在英语里,介词短语(prepositional phrases)数量之多,可以和片语动词(phrasal verbs)互相比拟,不与它们亲近也难。
$ X& W1 o' W8 [. v& d. r2 }" k 下面是些由“at”引导的介词短语,你都见过吗?( |7 G% d% j3 \8 \4 \) X# D8 y8 I
1. At bay:(经常和keep或hold连用)使……不能接近
' k- v/ a5 w. k: R; N; H/ M One of the gangsters kept the police at bay until the rest escaped.
3 c) I( Q9 x: `1 M/ `( x 2. At bottom:实际上7 N; I( F5 h9 E2 F
Judy said she was not jealous of her friends' success, but at bottom, she was.
6 ^$ F) p( Y/ q z5 R 3. At close quarters:逼近地
; |. I' ]& o' W3 @% K4 X The two rivals grappled at close quarters.
: d6 F: v( U' I- ~( @8 [ 4. At cross purposes:互相误解
% B* s, n/ N& } I think we are at cross purposes. When I said "J.C.", I meant "Jason Chen", not "John Chen".
1 _, ^0 y8 f) h6 q: s- O 5. At daggers drawn:势不两立
: _+ D2 J, M$ S; U5 O4 N" i! K Dan and Bob have been at daggers drawn for years. There is no evidence that they will make up.0 M) W; |. r0 f! H# B
6. At every turn:处处* W# F( }$ [) w1 V* ~( q' Y% a
When you go downtown, you will see shops, big and small, at every turn.
0 ~6 P$ j ?6 w: @" A* F0 x {9 ?3 J8 T 7. At one fell swoop:一举
+ G# h' m( I0 O# x' ` Which country can invade another country and conquer it at one fell swoop?- ]) i9 }6 Z1 m7 |1 ` ^$ v: [
8. At issue:在讨论中的
# h& z# }( y% ^4 k' u& d The question asked was not relevant to the matter at issue .$ e" I1 U. W- U7 z
9. At large:一般的;逍遥法外的。
8 q3 N6 n) V1 [2 j- H% d" t! j a. The people at large support the government's various policies.
4 q4 ]! `& W5 d0 J: u. l* z b. Some illegal immigrants were caught, but some others are still at large.+ k! ?4 o7 Y# ~, f, i9 z
10. At length:详细地3 m3 r- e3 O$ w) H
Time did not allow the speaker to talk about the financial turmoil at length.9 c0 M1 i% I/ o5 i! T( ~* `1 d
11. At loggerheads with……:经常和……争吵
+ z; \; t& d9 E2 M: d7 O Mr and Mrs Thang are often at loggerheads with each other. Why can't they get along well?
1 K! @3 D# R! a5 h2 A7 n" e 12. At a loss for words:不知说什么好' R7 s+ h+ m( G) q
The news came so surprisingly that she was at a loss for words.' k3 {3 q4 E: V
13. At a low ebb:处于低潮
( A1 [! `9 w7 N! q4 N Henry's mood seems to be at a low ebb now; let's cheer him up a bit.
8 E. a4 c3 S _% P6 g: l3 Y 14. At a price:付高代价5 S# C" Q: ]7 q) n {) w Z& u
Some people became successful at a price; their health and family life were adversely affected.# @1 K% r) n: y& y2 N8 C1 Q y
15. At random:随意地
2 ?! f6 D' g: e& U One may choose things at random, but not the prospective life partner.( y: n- a) ^. z5 R0 Y% e5 K
16. At the ready:处在准备状态中: M+ A6 ~' ], k. Q4 Q8 w
At the news conference, news reporters gathered around, pens and notebooks at the ready.
5 B5 w4 Z+ p9 @& h3 q+ | 17. At sea:茫然* h ^/ \6 O; I
Those not interested in politics will be at sea when people discuss political issues.
( I/ ?+ W3 E* V0 B 18. At a stretch:连续地3 ]' c% ^# D% Z/ R# n p
In order to earn money, some workers do overtime works for a few days at a stretch.
9 ]; S+ [8 b* v6 X# a 19. At will:任意地* O% s" v- Y1 |3 ?& J; E; z; f
In a society like ours, one has to be law-abiding and not to do things at will.
( d* H L4 B6 G5 R! |! `' @ 20. At one's wits end:不知所措
- `) |- P' [! i6 N4 ]3 g Chased by the enemy to an abyss, the man could not advance any more, nor could he retreat; he was at his wits end., B* v9 _; V3 A
21. At heart:在内心里;本质上
0 M0 N# Z, j1 n! E3 a a. A good leader often has the people's interests at heart.# T$ I8 p) N' i$ E8 h
b. Though Xiao Gan works in a city, he is a country boy at heart.
# H+ O$ J- a* ]( c Y 22. At sixes and sevens:乱七八糟
, r4 r4 d) F- F2 u4 y1 X" D- [( J4 }+ w When the maid returned to work after three days' leave, she found all the rooms at sixes and sevens. |