本文经授权转载自微信公众号:田间小站
TEM8 GRE
外刊例句
- The reason why the average has barely budged is that the onslaught of new shows includes plenty of rubbish.
平均得分变化甚微,原因是纷至沓来的新剧中夹杂着大量烂剧。
——《经济学人》 - After months of widespread protests failed to budge the government, opponents acknowledge that the chances of turning the tide now are slim.
经过数月的广泛抗议未能让政府做出让步之后,反对者承认,现在扭转局势的可能性微乎其微。
——《纽约时报》
基本释义
[verb] make or cause to make the slightest movement
[动词] (使)做出最轻微的移动
深入解读
Budge 是一个比较好记的单词,就比熟词 budget (预算)少了最后一个字母 t 。同时也可以与小站(微信公众号:田间小站)推送过的 dodge, wedge 等同结尾单词一并联想记忆。
从词源上看, budge 与熟词 boil (煮沸、烧开、沸腾)同源,都源自于拉丁语 bullire (煮沸)。16世纪80年代经法语 bougier (移动、搅动)进入英语后,即用来表示“(使)轻微移动、挪动”,主要指(使)从某个固定的位置做出最轻微的移动,常用于否定句表示负面含义,比如:
- 那条恶狗不肯动弹。
The vicious dog refused to budge. - 我用尽全力也没把它拽动。
I heaved with all my might but still couldn't budge it.
该词在口语中则常用短语动词 budge up/over 表示“让开、挪开”,通常是为了给别人腾地方而向座位一边挪动,比如:
- 闪开点!
Budge up a bit! - 挪过去一点,给我腾个位置。
Budge over and make room for me.
除了挪开原先坐立的位置可以给人腾地方外,改变原先的观点或立场也可以给人让出空间。进而 budge 也被用来引申指“(使)改变意见、让步”,同样常用于否定句表示负面含义,比如:
- 美国人非常强硬,他们在这一点上是不会妥协的。
The Americans are adamant that they will not budge on this point.
名著用例
"Make it move," he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge.
“让它动呀。”达力哼哼唧唧地央求他父亲。弗农姨父敲了敲玻璃,巨蟒却纹丝不动。
出自英国作家J·K·罗琳的奇幻小说《哈利·波特》系列的第一本《哈利·波特与魔法石》(Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone)。
同近义词
- shift: move or cause to move from one place to another, especially over a small distance
- stir: move or cause to move slightly
- wiggle: move or cause to move up and down or from side to side with small rapid movements