They had a short conversation in German and seemed to be disagreeing about something.
他们用德语说了一会儿,好像对什么事有分歧。
It’s impossible to carry on a conversation with all this noise in the background.
在这么喧闹的环境中进行谈话是不可能的。
‘Did you have a good journey?’ he said, trying to make conversation.
“你旅途愉快吗?”他问道,试图找话谈。
He was silent, no matter how hard Sofia tried to engage him in conversation.
无论索菲娅怎么引他说话,他就是一声不吭。
After a while, the conversation turned to a friend’s coming wedding.
过了一会儿,话题就转到一个朋友即将举行的婚礼上去了。
They were deep in conversation, relaxed and smiling.
他们谈得很投入,很放松,脸上带着微笑。
He could hear snatches of conversation from across the room.
他从房间对面听得到零星的对话。
nTHESAURUS
conversation noun [countableC, uncountableU] an informal talk in which people exchange news, feelings, and thoughts
I was having a conversation with a friend the other day.
Conversation wasn’t easy because of all the noise.
He overheard our conversation about the children.
discussion noun [countableC, uncountableU] a conversation about something important
There was a lot of discussion about where the money was going to come from.
The two companies have been having discussions about a possible takeover.
talk noun [countableC] a long conversation, especially about a problem or about what you plan to do
We had a long talk about our relationship.
chat noun [countableC] especially British EnglishBrE an informal friendly conversation
I’ve just had a chat with Vinnie.
natter noun [singular]British EnglishBrE informal a conversation with a friend about unimportant things
Mary and Jean were having a cup of tea and a natter.
gossip noun [singular, uncountableU] conversations in which people talk about things they have heard, especially about other people’s private lives, which may well not be true
She always enjoyed going to friends’ houses and having a gossip.
It’s all just gossip.
small talk noun [uncountableU]polite friendly conversation about unimportant subjects, especially when you do not know someone very well and feel a little nervous
We stood around making small talk about the weather.
banter noun [uncountableU] friendly conversation in which people joke with each other and gently make fun of each other
She enjoyed the friendly banter with her colleagues at the office.
snatches of conversation• Among snatches of conversation, both of us remember his referring to the underground as being rather like hell.• He could hear snatches of conversation from across the room.• I melted into the wall and listened to snatches of conversation.• I turn the volumelow, to stop picking up snatches of conversation from next door.
Originconversation
(1300-1400)Old FrenchLatinconversatio, from conversari; → CONVERSE1
ADJECTIVE | ... OF CONVERSATION | VERB + CONVERSATION | CONVERSATION + VERB | PREPOSITION | PHRASESADJECTIVE➤brief, short簡短的交談▸➤lengthy, long冗長的交談;長談◇We engaged in a long conversation.我們進行了一次長談。➤endless, pointless無休止的/無意義的對話◇We had to listen to endless conversations about high prices and food shortages.我們不得不聽那些關於高物價和食品短缺的無休無止的談話。➤everyday, general, normal, ordinary日常的/一般的/常規的/普通的談話➤casual, idle, informal閒談◇It's not a subject that often crops up in casual conversation.這不是閒談中常常會冒出來的那種話題。➤intimate, personal, private親密的/私人的/私下的談話▸➤face-to-face, one-on-one (NAmE) 面對面的/一對一的談話◇The two of you need to have a face-to-face conversation.你們兩個人需要面對面地談一談。➤one-sided, two-way只一方開口的談話;雙向的交談◇Think of prayer as a two-way conversation.把祈禱想成一種雙向的交談。➤phone, telephone電話交談▸➤overheard, recorded, taped無意中聽到的談話;被錄音的談話▸➤civilized, polite文明的/禮貌的交談◇We sat making polite conversation and feeling rather uncomfortable.我們彬彬有禮地坐着交談,感到有點兒不舒服。➤friendly, pleasant友善的/愉快的談話▸➤animated, lively熱烈的談話➤heated激烈的談話▸➤fascinating, good, intelligent, interesting, stimulating愉快的交談;機智的交談;有意思的談話;鼓舞人心的談話◇He said that television had been the death of good conversation.他說電視已取代了人與人之間愉快的交談。➤candid, honest坦誠的/誠懇的交談▸➤deep, in-depth, meaningful, proper, real, serious深入的/深刻的/有意義的/像樣的/認真的/嚴肅的談話◇There was no time for a proper conversation.沒有時間進行一次像樣的交談。➤simple簡單的交談◇When you are struggling with an unfamiliar language, the simplest conversations can be misinterpreted.