big1 /bɪɡ/ ●●● S1 W1 adjectiveadj (comparativecomp bigger, superlativesupl biggest) 1 size 大小SIZEBIG of more than average size or amount 大的 I need a bigger desk. 我需要一张大一点的桌子。
She had a big grin on her face. 她脸上挂着大大的笑容。
a big increase in crime 犯罪率的大幅上升
Los Angeles is the biggest city in California. 洛杉矶是加利福尼亚最大的城市。
The garage isn’t big enough for two cars. 这个车库不够大,停不下两辆汽车。
When they lose, they lose in a big way (=to a large degree). 他们要输就输得很惨。
There was this great big (=extremely big) spider in the sink. 洗涤槽里有只特大的蜘蛛。
► see thesaurus at fat 2 important 重要的IMPORTANT important and serious 重大的,重要的 Buying your own house is a big commitment. 购买属于自己的房子可是件大事。
The big game is on Friday. 大赛于星期五举行。
There’s a big difference between understanding something and being able to explain it to others. 理解某事和能够向别人解释清楚,两者之间有很大的差别。
Everyone was getting ready for the big day (=a day when an important event will happen). 每个人都在为这个重要的日子做准备。
► see thesaurus at important 3 SUCCESSFULPOPULARpopular/successful 受欢迎的/成功的 successful or popular, especially in business or entertainment 〔尤指在商业和娱乐业中〕极受欢迎的,极成功的 Julia Roberts became a big star. 朱莉娅·罗伯茨成了大明星。
She’s very big in Australia. 她在澳大利亚很红。
After years as a small-time actor, he suddenly made it big (=became very successful) in Hollywood. 演了多年的配角之后,他突然在好莱坞红了起来。
the big boys (=the most powerful people or companies) 极有影响力的人物[公司]
→ big cheese, big noise, → big shot at shot1(14), → big time1 4 older 较年长的 b) OLD/NOT NEWolder or more like an adult – used especially by children or when you are talking to children 长大了的〔尤为儿语〕 Come on, don’t cry. You’re a big girl now. 好了,别哭了。 你现在是个大女孩了。
5 large degree 很大程度A LOT [only before noun] informalLOT/LARGE NUMBER OR AMOUNT a) doing something to a large degree 程度深的a big eater/drinker/spender etc Des is a big gambler, you know. 你知道的,德斯是个大赌徒。
be a big fan/admirer of somebody/something 是某人/某物的狂热崇拜者
b) done to a large degree or with great energy 程度深的;花大力气的give somebody a big hug/kiss Mama gave me a big hug. 妈妈紧紧地拥抱了我一下。
give somebody a big hand (=hit your hands together with enthusiasm, to show you have enjoyed a performance) 为某人热烈地鼓掌
6 BADbad 坏的 [only before noun] informal used to emphasize how bad something is 糟糕的〔表示强调〕 AIDS remains a big problem in many parts of the world. 艾滋病在世界上很多地方依然是一个重大问题。
Buying that house was a big mistake. 买那幢房子是一个大错。
I never said that, you big liar! 我从来没有说过那样的话,你这个大骗子!
7 have big ideas/plans PLANto have impressive plans for the future 有雄心大志 I’ve got big plans for this place. 我对这个地方有宏大的计划。
have big ideas/plans• Waller has big plans for her retirement.• I have big plans for Selina.• They have big plans for their life together. 8 be big on something spoken a) to like something very much 非常喜欢某事物 I’m not big on kids. 我不是很喜欢小孩子。
b) to have a lot of a quality or feature 有明显的…特征 The new BMW is big on safety features. 新款宝马的安全性能很好。
9 what’s the big idea? spokenASK A QUESTION used when someone has done something annoying, especially when you want them to explain why they did it 你这是什么意思? Hey, what’s the big idea? Who said you could use my computer? 嘿! 你这是什么意思? 谁说你可以用我的电脑?
what’s the big idea?• Hey, what's the big idea? Who said you could borrow my car? 10 generous 慷慨的it is big of somebody to do something spoken a) KINDused to say that someone is very kind or generous to do something 某人做某事很大度[慷慨] b) UNKINDused when you really think that someone is not kind or helpful at all 某人真够大度[大方]的〔反语〕 £5! That was big of her! 五英镑! 她也真够大方的!
