life·time /ˈlaɪftaɪm/ ●●○ noun [countableC usually singular]
1LIFEthe period of time during which someone is alive or something exists 一生,终生;生存期 → lifespan
during/in somebody’s lifetime
During her lifetime she had witnessed two world wars.
她一生亲历了两次世界大战。
It’s the sort of opportunity you see only once in a lifetime.
这种机会你一辈子也只能碰到一次。
2the chance/experience etc of a lifetimeBESTthe best opportunity, experience etc that you will ever have 千载难逢[终生难得]的机会/经历等
It was the holiday of a lifetime.
这样的假期终生难得。
Examples from the Corpus
the chance/experience etc of a lifetime• There is also the chance of a lifetime for the talentedteams who win through to the final.• We are offering the experience of a lifetime, and it seems to appeal to people from all over the world.• Jim assured him that hearing me sing was the experience of a lifetime, but Dad wasn't having that.• This was the chance of a lifetime.
3not in this lifetimespoken not at all 这辈子是不会了SYN never
‘Would you go out with him after he dropped you?’ ‘Not in this lifetime.’
“他甩了你之后你还会和他约会吗?” “这辈子是不会了。
Examples from the Corpus
lifetime• Would it continue to fascinate for a lifetime?• The NationalMedal of Artsaward is meant to honor a lifetime of achievement.• Grief following any death can last a lifetime.• A good tool should last a lifetime.• The government had argued that the originalmilitary recruiters didn't have the authority to offer lifetimehealthcare.• In our lifetime, ordinary people will travel to the moon.• All of Callinicos' philosophical sophistication and matchless political experience evaporate in the face of the art of his own lifetime.• During Dickinson's lifetime, only a few of her works were actually published.• He suffered a lot of pain in his short lifetime.• Few women have been so worshipped and detested in their lifetime and by posterity.• Create something that you love in your lifetime.• Good looks can last your lifetime!
once in a lifetime• The Olympics is a once in a lifetimeopportunity.• Such opportunities are once in a lifetime.• A beautiful, once in a lifetimewaltz, choreographed by the rock.• This kind of thing happens once in a lifetime.• The forked road which every star, perhaps every person, faces at least once in a lifetimelaydead ahead.• The rules are most useful on formaloccasions like weddings, and particularly when they happen only once in a lifetime.
ADJECTIVE | VERB + LIFETIME | LIFETIME + NOUN | PREPOSITION | PHRASESADJECTIVE➤long漫長的一生◇wisdom gained in the course of a long lifetime在漫長的一生中獲得的智慧➤short短暫的一生◇A lifetime is too short for all the great books there are!一生太短,讀不完所有的名著!➤entire, whole終生VERB + LIFETIME➤devote, spend畢生致力於◇He devoted a lifetime to working with disabled children.他畢生致力於幫助殘疾兒童。➤take (sb)花(某人)一生時間◇It took a whole lifetime to solve the mystery of her father's disappearance.她用了一生的時間才解開父親失踪之謎。➤last (sb)(讓某人)用一輩子◇This watch should last you a lifetime.這塊錶你能用一輩子。➤seem, seem like好像一輩子◇It seems a lifetime since we first met.我們初次見面似乎是上輩子的事了。➤live過一生◇You can live a whole lifetime and not witness such an event.你有可能一輩子都沒機會親歷這樣的事件。LIFETIME + NOUN➤achievement終身成就◇The veteran director won a lifetime achievement award.這位資深導演獲得了終身成就獎。➤appointment, employment終身任命/職業➤membership (NAmE) 終身會員資格➤earnings, income畢生所得;終身收入◇Payments are based on expected lifetime income.根據預期的終身收入來決定付款金額。➤guarantee, warranty終身保證/保修➤ban終身禁令➤commitment終生承諾PREPOSITION➤after a lifetime一輩子以後◇After a lifetime as a journalist in the trouble spots of the world, he retired to the country.在世界不安定地區做了一輩子記者之後,他退休到了鄉下。➤during sb's lifetime在某人的一生中◇I've seen many changes during my lifetime.我一生中經歷了許多變革。➤in your lifetime在有生之年◇The artist was little known in his lifetime.這位藝術家一生默默無聞。➤of a lifetime一生難有一次的◇She gave the performance of a lifetime.她進行了一次難得的表演。➤lifetime in在⋯中的一生◇She spent a lifetime in politics.她一生從政。➤lifetime of⋯的一生◇a lifetime of problems問題不斷的一生PHRASES➤the habits of a lifetime一生的習慣◇It's hard to break the habits of a lifetime.很難改變一輩子養成的習慣。➤a legend in your own lifetime自己所處時代的傳奇◇Callas was a legend in her own lifetime.卡拉斯是她那個時代的傳奇人物。➤half a lifetime半輩子➤a lifetime ago, a lifetime away一輩子以前◇College seems half a lifetime away.大學好像是上半輩子的事了。➤a lifetime's experience, a lifetime's work一輩子的經驗/工作➤a lifetime's worth of sth值一輩子的⋯◇The images are part of a lifetime's worth of photographs from Cohen's long career.那些圖像是科恩漫長攝影生涯中傾注畢生心血的作品的一部份。➤once in a lifetime一生一次◇That sort of thing happens only once in a lifetime.那種事一生只有一次。