving) simple and plain, with no decoration, usually because that is what sb prefers(通常因个人喜好)朴素的,简陋的,无华饰的◆the austere simplicity of the building建筑物的朴素无华◆the lonely, austere beauty of his painting of a station in the snow他那幅雪中车站油画的孤独、朴素之美
plain2
adjective
a plain white shirt白衬衣the plain truth显而易见的事实➡ See also the entry for ⇨ honest另见honest条plain ♦︎ simple ♦︎ stark ♦︎ bare ♦︎ unequivocal ♦︎ baldThese words are all used to describe facts and statements that are very clear and direct, especially when they are unpleasant in some way.这些词均表示直接的、明显的,尤用于令人不快的事实。PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆the plain / simple / stark / bare / unequivocal / bald truth◆a plain / a simple / a stark / a bare / an unequivocal / a bald fact / statement◆a plain / a simple / an unequivocal answer■plainused to describe a fact that other people may not like to hear; honest and direct in way that other people may not like(事实)明显而令人不快的;坦白的;直接的◆The plain fact is that nobody really knows.事实很清楚:没有人真正了解。◆He's a politician with a reputation for plain speaking.他是说话直率出了名的政治人物。◆Let's be plain about this: we will need to make some difficult choices.我们还是直截了当地说吧:我们得作出艰苦的抉择。◆ (especially NAmE) He was a plain, straightforward sort of man.他这人很直率,从来不绕弯子。 see also plain ⇨ average, plain ⇨ clearadj.2▸plainly
adverb
◆To put it plainly, he's a crook.挑明了说吧,他是个骗子。■simple [only before noun] used to describe a fact that other people may not like to hear; very obvious and not complicated by anything else(事实)明显而令人不快的;简单易明的◆The simple truth is that we just can't afford it.明摆着,我们就是买不起。◆I had to do it for the simple reason that(= because) I couldn't trust anyone else.我之所以这么做,原因很简单,我信不过別人。◆It's a simple matter of giving them enough to eat.事情很简单,就是给他们足够吃的东西。▸simply
adverb
◆I don't want to be rude, it's simply that we have to be careful who we give this information to.我不想无礼,不过这信息到底给谁我们得谨慎。◆He was loud, vulgar and arrogant-quite simply the rudest man I've ever met!他说话粗声大气,举止粗俗傲慢-简直是我见过的最没教养的人!NOTE辨析 Plain or simple?When it is being used to emphasize facts that other people may not like to hear, plain is usually used in the expression the plain fact/truth is that...Simple can be used in this way too, but it can also be used in a wider variety of structures and collocations (such as with reason and matter). * plain强调他人不愿听到的事实时,通常用于the plain fact/truth is that ...。simple也可以这么用,但是结构和搭配用法更多,如与reason和matter搭配◆The problem was due to the simple fact that...问题源于一个简单的事实⋯◆The problem was due to the plain fact that...◆for the plain reason that...◆It's a plain matter of...Expressions with simple often suggest impatience with other people's behaviour. * simple构成的表达法常有对他人的行为不耐烦之意◆Nobody wanted to believe the simple truth(= it was easy to see and understand the true facts; people just didn't want to believe them).事实明摆着,就是没有人相信。■stark (especiallywritten, usuallydisapproving) used to describe an unpleasant fact or difference that is very obvious(事实)严酷的;(区别)鲜明的◆The government faced a stark choice between civil war and martial law.政府面临残酷的选择,内战还是戒严。◆Social divisions in the city are stark.城市里社会分化很明显。◆The good weather was in stark contrast to the storms of previous weeks.这好天气和前几周的暴风雨形成鲜明的对比。 see also sharp ⇨ marked▸starkly
adverb
