thresh·old /ˈθreʃhəʊld, -ʃəʊld $ -oʊld/ ●○○ noun [countableC] 1 DHHthe entrance to a room or building, or the area of floor or ground at the entrance 门口,门槛 She opened the door and stepped across the threshold. 她打开门,跨过门槛。
2 LIMITthe level at which something starts to happen or have an effect 〔某事开始发生或产生效果的〕起始点 Eighty percent of the vote was the threshold for approval of the plan. 80%的票数是这个计划能够获得批准的“门槛”。
a high/low pain/boredom etc threshold (=the ability or inability to suffer a lot of pain or boredom before you react to it) 很高/低的忍痛力/耐乏味能力等
3 BEGINNINGat the beginning of a new and important event or development 在〔重要事件〕的开端 SYN brinkbe on the threshold of something The creature is on the threshold of extinction. 这种生物已濒临灭绝。
n COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: the level at which something starts to happen or have an effectADJECTIVES/NOUN + thresholdsomebody’s pain threshold (=your ability or inability to deal with pain)‘Will it hurt?’ ‘That all depends on your pain threshold.’
somebody’s boredom threshold (=whether you do or do not get bored easily)She loves challenges and admits she has a low boredom threshold.
a tax thresholdThe Conservatives promised to help the lower paid by increasing the tax threshold.
a high thresholdProfessional football players have a pretty high pain threshold.
a low thresholdI know that young children have very low boredom threshold.
verbsexceed a thresholdThe value of many family homes far exceeds the inheritance tax threshold.
lower a thresholdthe demand to lower the retirement threshold to 60
raise a thresholdThey should raise the threshold to at least £245 a week.
cross the thresholdSuch a person has sufficiently crossed the threshold of criminality to justify punishment.