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IELTS SAT GRE
外刊例句
- The destiny of firms run by control fanatics, the second category, is murkier.
第二类由控制狂人掌管的公司命运就更捉摸不定了。
——《经济学人》 - The murky friendships and bureaucracy can at times be maddening, but persevering does not only mean rising the corporate ladder. It could also mean setting out on your own.
可疑的友谊和官僚作风有时会让人抓狂,但坚持不只意味着沿着职场阶梯往上爬。也可能意味着独自出发。
——《纽约时报》
基本释义
[adjective] dark and gloomy, especially due to thick mist
[形容词] 昏暗的、阴暗的,尤指由浓雾引起
深入解读
Murky 一词由英语单词 murk (黑暗、昏暗、浓云)+ 形容词后缀 -y 构成,现主要形容空气、光线等“昏暗的、阴暗的、朦胧的”,有时也指漆黑的或者说看不见的黑暗,但更多的是用来表示烟尘雾霾弥漫造成的浓密的、浓重的黑暗,比如:
- 木柴冒出的烟把亮着灯的大房间弄得烟雾弥漫。
The large lamplit room was murky with woodsmoke.
当烟尘雾霾弥漫时,不仅光线昏暗,而且空气污浊,由此 murky 还引申指“(空气、液体等)污浊的、浑浊的”,比如:
- 用抓钩在浑浊的深水里探寻失落的保险箱
grapple in deep and murky water for the missing safe - 脏水里濒临死亡的鱼都死了。
All the moribund fish have died in the murky water.
俗话说浑水好摸鱼,也就意味着浑水当中容易干些不可告人的勾当,而与之类似的是, murky 也可以用来形容人的行为或性格“暧昧可疑的、不可告人的”,强调事实不够清楚,比如:
- 那个著名科学家有一段不清白的过去。
That eminent scientist had a somewhat murky past. - 有人策划了一个不可告人的颠覆阴谋要将他们排斥在权力中心之外。
There has been a murky subversive conspiracy to keep them out of power.
类似于 opaque 从“不透明的”引申出“晦涩的、难懂的、费解的”, murky 也被用来表示“含糊不清的、难以理解的、晦涩难懂的”,多强调细节不够清楚,比如:
- 新颁布法律的此处条文有点含糊不清。
The newly enacted law here is a little bit murky.
名著用例
Yes, Albus Dumbledore had an extremely murky past, not to mention that very fishy family, which he worked so hard to keep hushed up.
是的,阿不思·邓布利多有一个极为不可告人的过去,更不用说他那个非常可疑的家庭,对此他想尽办法,百般遮掩。
出自英国作家J·K·罗琳的奇幻小说《哈利·波特》系列的第七本《哈利·波特与死亡圣器》(Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows)。《哈利·波特与死亡圣器》是整个小说系列的终结篇,交代了所有重要人物的最终命运。
同近义词
- dim: (of a room or other space) made difficult to see in by darkness
- gloomy: dark or poorly lit, especially so as to appear depressing or frightening
- opaque: not able to be seen through; not transparent