| 例句 |
dire adj.
⇨ serious 1serious1 adjective a serious problem/illness 严重的问题／疾病a serious person/mood/expression 严肃的人／气氛／表情a serious debate/newspaper 严肃的辩论／报纸serious ♦︎ severe ♦︎ extreme ♦︎ critical ♦︎ grave ♦︎ acute ♦︎ drastic ♦︎ desperate ♦︎ dire ♦︎ bad ♦︎ life-threateningThese words all describe things and situations that involve or cause harm or damage to sb/sth. 这些词均表示严重的、危急的。SYNONYM SCALE 词义标尺 下图显示这些词所表达严重的程度| serious | ➔ | severe | ➔ | extreme | | critical | | grave | | drastic | | bad | | acute | | desperate | | | | | dire | | | | | life-threatening |
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆a serious / a severe / a critical / a grave / an acute / a desperate / a bad / a life-threatening problem◆a serious / a severe / an extreme / a critical / an acute / a desperate / a dire shortage◆serious / severe / extreme / grave / acute danger◆a serious / a severe / a grave / a dire threat◆serious / severe / extreme / acute / desperate / dire poverty◆a serious / an extreme / a critical / an acute / a desperate / a dire need◆serious / grave / drastic / dire / bad consequences◆a serious / a severe / a critical / a grave / an acute / a life-threatening illness◆a serious / a severe / an acute / a life-threatening disease◆a serious / a severe / a grave / an acute / a bad / a life-threatening injury◆a serious / a severe / an acute / a life-threatening infection◆a serious / a severe / an acute / a bad attack / bout◆particularly serious / severe / extreme / grave / acute / dire / bad◆very / extremely serious / severe / grave / acute / bad■ serious unpleasant or dangerous; that involves or might cause harm or damage to sb/sth 严重的；有危险的；可能造成伤害（或损伤）的◆The storm caused serious damage to farm buildings.暴风雨给农场建筑物造成了严重破坏。◆They pose a serious threat to security.他们对安全构成了严重威胁。◆The consequences could be serious.后果可能是严重的。OPP minor ⇨ minor see also seriousness ⇨ importance ▸ seriously adverb ◆Smoking can seriously damage your health.吸烟会严重损害你的健康。■ severe very serious 十分严重的；极为恶劣的◆The victim suffered severe brain damage.受害人的大脑损伤十分严重。◆The bridge has been closed due to severe weather conditions.由于恶劣的天气情况，这座大桥关闭了。◆Strikes are causing severe disruption to all train services.罢工给所有铁路服务造成严重影响。OPP minor ⇨ minor , mild ⇨ gentle ▸ severely adverb ◆Anyone breaking the law will be severely punished.违法者将受到严惩。▸ severity / /sɪˈverəti/ / noun [uncountable] ◆The chances of a full recovery will depend on the severity of her injuries.能否彻底康复取决于她受伤的严重程度。NOTE 辨析 Serious or severe? Severe is most often used to describe medical conditions and weather conditions. Serious is not used to describe weather conditions. * severe最常用于描述疾病状况或天气情况，serious则不用于描述天气情况◆serious weather ◆a serious winter Serious is used to describe medical conditions in everyday English, but in medical English severe is used. 在日常用语中用serious描述病情，但在医学用语中用severe◆a serious illness严重的疾病◆severe learning difficulties严重学习障碍 ■ extreme (of a situation or action) not ordinary or usual; serious or severe （局势或行为）异乎寻常的，严重的◆Children will be removed from their parents only in extreme circumstances.只有在极端情况下才会让孩子离开父母。◆Don't go doing anything extreme like leaving the country.不要做出诸如离开国家之类的极端行为。◆It was the most extreme example of cruelty to animals I had ever seen.这是我见过的最严重的虐待动物的事例。◆extreme weather conditions极端恶劣的天气情况 see also extreme ⇨ maximum ■ critical (rather formal) serious, uncertain and possibly dangerous 严重的；不稳定的；可能有危险的◆The first 24 hours after the operation are the most critical.病人手术后24小时是最危险的。◆ (BrE) One of the victims of the fire remains in a critical condition.一名火灾受害者依然病情危急。◆ (NAmE) One of the victims remains in critical condition.其中一名受害者依然病情危急。◆This is a critical moment in our country's history.这是我国历史上的危急关头。ⓘ Critical is often used with illness and condition to describe medical situations in which there is a possibility that the patient may not survive. Critical is also often used with words relating to time such as moment, period, phase, point, stage, time and years to talk about a time during which an important situation could end in failure or success. * critical常与illness和condition连用，指病人生命危在旦夕。