| 例句 |
allay verb
⇨ ease 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。 |