hint、imply与suggest这些动词均有“暗示”之意。
hint : 指通过时间接而有提示性的话语或表情来暗示某事。
- Mum's hinted (that) she might pay for my trip to Mexico.
妈妈暗示她或许可以资助我的墨西哥之行。 - He's hinted at the possibility of moving to Canada.
他暗示过有可能移居加拿大。
imply : 侧重指话语、行为或情景中的一种暗示，听者或读者必须加以逻辑推断才能领会。
- Are you implying (that) I'm fat?
你是在暗示我长得胖吗？ - I detected an implied criticism of the way he was treated.
我觉察到他在含蓄地批评自己受到的待遇。
suggest : 指有意或无意的，直接或间接暗示，强调事物的表征等使人引起联想。
- There's no absolute proof, but all the evidence suggests (that) he's guilty.
虽然没有确凿的证据，但所有证据都表明他有罪。 - Are you suggesting (that) I look fat in these trousers?
你言下之意是说我穿这条裤子显得胖？
