| 例句 |
minimize verb
⇨ reduce (minimize the risk) ⇨ understate (He always tried to minimize his own faults.) reduce verb ➡ See also the entry for ⇨ cut 1 另见cut条第1义reduce ♦︎ lower ♦︎ minimize ♦︎ decrease ♦︎ bring sth down ♦︎ turn sth downThese words all mean to make sth smaller or less in size, amount or degree. 这些词均表示减少、缩小、降低。PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆to reduce sth / lower sth / bring sth down from 10 to 5◆to reduce / lower / decrease sth by half, 50, etc.◆to reduce / lower / minimize / decrease / bring down the number / amount / level / cost of sth◆to reduce / lower / minimize / decrease the risk / chance / rate of sth◆to reduce / lower / decrease / bring down the price of sth◆to reduce / lower / turn down the volume / sound◆to reduce / lower / decrease sth significantly / gradually◆to reduce sth / turn sth down slightly■ reduce [transitive] to make sth less or smaller in size, amount, number or level 减少，缩小，降低（尺寸、数量、数目或水平）◆The number of employees was reduced from 40 to 25.雇员人数从40人减少到了25人。◆Costs have been reduced by 20% over the past year.过去一年，成本支出已经减少了20%。◆Giving up smoking reduces the risk of heart disease.戒烟会减少患心脏病的风险。◆Reduce speed now (= on a sign).减速行驶。 OPP increase ⇨ increase verb ■ lower [transitive] to reduce the level of sth 减低，降低（水平）◆This drug is used to lower blood pressure.这种药用于降血压。◆The company may be forced to lower prices in order to stay competitive.为保持竞争力，这家公司可能会被迫降价。◆He lowered his voice to a whisper.他压低了声音悄悄地说。ⓘ Lower is used especially in the contexts of health and finance. * lower尤用于医疗保健和金融语境◆to lower blood pressure / cholesterol levels降低血压／胆固醇水平◆to lower prices / interest rates降低价格／利率 Reduce can also be used in these cases; however, if you are talking about the level of sb's voice, only lower can be used. * reduce亦可用于这些情况。不过，表示降低说话的声音只能用lower◆He reduced his voice to a whisper. OPP raise ⇨ increase verb ■ minimize (BrE also minimise) / /ˈmɪnɪmaɪz/ / [transitive] to reduce sth, especially sth bad, to the lowest possible level 使（尤指不好的事物）减少到最低限度◆Good hygiene helps to minimize the risk of infection.保持卫生清洁有助于最大限度地减少感染的风险。◆They worked at night in order to minimize the disruption.为尽可能减少干扰，他们在晚上工作。OPP maximize ⇨ increase verb ■ decrease [transitive] (rather formal) to reduce the amount or level of sth 减少，减小，降低（数量或水平）◆People should decrease the amount of fat they eat.人们应减少脂肪的摄入量。◆The dose was gradually decreased after eight weeks.剂量在八周后逐渐减少。 OPP increase ⇨ increase verb ⓘ Decrease is more formal and less frequent than increase; it is used especially in the contexts of health and medicine. The more usual opposite of increase is reduce. * decrease比increase正式，较不常用，尤用于医疗保健和医学语境中。increase更常用的反义词是reduce。■ ˌbring sth ˈdown phrasal verb (brought, brought)to reduce the price, number or level of sth 降低，减少（价格、数量或水平）◆We aim to bring down prices on all our computers.我们打算降低我们所有计算机的价格。◆The economic recovery will bring down unemployment.经济复苏将降低失业率。■ ˌturn sth ˈdown phrasal verb to reduce the noise, heat or light produced by a piece of equipment by moving its controls 把⋯调低；关小◆Please turn the volume down.请把音量调低些。◆He turned the lights down low.他把灯光调得暗了一些。 OPP turn sth up ⇨ increase verb see also turn sth off ⇨ turn sth off understate verb understate ♦︎ play sth down ♦︎ make light of sth ♦︎ minimize ♦︎ trivializeThese words all mean to state that sth is smaller, less important or less serious than it really is. 这些词均表示轻描淡写、避重就轻地说。PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆to understate / play down / minimize the importance / extent of sth◆to play down / minimize the significance / role of sb / sth◆to play down / make light of a problem◆to play down / trivialize an issue■ understate / /ˌʌndəˈsteɪt; NAmE ˌʌndərˈsteɪt/ [transitive] (rather formal, especially written) to state that sth is smaller, less important or less serious than it really is 轻描淡写；避重就轻地说◆It would be a mistake to understate the seriousness of the problem.对该问题的严重性加以淡化是错误的。◆The figures probably understate the real unemployment rate.这些数字很可能低估了真实的失业率。OPP overstate ⇨ exaggerate ▸ understatement noun [countable, uncountable] ◆To say we were pleased is an understatement (= we were extremely pleased).说我们满意，那可是说得太轻了。◆He always goes for subtlety and understatement in his movies.他总是在自己的电影中运用细腻刻画和淡化手法。■ ˌplay sth ˈdown phrasal verb (rather informal, especially journalism 尤用于新闻) to try to make sth seem less important or less serious than it really is 使显得不重要；贬低；淡化◆The government has been playing down rumours of differences of opinion.政府一直在淡化有关意见分歧的传言。ⓘ Play sth down is often used by journalists to report attempts by governments or other organizations to stop people from losing confidence in them. 新闻记者常用play sth down表示政府或其他组织企图淡化矛盾，防止人们对其失去信心。■ make ˈlight of sth idiom (made, made)to treat sth as not serious or important 轻视；对⋯等闲视之◆I didn't mean to make light of your injuries.我不是要把你的伤不当回事。◆Although he later made light of the experience, he had been in considerable danger.虽然他后来对那次经历轻描淡写，但当时他的处境相当危险。ⓘ When you make light of your own problems you try to have a positive attitude towards a difficult situation so that other people don't worry about it too much. If you make light of sb else's problems however, you may offend them, because they may think that you are suggesting that they are complaining about sth that is not really very serious. * make light of自己的困难，表示你对困境尽量采取积极的态度，使他人不过分担心。然而，如果你make light of别人的困难，也许就会得罪人，因为他们会以为你在暗示他们所抱怨之事并非真的很严重。■ minimize (BrE also minimise) /ˈmɪnɪmaɪz/ / to try to make sth seem less important or less serious than it really is 使显得不重要；贬低；淡化◆He always tried to minimize his own faults, while exaggerating those of others.他总是试图对自己的错误轻描淡写，对别人的错误夸大其词。ⓘ Minimize is most often used to talk about people trying to make personal strengths or weaknesses seem less important, or with importance or significance to talk about people trying to make any action or event seem less important than it really is. * minimize最常用以表示试图使个人的长处或弱点显得不那么重要；或与importance或significance搭配，指让行为或事件显得不如实际那么重要。■ trivialize (BrE also trivialise) / /ˈtrɪviəlaɪz/ / [transitive] (rather formal, usually disapproving) to make sth seem less important or less serious than it really is 使显得琐碎（或不重要、不严重）；轻视◆It is important not to trivialize children's worries.不轻视孩子的烦恼很重要。◆The magazine has been accused of trivializing serious issues.该杂志被指责对严肃的问题轻描淡写。 |