it is big of somebody to do something• A whole dollar! Gee, that was very big of her!• I think it was really big of Larry to admit that he made the wrong choice. 11 big mouth spokenTELL A SECRET someone who has a big mouth cannot be trusted to keep things secret 多嘴多舌;嘴巴不严 I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have opened my big mouth. 对不起,我不该多嘴的。
me and my big mouth (=said when you wish you had not told someone a secret) 我真多嘴
→ bigmouthbig mouth• If Britain is a body then Essex is the botty and Barnsley's the great big mouth.• To her sisters, she is simply a big mouth.• Director Jafar Panahi clearly loves children for what they are, big mouths and all.• The final proof, or perhaps the first, is the chub's big mouth and thick white rubbery lips.• But I kept my big mouth shut.• I generally think of sushi as bite-sized, but at Sushi-Cho you need a big mouth to eat your sushi without embarrassment.• And to have a big mouth to project. 13. words 单词 informal big words are long or unusual and are difficult to read or understand 长而难读[懂]的,生僻的,深奥的 14. be/get too big for your boots informalBOAST to be too proud of yourself 自以为了不起,自高自大,自视过高 15. use/wield the big stick informalTHREATEN to threaten to use your power to get what you want 挥舞大棒,执行大棒政策〔用权力相威胁以达到自己的目的〕 16. a big girl’s blouse British EnglishBrE informal someone, especially a man, who is not brave 软弱的男人,懦夫 17 big up (to/for) somebody spoken informal used when you want to praise someone 某人真了不起 Big up to Kelly Holmes! She ran a superb race. 凯莉·霍姆斯真了不起!她比赛跑得很出色。
→ think big at think1(38)n If there is more than one adjective, the adjectives are usually used in a fixed order.
You say: That’s a lovely big tree.
✗Don’t say: That’s a big lovely tree. You say: The title was in big black letters.
✗Don’t say: The title was in black big letters. THESAURUSbig 大的Lack of funding is the biggest problem. 缺少资金是最大的问题。
nGetting a car has made a big difference to my life.
large a slightly more formal word than big, used to describe objects and amounts 〔物体或数量〕大的〔比big略为正式〕Large areas of the forest have been destroyed. 大片林区被毁。
The museum attracts a large number of visitors. 这家博物馆吸引了大批参观者。
major [only before noun] big and important 主要的,重大的Pollution is a major problem. 污染是个主要的问题。
There has been a major change in government policy. 政府的政策有一项重大的改变。
considerable/substantial quite big – used especially about amounts 〔尤指数量〕相当大的,很大的They have spent a considerable amount of money on the project. 他们在这个项目上花费了大笔资金。
A substantial amount of heat is lost through the windows. 热量通过窗户时大量散失。
nHe had a considerable influence on young musicians.
very big 非常大的huge/massive/enormous extremely big 巨大的The table was enormous. 这张桌子非常大。
nTheir house is huge.
nThere is a huge amount of work to be done.
There has been a massive increase in oil prices. 油价大幅上涨。
nThe company is massive, operating in 150 countries.
nA massive fire destroyed more than thirty homes.
nHe’s been under an enormous amount of stress recently.
nThe changes will have an enormous impact.
great [only before noun] very big – used especially to describe the level or number of something 〔尤指程度或数目〕巨大的He achieved great success in America. 他在美国获得了巨大的成功。
The college offers a great number of courses. 这所学院开设了大量课程。
vast extremely big – used about areas, distances, numbers, or amounts 〔面积、距离、数目或数量〕巨大的,广袤的vast areas of rainforest 大片的热带雨林
A vast number of tourists visit the island every year. 每年有大量游客来这座岛上旅游。
gigantic extremely big and much bigger than other things of the same type 巨大的,庞大的〔指胜过同类的其他事物〕Gigantic waves crashed onto the beach. 一排排巨浪冲上海滩。
colossal extremely big – used about amounts or objects 巨大的〔用于指数量或物体〕James ran up a colossal phone bill. 詹姆斯欠下巨额电话账单。
a colossal statue of Napoleon 一座巨型的拿破仑塑像
tremendous having an extremely big effect 〔影响〕巨大的There have been some tremendous changes. 发生了一些巨变。
My new job will be a tremendous challenge. 我的新工作将是一个巨大的挑战。
nThe children were making a tremendous amount of noise.