◆These theories contrast starkly with the reality of everyday life.这些理论和日常生活现实形成鲜明对照。■bare [only before noun] the most basic or simple, with nothing extra最基本的;最简单的◆She gave me only the bare facts of the case.她只给我介绍了这一案件的基本情况。◆The family was short of even the bare necessities of life.这家人甚至没有最起码的生活所需。◆We only had the bare essentials in the way of equipment.我们只有最基本的设备。◆He did the bare minimum of work but still passed the exam.他只下了最少的功夫,但仍然通过了考试。■unequivocal / /ˌʌnɪˈkwɪvəkl/ / (formal) expressing your opinion or intention very clearly and firmly表达明确的;毫不含糊的;斩钉截铁的◆She gave a typically unequivocal answer.她一如既往,回答得斩钉截铁。◆The reply was an unequivocal 'no'.回答是个干脆利落的“不”字。OPPequivocalⓘ An equivocal statement does not have one clear or definite meaning and can be understood in more than one way. * equivocal指意思含混的,因而可能有不同的理解。▸unequivocally
adverb
◆He stated unequivocally that he knew nothing about the document.他明确地说他对那份文件一无所知。■balddescribing a rather unpleasant fact or statement that is given without any extra explanation or detail to help you accept what is being said不加赘述的;简单的;赤裸裸的◆The bald fact is that we don't need you any longer.事实很简单,我们不再需要你了。◆The letter was a bald statement of our legal position.那封信直截了当地说明了我们的法律立场。ⓘ A bald fact is usually more unpleasant than a plain/simple fact, but not as unpleasant as a stark fact. * bald fact通常比plain/simple fact更让人不愉快,但是不及stark fact那样令人不快。
average
adjective
average ♦︎ simple ♦︎ ordinary ♦︎ plain ♦︎ unremarkableThese words all describe things or people that are not special because they are not unusual, interesting or clever.这些词均表示普通的、平庸的。PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆an average / ordinary sort of person / thing◆an average / a simple / an ordinary / an unremarkable person◆average / ordinary players◆simple / plain ignorance / common sense◆pretty average / ordinary / unremarkable◆very average / simple / ordinary■average (oftendisapproving) not special in any way; not better than most others普通的;中等的;不出众的◆He was quite an average sort of student, nothing out of the ordinary.他是个相当普通的学生,一点也不出众。◆The quality has been pretty average.质量很一般。 see also average ⇨ normal■simple [usually before noun] (oftenapproving) (of a person) not grand, rich, clever or hard to understand; (of a thing or quality) not special or complicated(人)普通的,平凡的;(事物或性质)普通的,简单的◆They were simple country people.他们是普普通通的乡下人。◆In some cases his argument is based on simple ignorance.某些时候,他的论点纯粹是出于无知。ⓘ When used to describe a person or a good quality simple is usually approving; when it is used to describe a bad quality it is usually disapproving.用于形容人或高质量时,simple通常带褒义。用于形容低劣的品质时则带贬义。■ordinary (disapproving) having no unusual or interesting features平庸的;平淡无奇的◆The meal was very ordinary.这顿饭平常得很。◆I lead a very ordinary life.我过着平淡无奇的生活。ⓘ In this meaning ordinary very often follows very, which emphasizes that ordinary is being used in a disapproving way.表达此义时,ordinary总跟在very后面,强调ordinary的贬义用法。 see also ordinary ⇨ normalOPPextraordinary ⇨ remarkable■plain [only before noun] (oftenapproving) (of a quality) not special or complicated; (of a person) not trying to appear more important or intelligent than they are(性质)普通的,简单的;(人)朴素的,不张扬的◆It doesn't require special skills, just plain common sense.这个工作不要求有特殊技能,只要有普通常识就够了。◆He prided himself on being a plain, honest man with no nonsense about him.他为自己是个朴素、诚实、规规矩矩的人而感到自豪。 