critical也常与有关时间的词连用，如moment、period、phase、point、stage、time和years，指胜败存亡攸关的时刻。▸ critically adverb ◆He is critically ill in hospital.他病得很重，住院了。■ grave (formal) very serious and important; giving you a reason to feel worried 严重的；严峻的；深切的◆I fear you are making a very grave mistake.恐怕你正在犯一个严重错误。◆The police have expressed grave concern about the missing child's safety.警方对失踪孩子的安全深表关切。◆We were in grave danger.我们处于极大的危险之中。ⓘ Grave is used with such words as error, mistake, offence and violation to talk about things that people do wrong. Grave is also used with words like concern, doubt, misgivings, reservations, suspicions and worries to talk about strong feelings that people have when they are worrying about sth. When grave is used to talk about situations, it is often used with such words as consequences, danger, implications, problems, risk and threat. * grave可与error、mistake、offence和violation等词连用，指严重的错误。grave也可与concern、 doubt、misgiving、reservation、suspicion和worry等词连用，指对某事深切的担忧。grave还常与consequence、danger、implication、problem、risk和threat等词连用，表示情况严峻。 see also gravity ⇨ importance ▸ gravely adverb ◆Local people are gravely concerned.当地人都深感不安。■ acute / /əˈkjuːt/ / (rather formal) very serious or severe 十分严重的◆The scandal was an acute embarrassment for the President.这桩丑闻使总统处于极度难堪的境地。◆Competition for jobs is acute.求职竞争非常激烈。ⓘ An acute illness is one that has quickly become severe and dangerous. * acute形容疾病时表示急性的◆He was suffering from acute chest pains.他患了急性胸痛。 OPP chronic A chronic illness or problem is one that lasts for a long time and is difficult to cure or get rid of. * chronic表示疾病是慢性的，难以治愈，或问题长期存在，难以根除◆chronic bronchitis / arthritis / asthma慢性支气管炎／关节炎／哮喘◆the country's chronic unemployment problem该国长期存在的失业问题 ▸ acutely adverb ◆She suddenly felt acutely embarrassed.她突然感到极其尴尬。■ drastic (especially of an action) extreme in a way that has a sudden, serious or violent effect on sth （尤指行为）极端的，急剧的，严厉的，猛烈的◆The government is threatening to take drastic action.政府警告说要采取断然措施。◆Talk to me before you do anything drastic.你采取激烈行动之前要跟我商量。▸ drastically adverb ◆Output has been drastically reduced.产量已急剧下降。◆Things have started to go drastically wrong.情况开始变得完全失控。■ desperate / /ˈdespərət/ / extremely serious or dangerous 极严重的；极危险的；很危急的◆The children are in desperate need of love and attention.这些孩子非常需要爱和关怀。◆They face a desperate shortage of clean water.他们面临洁净水的严重短缺。ⓘ Desperate is used to talk about situations in which people need sth. * desperate用于谈论人们急需某物的情况。▸ desperately adverb ◆She felt desperately in need of human company.她非常想有个人做伴。■ dire / /ˈdaɪə(r)/ / [usually before noun] (especially BrE, formal) extremely serious 极其严重的；危急的◆They were living in dire poverty.他们生活赤贫。◆The firm is in dire straits (= in a very difficult situation) and may go bankrupt.该公司已陷入极度困境之中，可能会破产。ⓘ Dire is not used to talk about medical conditions. In American English it is only used in the phrase in dire straits. * dire不指病情严重。在美式英语中该词仅用在短语in dire straits中。■ bad (rather informal, especially spoken) serious; severe 严重的；剧烈的◆The engagement was a bad mistake.这婚约是个严重错误。◆It was a very bad winter that year.那年冬天极为寒冷。◆My headache is getting worse.我头痛得越来越厉害了。ⓘ Bad can be used to describe many unpleasant situations, but it is not used to describe danger or an emergency. It is rather informal and used especially in spoken English; in formal or written English it is often better to choose one of the other words in this group. * bad可用于表示许多不愉快的情况，但不修饰危险或紧急情况。该词很不正式，尤用于口语中。在正式或书面用语中，最好选用本组词汇中的其他词语。▸ badly adverb ◆The building is badly in need of repair.这栋大楼急需维修。■ ˈlife-threatening that is likely to kill sb 可能致命的；威胁生命的◆His heart condition is not life-threatening.他的心脏病不会危及生命。◆Aid workers are having to deal with very difficult, sometimes life-threatening situations.救援人员不得不应对一些艰难的情况，有时可能会威胁生命。ⓘ Life-threatening is used to talk about medical conditions, and dangerous situations in which accidents might happen. * life-threatening用于修饰病情及可能发生意外事故的危险情况。 |