英语相似词辨析(7):after,behind
日期:2008-05-16 14:22

(单词翻译:单击)

after,behind

After用作介词时,很易和另一介词behind混淆不清,因为它们都表示“在…之后”的意思。它们的区别有以下几点:

(一)一般说来,after指时间的先后次序,意为“在…之后”(later in time than); behind指位置的前后,意为“在…后面”(in the rear of)。例如:

I shall be free after ten o'clock.

十点之后我有空。

The national stadium is located behind the hill.

国家运动场在山岗的后面。

(二)after常用以指顺序,意为“跟在…之后”、“接着”、“接连”(in succession or next to in order); behind 则表示“隐匿在后”、“背着”或“遗留在后”之意。如:

After you,please!

您先请!(出门或进门时的客套用语)

You should put the direct object after the indirect object.

你应该把直接宾语放在间接宾语之后。

The policemen are searching for the robbers door after door.

警察正在挨家挨户地搜查劫匪。

Day after day and year after year…

日复一日,年复一年……。

Don't stand behind the door.

不要躲在门背后。

Don't speak evil of a man behind his back.

不要在背后说人坏话。

Who is behind the scenes?

谁是幕后人?

Those smugglers ran away and left no trace behind them.

那些走私客逃走时没有留下任何痕迹。

(三)在某些场合下,after和behind可以互换使用,但涵义有所不同。如:

Shut the door after you.(1)

Shut the door behind you.(2)

(1)句的意思是“随手关门”,after含有离开与关门两个动作的先后的意味;(2)句的意思是“关上你背后的门”,behind表示门的静止状态的意味,正因为如此,我们通常说:Don't stand behind the door,而不说:Don't stand after the door。

值得注意的是,在另一些场合下,after和behind 在互换使用后,其意并无区别可言。如:

John came in after Alice.

John came in behind Alice.

The dog ran after its master.

The dog ran behind its master.

Behind除作介词外,尚可用作副词、名词和形容词; after除作介词外,还可用作副词、连词和形容词,由于不属本书探讨范围之内,这里就不赘述。

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重点单词
  • tracen. 痕迹,踪迹,微量 vt. 追踪,找出根源,描绘 v
  • indirectadj. 间接的,迂回的,次要的,不坦率的,欺骗的