see also plain ⇨ plainadj.2NOTE辨析 Simple or plain?Both these words can describe people or qualities, but simple is used more about people and plain is used more about qualities. When used to describe people, simple tells you how other people see sb(= not grand, rich or clever, but in a good way); plain tells you more about how sb sees himself/herself(= not pretending to be grand, rich or clever).两个词均可以描述人或特质,但是simple多用于人,plain多用于特质。描述人时,simple指对他人的看法,即平凡的、普通的,但是属正面看法;plain多指对自己的看法,意为朴素的、不虚夸的。■unremarkablenot special in any way so that people do not take notice一般的;平凡的;不起眼的◆It was a pleasant but unremarkable town.这是个温馨而又平淡无奇的小镇。OPPremarkable ⇨ remarkable
clear1
adjective
It is clear to me that...我很清楚⋯clear instructions清晰的说明clear blue water清澈碧蓝的水sunnya clear blue skysureAre you clear on that point?➡ See also the entries for ⇨ marked and ⇨ open另见marked条和open条clear ♦︎ obvious ♦︎ apparent ♦︎ evident ♦︎ plain ♦︎ self-evidentThese words all describe a fact, quality or situation that is easy to see or understand and leaves no doubts.这些词均表示清楚明白的、显而易见的、清晰易懂的。PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆clear / obvious / apparent / evident / plain / self-evident to sb / sth◆clear / obvious / apparent / evident / plain / self-evident from / in sb / sth◆clear / obvious / apparent / evident / self-evident what... / that...◆clear / obvious / apparent / evident / plain who / how / where / why...◆to seem clear / obvious / apparent / evident / plain / self-evident◆to become / make sth clear / obvious / apparent / evident / plain◆very / quite / perfectly clear / obvious / apparent / evident / plain◆all too clear / obvious / apparent / evident / plain◆fairly clear / obvious / evident / plain / self-evident◆far from clear / obvious / evident / self-evident◆by no means clear / obvious / self-evident■cleareasy to see or understand and leaving no doubts显而易见的;清晰易懂的;明确的◆It was quite clear to me that she was lying.我很清楚她在撒谎。◆It is not clear what they want us to do.我们不清楚他们要我们做什么。◆It is clear from the graph that sales have dropped sharply.这张图表清楚地显示了销量已经急剧下降。◆This is a clear case of fraud.这显然是一桩诈骗案。◆She won the election by a clear majority.她以明显多数赢得了选举。OPPunclear ⇨ unclear▸clearly
adverb
◆Clearly, this will cost a lot more than we realized.显然,这花费比我们原来以为的要多得多。■obviouseasy to see or understand显然的;明显的;易于理解的◆It's obvious from what she said that something is wrong.根据她说的,显然是出问题了。◆I know you don't like her but try not to make it so obvious.我知道你不喜欢她,但尽量不要表现得那么明显。◆He put his book down with obvious annoyance.他放下了书,显然很生气。◆For obvious reasons, I'd prefer not to give my name.因为显而易见的原因,我不愿披露自己的姓名。▸obviously
adverb
◆He was obviously drunk.他显然喝醉了。◆'I didn't realize it was a formal occasion.' 'Obviously!'(= I can see by the way you are dressed)“我没想到这是个正式场合。”“看得出来!”■apparent / /əˈpærənt/ / [not usually before noun] (ratherformal) easy to see or understand显然;显而易见;明白易懂◆His devotion to her was increasingly apparent.他对她的爱慕越来越明显。◆It soon became apparent to everyone that he couldn't sing.很快大家就看出来他不会唱歌。◆Then, for no apparent reason, the train suddenly stopped.接着,不知什么原因,火车突然停了下来。■evident (ratherformal) easy to see or understand显然的;明显的;易于理解的◆The growing interest in history is clearly evident in the number of people visiting museums.从参观博物馆的人数明显看出大众对历史越来越感兴趣。◆The orchestra played with evident enjoyment.管弦乐队演奏得兴致勃勃。▸evidently
adverb
