1. jeopardize,jeopardise vt.使处于危险境地;危及,损害:jeopardize one’s life to do sth. 冒生命危险去做某事/jeopardize one’s fortune by making bad investments 由于投资不当而危及自己的财产/Would such legislation jeopardize chances for a treaty? 制定这样的法律会危及签约的可能性吗?
2. rebrand vt.改变…的面貌
3. sheer1 I a.1.(织物)极薄的; 透明的:sheer muslin 透明薄纱/sheer stockings 透明长统丝袜 2.纯粹的,不掺杂的:sheer ale 纯麦芽酒 3.完全的,十足的;彻底的;绝对的,无条件的:sheer nonsense 一派胡言/by sheer chance 纯属偶然地/He won his position by sheer ability.他赢得地位全凭才干。/The next two days were sheer joy. 以后的两天中全是欢乐。/win through by sheer determination 以破釜沉舟的决心获得成功 4.陡峭的;垂直的:The cliff was quite sheer. 悬崖相当陡峭。/a sheer drop of twenty metres 20米的垂直落差 5.<英><废>发亮的,明亮的 II ad. 1.陡峭地,陡直地;垂直地:The rocks rose sheer out of the sea. 礁岩峭拔出海。2.<古>完全地,全然,十足地;彻底地:be torn sheer out by the roots 被连根拔除 III n.1.透明薄织物 2. 透明薄织物衣服 ||sheerly ad./sheerness n.
4. amount n.2.总的含义,全部意义;总效果;全部价值:The amount of his remarks is that …他的话的要旨是…/The amount of evidence against the suspect is formidable. 证据所说明的事实对嫌疑人极为不利。
5. stuff n. 7.要素,基本的东西;特质,本质;要素:Reading, writing and arithmetic are the basic stuff of school. 读写算是学校的基本课。/the stuff of manhood 男子汉的特质/We aren’t the stuff of secret agents, you and me. 你我可都不是那种干特工的料。/He has good stuff in him.他这人的素质很好。/Do you expect to find in ordinary men the stuff of heroes? 你指望在普通人身上看到英雄的品质吗?
6. niggle I vi.1.闲混;徒劳地干活;在细节上花费过多时间与精力:niggle with an uninteresting task 随便瞎做一件无兴趣的工作/niggle away at sth. 为某事的细节过分操心不止 2.吹毛求疵,挑剔,找岔子:niggle at each other 互相找岔子 3.啃,咬 vt.1.玩忽,马虎对待 2.对…吹毛求疵,挑剔,找…的岔子:Critics niggled that the rapid production of planes was dangerous. 爱挑剔的人批评说造飞机只求速度是危险的。3.激怒;使烦恼 4.小气地给;少量地给 II n.1.轻微的抱怨,微不足道的批评;小牢骚;令人烦恼的鸡毛蒜皮 2.难以辨认的字迹||niggler n./niggly a.
7. close to 1.接近于:run close to the ground 贴地跑/be close to tears 差不多要哭出来/close to mid-night 快到半夜/close to half the 183 Republicans in Congress 183名共和党国会议员中的近半数 2.在近处:Close to, these eyes were inspecting me. 近处,这些眼睛正打量我。3.与…关系密切
8. consternate vt.[常用被动语态]使惊恐,使惊愕:The colonel was not only embarrassed, he was consternated. 上校不但窘困,而且惊恐失色。
consternation n.惊恐,惊愕:create consternation 造成惊恐/The two stared at each other in consternation. 两人互相瞠目而视。/He was filled with consternation at the news. 他听到这消息后惊恐万状。/To their complete consternation the swimmers saw a shark approaching. 使游泳者极为惊恐的是他们看到一条鲨鱼正向他们逼近。
9. sortie I n.1.【军】(从被包围地方的)出击,突袭;突围;出港 2.(短暂)外出,出门 3.出击部队;突袭部队 4.(军用飞机的)出击,出动架次 5.【摄】(一次飞行的)航摄系列;摄影期 6.短程出行(或旅行)II vi.出击;突围;出港 III a.【空】(宇宙飞船)设计成一定时期后返回地球的
10. underpin (underpinned; underpinning)vt.1.加固(或更换)…的基础;用支柱(或梁等)从下面支撑;托换:underpin a wall 加固墙脚 2.支持;巩固;证实,确证:underpin a thesis with evidence 用证据证实论点/underpin a durable peace 巩固持久和平
and although Britain might have preferred a more “forward-leaning” approach from America to the military campaign
这里的 “forward-leaning” approach 是不是很形象地描绘美国急速向北约的军事基地奔跑而身体向前倾的样子,意思就是说英国更希望美国对针对利比亚的军事行动态度能更积极一些。我自己的浅见,有点牵强,呵呵。仅供参考。