avowal
【考法 1】 n. 承认： a solemn and often public declaration of the truth or existence of something
【例】 With jingoism rampant, the peace candidate felt compelled to make an avowal of his patriotism. 在沙文主义肆虐的情况下，爱好和平的候选人被迫承认自己是个爱国主义者。
【近】 affirmation, assertion, asseveration, avouchment, claim, declaration, insistence, profession
【反】 disavowal 否认，否定
backfire
【考法 1】 vi. 产生相反的结果，事与愿违： to have the reverse of the desired or expected effect
【例】 My plan to throw her a surprise party backfired when she ended up sobbing that everyone had forgotten her birthday. 我本想给她的生日开一个聚会作为惊喜，但没想到事与愿违：她啜泣着说所有人都忘记了她的生日。
【近】 boomerang
【反】 succeed 成功
baffle
【考法 1】 vt. 挫败，阻挠： to frustrate or check (a person) as by confusing or perplexing
【例】 baffled by the language barrier 受到语言障碍的阻挠
【近】 balk, beat, check, discomfit, foil, frustrate, thwart
【反】 advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, foster, further, nurture, promote 促进，鼓舞
【考法 2】 vt. 使疑惑： to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
【例】 I was baffled by many of the scientific terms used in the article. 这篇文章中各种学术词汇让我很困惑。
【近】 befog, befuddle, bewilder, confound, discombobulate, disorient, maze, mystify, perplex, puzzle, vex
【反】 clarify, elucidate 澄清，阐明
【派】 baffling adj. 令人困惑的
careen
【考法 1】 vi. 蹒跚而行，不稳地行走： to lurch or swerve while in motion
【例】 He careened unsteadily to the couch after hitting his head. 在撞到头以后，他摇摇摆摆地走向沙发。
【近】 dodder, lurch, reel, sway, teeter, totter, waddle, wobble
【考法 2】 vi. 狂奔，快速运动： to rush headlong or carelessly
【例】 Sounding its siren, an ambulance careened through the intersection. 救护车响着警笛飞驰通过十字路口。
【近】 blast, bolt, bustle, career, dash, fly, hustle, rush, rustle, speed, whirl
【反】 crawl, creep, lag, poke 缓慢行进
constrict .
【考法 1】 vt. 压缩，压紧： to make smaller or narrower by or as if by binding or squeezing
【例】 lives constricted by poverty 因为贫穷而拮据的生活‖Severe migraine can be treated with a drug which constricts the blood vessels. 某些能使血管收缩的药物可用来治疗严重的偏头痛。
【近】 capsule, collapse, compact, condense, constringe, contract, narrow, squeeze, telescope
【反】 decompress, expand, open, outspread, outstretch 扩张，使伸展
dampen .
【考法 1】 vt. （特指稍稍地）弄湿： to make or become slightly or moderately wet
【例】 dampen a paper towel with water and use it to clean up the mess 把纸巾弄湿用来清扫
【近】 bedew, damp, douse , drench, impregnate, saturate, soak, souse, steep
【反】 dehydrate, desiccate, dry, parch, scorch, sear 使脱水，烤干
【考法 2】 vt. 抑制，压抑（感情，精力等），泼冷水： to check or diminish the feeling, activity or vigor of
【例】 Nothing could dampen their enthusiasm. 没有什么能扼杀他们的激情。‖The oppressive heat dampened
our spirits. 让人难以忍受的酷暑让我们精神不振。
【近】 benumb, blunt, castrate, deaden, devitalize, enervate, geld, lobotomize, petrify
【反】 brace, energize, enliven, invigorate, quicken, stimulate, vitalize, vivify 使充满活力
debonair
【考法 1】 adj. 无忧无虑的，不在乎的： having or showing freedom from worries or troubles
【例】 His debonair dismissal of my inquiry concerning his financial situation led me to believe that nothing was
wrong. 对于我有关他个人理财的问题，他表现得毫不在乎，这使我相信没有问题。
【近】 blithe, carefree, gay, insouciant, lighthearted, lightsome, slaphappy, unconcerned
【反】 careworn 焦虑的
【考法 2】 adj. 风度翩翩的： having or showing very polished and worldly manners
【例】 The debonair gentleman charmed all of the ladies in the room. 风度翩翩的绅士吸引了在场的所有女士。
【近】 civilized, graceful, polished, refined, smooth, sophisticated, suave, svelte, urbane
【反】 boorish, churlish, loutish, uncouth 粗鲁的，粗野的；clumsy, gauche, graceless 笨拙的
fabulous
【考法 1】 adj. 传说中的： based on, described in, or being a fable
【例】 The city of Phoenix is named after a fabulous bird that every 500 years destroys itself with fire, only to rise again from its own ashes. 凤凰城的名字来源于传说中的一种鸟，它每隔 500 年会在火焰中毁灭，然后再从灰烬中重生。
【近】 fabled, legendary
【考法 2】 adj. 幻想中的，不真实的： not real and existing only in the imagination
【例】 a story of a fabulous land where the people know nothing of war and live together in perfect harmony 一个有关世外桃源的故事，当地的居民不知道战争为何物，和谐融洽地生活在一起
【近】 chimerical, dreamy, illusory, phantom, unreal, visionary
【反】 actual, existent, existing, real 真实存在的
【考法 3】 adj. 令人惊讶的，令人称奇的： causing wonder or astonishment
【例】 the fabulous endurance of a marathon runner 马拉松参赛者令人惊讶的耐力
【近】 amazing, astonishing, astounding, miraculous, portentous, prodigious, staggering, stunning, stupendous, sublime, wonderful
【反】 common, ordinary 平常的，普通的
【考法 4】 adj. 极好的： extremely pleasing or successful
【例】 We had a fabulous time on our vacation. 我们的假期赞极了。
【近】 awesome, divine, fantastic, heavenly, marvelous, noble, prime, splendid, superb, superior, terrific
【反】 atrocious, awful, execrable, lousy, pathetic, poor, rotten, terrible, wretched 极差劲的
hobble
【考法 1】 vi. 跛行，蹒跚而行： to walk or move along haltingly or with difficulty
【例】 She picked up her cane and hobbled across the room. 她拿起了一根手杖，一拐一拐地穿过了房间。
【近】 falter, halt, limp, stagger, totter
【反】 stride 大步走
【考法 2】 vt. 阻碍，妨碍： to hamper the action or progress of
【例】 We were hobbled by the snowstorm from getting out to do some Christmas shopping. 暴雪阻碍了我们圣诞购物的计划。
【近】 encumber, fetter, handicap, hamper, hinder, impede, inhibit, manacle, obstruct, shackle, stymie, trammel
【反】 aid, assist, facilitate 帮助
plush .
【考法 1】 adj. （味道等）浓郁的： having an abundance of some characteristic quality (as flavor)
【例】 a plush, ripe wine 味道浓郁的陈年老窖
【近】 concentrated, full, heady, lusty, muscular, potent, rich, robust, strong
【反】 delicate, light, mild, thin, weak （味道等）淡的
【考法 2】 adj. 奢华的，豪华的： notably luxurious
【例】 a plush castle filled with priceless art and antiques 一座充满了无价艺术品和古董的奢华城堡
【近】 deluxe, lavish, luxuriant, luxurious, opulent, palatial, silken, sumptuous
【反】 ascetic, austere, humble, spartan 朴素的，平凡的