◆She walked slowly down the road, evidently in pain.她沿路慢慢走着,显然很痛苦。◆'I'm afraid I couldn't finish the work last night.' 'Evidently not.'“抱歉,我昨天晚上没能完成工作。”“显然没干完。”■plaineasy to see or understand显然的;明显的;易于理解的◆He made it very plain that he wanted us to leave.他非常明确地表示希望我们离开。◆She made her annoyance plain.她满脸不耐烦。◆The facts were plain to see.事实显而易见。▸plainly
adverb
◆She had no right to interfere in what was plainly a family matter.这明摆着是别人的家务事,她无权干涉。◆Plainly something was wrong.很显然出了问题。NOTE辨析 Which word?These words all have almost exactly the same meaning. There are slight differences in register and patterns of use. If you make sth clear/plain, you do so deliberately because you want people to understand sth; if you make sth obvious, you usually do it without meaning to.这些词意思几乎相同,只是在语体风格和句型使用上稍有区别。make sth clear/plain表示刻意使别人明白;make sth obvious通常表示并非刻意◆I hope I make myself clear / plain.我希望我讲得清楚。◆I hope I make myself obvious.◆Try not to make your dislike so obvious.尽量不要把你的厌恶表现得那么明显。◆Try not to make it so clear/plain.In the expressions clear majority, for obvious reasons, for no apparent reason and plain to see, none of the other words can be used instead. Apparent and evident are both rather formal. They can always be replaced by obvious. Obvious and evident can be used before a noun for an emotion, meaning that the emotion is easy to see with your eyes.在clear majority(明显多数)、for obvious reasons(因为显而易见的原因)、for no apparent reason(没有明显的原因)和plain to see(显而易见)这些固定短语中,表示明显的词不能替换。apparent和evident都很正式,可用obvious替换。obvious 和evident均可用于表示情感的名词前,表示这种情感表现得很明显◆Jane took the letter and read it out with obvious / evident reluctance.简接过信,显然很不情愿地大声读出来。In apparent reluctance, apparent has the meaning of 'seeming'. * apparent reluctance表示看上去似乎不情愿。 see also apparent ⇨ apparent■ˌself-ˈevidentso obvious that it needs no further proof or explanation显而易见的;不言而喻的;明摆着的◆The dangers of such action are self-evident.这样子行动,危险是明摆着的。◆a self-evident truth不证自明的真理
clear2
adjective
It is clear to me that...我很清楚⋯clear instructions清晰的说明clear blue water清澈碧蓝的水sunnya clear blue skysureAre you clear on that point?clear ♦︎ explicit ♦︎ plain ♦︎ express ♦︎ accessible ♦︎ unambiguous ♦︎ intelligible ♦︎ comprehensible ♦︎ lucidThese words all describe speech or writing that is easy to understand and does not cause any confusion.这些词均表示语言文字清晰易懂的、明确无疑的。PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆clear / explicit / unambiguous about sth◆clear / plain / accessible / intelligible / comprehensible to sb◆clear / explicit / express instructions / directions◆a clear / an accessible / a lucid style◆clear / plain / intelligible / comprehensible language / English◆to make sth clear / explicit / plain / accessible / intelligible / comprehensible (to sb)◆to make yourself clear / explicit / plain◆to make it clear / explicit / plain that...◆quite clear / explicit / plain / accessible / unambiguous / intelligible / comprehensible◆perfectly clear / plain / intelligible / comprehensible■cleareasy to understand and not causing any confusion清晰易懂的;明白清楚的;不含混的◆She gave me clear and precise directions.她给了我清晰而准确的指示。◆Your meaning needs to be crystal clear.你的意思要非常清楚。◆You'll do as you're told. Is that clear?叫你做什么你就去做什么,明白吗?◆This behaviour must stop! Do I make myself clear?(= used when you are angrily telling sb what they should do).这种行为必须停止!我讲得够清楚了吧?OPPunclear ⇨ unclear, confusing ⇨ confusing▸clearly
adverb
◆She explained everything very clearly.她把一切都解释得很明白。■explicit / /ɪkˈsplɪsɪt/ / (ratherformal) saying sth clearly in a way that is easy to understand; said, done or shown in an open or direct way, so that there is no doubt(说话)清晰易懂的,直截了当的;不隐晦的◆The author is quite explicit about her political bias.作者她对自己的政治偏见毫不隐晦。◆The reasons for the decisions should be made explicit.应该直截了当给出决定的理由。◆She made some very explicit references to my personal life.有几处她很直白地提到了我的私生活。ⓘ Explicit is also used to talk about books, films, language and pictures that describe or show sex in a clear and detailed way. * explicit还用于谈及书、电影、语言和图片清楚、具体地描述或展示性的内容◆sexually explicit films / material / language有露骨性爱场面的电影;赤裸裸描述性爱的材料/语言Explicit language always refers to sex, even if the word 'sexually' is not used. If you want to talk about language that is clear and easy to understand, use clear, plain or unambiguous. * explicit language(露骨的语言)总是与性有关,即使没有用sexually这个词。要表示语言清楚不含混,可以用clear、plain或unambiguous。▸explicitly
adverb
◆He made this point much more explicitly in his next speech.他在他下一次的演讲中将这一点讲得更加清楚。■plaineasy to understand易于理解的;清楚的;浅白的◆He made it plain that we should leave.他明确表示要我们离开。◆Her intentions were plain enough.她的意图再清楚不过。◆Teachers should encourage students to write in plain English.教师应鼓励学生用平白的英文写作。 see also plain ⇨ plainadj.2▸plainly
adverb
◆The agreement plainly states that all damage must be paid for.协议明确规定,一切损坏必须赔偿。■express (formal) (of a wish or aim) clearly and openly stated(愿望或目的)明确的,明白表示的◆It was his express wish that you should have his gold watch after he died.他明确表示死后把金表留给你。◆I came here with the express purpose of speaking with the manager.我特意来这里与经理面谈。▸expressly
adverb
◆She was expressly forbidden to touch my papers.已经明确禁止她动我的文件。■accessible / /əkˈsesəbl/ / (especiallywritten) easy for most people to understand(对大多数人)易懂的,容易理解的◆Her poetry is always very accessible.她的诗歌总是十分浅白。◆The programme tries to make science more accessible to young people.这项计划试图使科学更容易为年轻人所了解。■unambiguous / /ˌʌnæmˈbɪgjuəs/ / clear in meaning, especially because it can only be understood in only one way意思清楚的;明确的;无歧义的◆The message was clear and unambiguous: get out of town.意思很清楚:滚出城去。OPPambiguous ⇨ misleading▸unambiguously
adverb
◆The essential information should be displayed clearly and unambiguously.关键信息应当清楚明白地显示。■intelligible / /ɪnˈtelɪdʒəbl/ / (ratherformal) that can be understood能懂的;可理解的◆The child's speech was barely intelligible.那个小孩子的话很难懂。OPPunintelligible ⇨ confusing▸intelligibly
adverb
◆You need to be able to write clearly and intelligibly.你要能写得清晰易懂。■comprehensible / /ˌkɒmprɪˈhensəbl/ / (ratherformal) that can be understood能懂的;可理解的◆The novel is easily comprehensible to the average reader.那本小说一般读者都容易读懂。OPPincomprehensible ⇨ confusingNOTE辨析 Intelligible or comprehensible?These words are very similar and in most cases you can use either. Intelligible is used slightly more to talk about sb's speech or language; comprehensible is used slightly more for ideas, actions and processes.这两个词意思很接近,在多数情况下可通用。intelligible稍多用于形容人的谈话或语言; comprehensible稍多用于形容想法、行动或过程。■lucid / /ˈluːsɪd/ / (especiallywritten) (especially of sb's writing) clearly expressed and easy to understand(尤指行文)表达清楚的,易懂的◆She writes in a very lucid style.她的写作风格非常明晰易懂。◆It was a lucid account of the main facts of the case.这是对该案件主要事实清楚的表述。
ugly
adjective
ugly ♦︎ hideous ♦︎ unattractive ♦︎ grotesque ♦︎ plain ♦︎ unsightlyThese words all describe people or things that are not pleasant to look at.这些词均表示丑陋的、难看的。SYNONYM SCALE 词义标尺下图显示这些词所表达难看的程度
unattractive
➔
ugly
➔
hideous
plain
unsightly
grotesque
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆an ugly / a hideous / a grotesque / a plain face◆an ugly / an unattractive / a plain girl / woman◆an ugly / unattractive man◆to look ugly / hideous / unattractive / grotesque / unsightly◆very ugly / unattractive / plain / unsightly◆pretty ugly / hideous / unattractive◆quite ugly / hideous / grotesque◆rather / extremely ugly / unattractive / plain■uglyunpleasant to look at丑陋的;难看的◆The room was full of heavy, ugly furniture.房间里摆满了笨重难看的家具。◆The screaming child in her arms was an ugly little thing.她怀里那个尖声哭叫的孩子是个难看的小东西。OPPbeautiful ⇨ beautiful12■hideous / /ˈhɪdiəs/ / (ratherinformal, especiallyspoken) very ugly or unpleasant十分丑陋的;令人厌恶的◆The curtains were a hideous brown colour.窗帘的颜色是一种难看的褐色。◆The whole experience had been like some hideous nightmare.整个经历就像一场可怕的噩梦。▸hideously
adverb
◆His face was hideously deformed.他的脸难看地扭曲着。■unattractive (especiallywritten) not attractive or pleasant to look at不悦目的;不漂亮的;难看的◆His face creased into an unattractive smile.他的脸皱了起来,露出难看的微笑。◆The women were young and not unattractive(= they were attractive).那些女人年轻且颇有姿色。OPPattractive ⇨ beautiful12■grotesque /grəʊˈtesk; NAmEgroʊˈtesk/ very ugly in a strange way, often causing fear or laughter丑陋怪异的,奇形怪状的(常使人生畏或发笑)◆It was a grotesque figure with a snarling beast's head.那是个奇形怪状的人像,长着一个咆哮的野兽的头。■plain (especiallywritten) (especially of a woman or girl) not pretty or attractive(尤指女性)相貌平平的,无姿色的◆As a child she was rather plain.她小时候相貌平平。OPPpretty ⇨ beautiful1 see also plain ⇨ plainadj.1■unsightly (ratherformal) not pleasant to look at难看的;不雅观的;不悦目的◆There were unsightly marks on the walls caused by damp.墙上有一些由潮气造成的难看的斑点。◆It was an area of unsightly derelict buildings.那个地区尽是些难看的废弃建筑物。ⓘ Unsightly describes things, not people; it is often used to describe marks, patches or things that spoil a thing or a scene that might otherwise be attractive. * unsightly形容事物,不形容人,常用以形容mark、patch或者把原本也许很有吸引力的事物或景致搞坏的东西。
easy1
adjective
Is it easy to make?这个容易做吗?anything for an easy life使生活安逸舒适的东西easy ♦︎ simple ♦︎ straightforward ♦︎ effortless ♦︎ uncomplicated ♦︎ undemanding ♦︎ painless ♦︎ cushy ♦︎ plain sailingThese words all describe sth that is not difficult and that can therefore be done, obtained or understood without a lot of effort or problems.这些词均表示容易的、轻易的、不费力的。PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆to be easy / simple / straightforward / plain sailing for sb◆to be easy / simple / straightforward / painless / plain sailing to do sth◆an easy / a simple / a straightforward / an undemanding / a cushy job◆an easy / a simple / a straightforward / an undemanding task◆an easy / a simple / a straightforward / a painless method◆an easy / a simple / a straightforward matter / decision / test / question◆There's no easy / simple / straightforward answer.◆relatively easy / simple / straightforward / uncomplicated / undemanding / painless◆apparently easy / simple / straightforward / effortless■easydone or obtained without a lot of effort or problems容易的;轻易的;不费力的◆It was a really easy exam.这次考试真容易。◆This encyclopedia is designed for quick and easy reference.这部百科全书的特点在于查阅资料快捷、方便。◆Their house isn't the easiest place to get to.去他们家可不容易。◆It can't be easy for her, on her own with the children.她一个人带着这些孩子绝非易事。◆Several schools are within easy reach(= not far away).几所学校都在附近。OPPdifficult,hard ⇨ difficult1▸ease
noun
[uncountable] ◆He passed the exam with ease.他轻而易举地通过了考试。◆The computer is popular for its good design and ease of use.这款电脑设计巧妙、简单易用,因而广受欢迎。OPPdifficulty ⇨ difficulty▸easily
adverb
◆The museum is easily accessible by car.开车可以方便地到达博物馆。◆Learning languages doesn't come easily to him.学语言对他来说不是件容易的事。■simpleeasy to understand or do because it contains very few, very basic parts or actions(因结构或操作简单)易于理解的,易做的◆I used a very simple method to obtain the answer.我用了非常简单的方法得出了答案。◆This machine is simple to use.这台机器操作很简单。◆Give the necessary information but keep it simple.说说基本情况,简单一点。◆ (especiallyspoken) We lost because we played badly. It's as simple as that.我们输了是因为我们打得不好,就这么简单。OPPcomplex,elaborate ⇨ complex, difficult ⇨ difficult1▸simplicity / /sɪmˈplɪsəti/ /
noun
[uncountable] ◆the relative simplicity of the new PC新型个人电脑的相对容易使用◆For the sake of simplicity, let's divide the discussion into two parts.为了方便起见,我们把讨论分成两部分。▸simply
adverb
◆Anyway, to put it simply, we still owe them £2 000.反正,简单地说,我们还欠他们2 000英镑。NOTE辨析 Easy or simple?Easy means 'not difficult': an easy test/task is one that causes you no problems because you have the ability and understanding to do it; some people might find it easy, but some might not, depending on their abilities. Simple means 'not complicated': a simple test/task is one that only needs very few, very basic actions and does not really depend on people's abilities.Easily means 'without having any difficulty'. * easy指容易的;easy test/task指测试或任务能够做到或可以理解,不会造成问题;容易与否因人而异,取决于能力高低。simple指不复杂;simple test/task指只需要几个基本步骤便可完成,不太取决于人的能力。easily指不费力地◆I can easily finish it tonight.我今晚就能轻松完成。Simply means 'without causing any difficulty of understanding'. * simply指简单易懂地◆The book explains grammar simply and clearly.该书把语法解释得简单、明了。■straightforwardeasy to do or understand because it contains nothing unexpected(因一切都在预期之内)简单的,易懂的◆It's a relatively straightforward process.那是个相对简单的过程。◆It's quite straightforward to get here from your house.从你家来这儿相当容易。OPPcomplicated,involved ⇨ complexNOTE辨析 Simple or straightforward?These two words are very similar in meaning and use. Collocates of both words include question, answer, case, matter, method, procedure and exercise. Something that is straightforward may not be quite as basic as sth that is simple but it causes no problems because there is nothing unusual or unexpected about it.这两个词的意义和用法很相似,都可以与question、answer、case、matter、method、procedure、exercise等词搭配。straightforward的浅易程度不如simple,但是也并不困难,因一切都符合常规或预期。■effortlessseeming to need little or no effort无需费力的;容易的◆She dances with effortless grace.她的舞蹈动作优美、轻松自如。◆He made playing the guitar look effortless.他弹起吉他来显得轻松自如。▸effortlessly
adverb
◆Your presentation must move effortlessly from one point to the next.你的报告必须从一个要点自然过渡到另一个要点。■uncomplicated [uncountable] (ratherformal) without any difficulty or confusion简单的;率真的;不混乱的◆It's an uncomplicated computer interface that is truly easy to use.那是个简单的计算机界面,非常容易操作。◆It came as a relief to hold a light, uncomplicated conversation with an ordinary guy.跟一个普通人轻松、直率地聊天,真是畅快。ⓘ Uncomplicated is used especially to talk about life, relationships and emotions. It can describe people who have uncomplicated relationships and emotions. * uncomplicated尤用来形容生活、关系和情感,指关系或情感简单、不复杂◆He was an easygoing, uncomplicated young man.他是个随和、率真的年轻人。It is also used in medical contexts to mean 'without medical complications'.在医学语境中,uncomplicated指无并发症的◆an uncomplicated pregnancy / birth无并发症妊娠/分娩OPPcomplicated ⇨ complex■undemanding (written) not needing a lot of effort or thought不费力的;不费神的;轻松容易的◆I wanted an undemanding job which would leave me free to pursue my hobbies.我想要找一个轻松的工作,使我有闲暇从事业余爱好。OPPdemanding ⇨ difficult1■painless (written) not unpleasant or difficult to do愉快的;轻松的;不难的◆The interview turned out to be relatively painless.结果这次面试还算轻松。■cushy / /ˈkʊʃi/ / (informal, oftendisapproving) very easy and pleasant; needing little or no effort轻松愉快的;安逸的;不费劲的◆His father found him a cushy job in the office.他父亲给他找了个在办公室里不用费心劳神的工作。■plain ˈsailing
idiom
simple and free from trouble顺利;一帆风顺◆If you get the measurements right, the rest of the job should be plain sailing.如果测量工作做对了,余下的事情应该会很顺利。
plain
noun
plain ♦︎ plateau ♦︎ grassland ♦︎ prairie ♦︎ lowland ♦︎ savannah ♦︎ steppe ♦︎ pampasThese words all mean a large area of land.这些词均表示平原、高原或草原。PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆on the plains / the plateau / grassland / the prairie / the savannah / the steppes / the pampas◆in grassland / the lowlands / the savannah / the steppes / the pampas◆the open plain / plateau / grassland / prairie / savannah◆the rolling plain / plateau / grasslands / prairie◆the high plains / plateau■plain [countable] ( plains [plural]) a large area of flat land平原◆To the east lies the flat coastal plain of the Yucatan peninsula.东边是尤卡坦半岛平坦的海滨平原。◆Millions of buffalo used to roam freely across the Great Plains.数百万只野牛曾经在北美洲大平原无拘无束地活动。■plateau / /ˈplætəʊ; NAmEplæˈtoʊ/ [countable] (pluralplateausorplateaux /plæˈtəʊz; NAmEplæˈtoʊz/ )an area of flat land that is higher than the land around it高原◆From a narrow fringe of coastal plain, the main island rises to a central plateau.主岛的沿海地带狭窄平缓,中部隆起形成高原。■grassland /ˈgrɑːslænd; NAmEˈgræslænd/ [uncountable] ( grasslands [plural]) a large area of open land covered with wild grass草原;草地;草场◆The lion adapted itself to dry, open grassland where a yellow coat was most effective.狮子适应了干燥、开阔的草原,黄色的皮毛最适合这样的环境。■prairie /ˈpreəri; NAmEˈpreri/ [countable, uncountable] a flat wide area of land in North America, without many trees and originally covered with grass北美草原◆The North American prairie was once the world's largest grassland.北美草原曾经是世界上最大的草原。■lowland /ˈləʊlənd; NAmEˈloʊlənd/ [countable, usually plural] an area of land that is fairly flat and not very high above sea level低地◆the lowlands of Scotland苏格兰低地◆Much of the region is lowland.该地区大部分是低地。OPPhighlands ⇨ hill▸lowland
adjective
◆lowland areas / farmers低地地区;生活在低地的农场主■savannah ( savanna) /səˈvænə/ / [countable, uncountable] a wide flat open area of land that is covered with grass and has few trees, especially in Africa(尤指非洲的)稀树草原◆Mount Kilimanjaro rises straight up out of the African savannah.乞力马扎罗山在非洲草原上拔地而起。■steppe / /step/ / [countable, usually plural, uncountable] a large area of land that is covered with grass but has few trees, especially in SE Europe and Siberia(尤指东南欧和西伯利亚树少的)大草原,干草原◆The Cossacks are best known as the roving horsemen of the Russian steppes.哥萨克人以漂泊在俄罗斯草原的马背民族著称。■pampas /ˈpæmpəs, NAmE alsoˈpæmpəz/ (usually the pampas通常作the pampas) [singular + singular or plural verb] the large area of land in South America that is covered in grass and has few trees(南美洲的)大草原,草甸◆The novel depicts life on the Argentine pampas.这部小说描写了阿根廷大草原的生活。