如果不熟悉一種語言,最簡單的談話都可能被誤解。➤strange奇怪的談話▸➤chance偶然的交談◇A chance conversation led to a brilliant new career for the young student.一次偶然的談話讓這位年輕的學生進入了一個前景光明的新職業。➤awkward, desultory, halting, stilted尷尬的/不着邊際的/斷斷續續的/不自然的談話◇We carried on a rather awkward conversation.我們尷尬地進行了交談。➤hushed, murmured, quiet, whispered輕聲交談;低聲交談➤ongoing (especially NAmE) 繼續進行的交談◇There is an ongoing conversation in society about how we raise our children.社會上關於如何撫養孩子的討論還在繼續。➤imaginary想像的談話▸➤after-dinner, dinner餐後的/餐桌上的談話▸➤adult成年人的談話◇Young children become quickly bored by adult conversation.小孩子對大人的談話很快就會厭倦。➤water-cooler (NAmE) 同事間的閒聊◇The book became an instant best-seller and topic of water-cooler conversation (= a popular subject for discussion, for example between people who work together).這本書一出版就十分暢銷,成為人們工作之餘談論的熱門話題。... OF CONVERSATION➤snatch談話片段◇I overheard snatches of a conversation between two doctors.我無意中聽到兩位醫生之間的零星談話。VERB + CONVERSATION➤carry on, have, hold, make進行談話◇You can't hold a private conversation there.那裏無法進行私人談話。◇I tried to make conversation with the three people around the table.我嘗試和桌子旁 3 個沉默的人交談。➤begin, initiate, open, spark, start, strike up開始談話;首先開口交談;開啟對話;交談起來◇He was waiting for her to open the conversation.他在等她先開口說話。➤draw sb into, engage sb in使某人參與談話◇When I tried to engage him in conversation, she always interrupted.我試圖讓他參與談話的時候,她總是打岔。➤fall into, get into開始交談◇I got into conversation with one of the directors. (BrE) 我和其中一位主管交談起來。◇I got into a conversation with Chris about UFOs. (NAmE) 我和克里斯談起了不明飛行物。➤be deep in, be engaged in談得起勁;在談話中◇They were deep in conversation and didn't notice the time.他們談得很起勁,沒有注意到時間。➤continue, keep up繼續交談◇Cara kept up a one-sided conversation.談話時,卡拉只顧着一個人說個不停。➤control, dominate控制/支配談話▸➤bring around, bring round, steer, turn轉移話題;改變話題◇I managed to bring the conversation around to why they were leaving.我設法將談話轉到了他們為什麼離開這個問題上。◇He tried to steer the conversation away from the topic of money.談話中他盡力避開錢這個話題。◇She turned the conversation to her work.她把話題轉到了她的工作上。➤enter, join, join in加入談話▸➤break off中斷談話▸➤conclude, end, finish結束談話▸➤avoid避免交談◇She avoided conversation with the other passengers.她避免和其他乘客交談。➤encourage樂於交談◇I was courteous but didn't encourage conversation.我謙恭有禮,但是不願多與人交談。➤hear, listen to, overhear聽見/傾聽/無意中聽到談話➤record, tape給談話錄音◇Police taped the conversation.警方對談話進行了錄音。➤break into, interrupt插話;打斷談話▸➤resume恢復談話➤recall, remember回想/記得談話◇I recall a conversation in which he told me he would never leave Paris.我回想起他在一次談話中告訴我他永遠不會離開巴黎。CONVERSATION + VERB➤occur, take place談話進行◇When did this conversation take place?這次談話是在什麼時候進行的?➤continue, proceed談話繼續◇The conversation proceeded in French.談話用法語進行。➤flow暢談◇They all relaxed and conversation flowed freely.他們都很放鬆,自由自在地暢談着。➤come around to sth, come round to sth, drift, move on (to sth), switch, turn to sth, veer back to sth, veer off sth談話轉到⋯;談話轉題;談話繼續(到⋯);話題轉變;話題又回到⋯上;話題偏離⋯◇The conversation drifted away from babies.話題不知不覺離開了嬰孩。◇The conversation moved on to other things.談話接着轉到了其他事情上。◇The conversation turned to football.談話轉到了足球上。➤revolve around談話圍繞着▸➤cease, end, stop談話結束◇All conversation ceased and everyone turned around.所有的談話都停了下來,大家都轉過身去。◇The conversation ended when the vacuum cleaner started up.真空吸塵器一開,談話就結束了。➤die, die away, die down談話漸漸停下▸➤dry up, run dry (especially NAmE) 談話繼續不下去◇All too soon the stilted conversation ran dry.這次談話本來就有點兒不自然,很快就沒什麼可說的了。PREPOSITION➤during conversation在談話中◇In the Western world it is polite to maintain eye contact during conversation.在西方國家,交談時保持目光接觸是禮貌的行為。➤in conversation with在和⋯談話◇In tonight's show we hear Chris Toole in conversation with the artist Mary Withers.在今晚的節目中,我們將聽到克里斯・圖爾博士和藝術家瑪麗・威瑟斯的談話。➤conversation about關於⋯的談話◇We had a long conversation about old cars.我們圍繞舊汽車談了很久。➤conversation between⋯之間的談話◇a conversation between Jane and her parents簡和父母的談話➤conversation on關於⋯的談話◇a conversation on the topic of activities for children以兒童活動為主題的談話➤conversation with和⋯的談話◇I had an interesting conversation with Dick Wortley.我和迪克・沃特利進行了一次很有意思的交談。PHRASES➤an attempt at conversation嘗試交談◇She ignored all my attempts at conversation.我每次嘗試和她談一談,她都不理睬。➤be in... conversation (with sb)(和某人)⋯地交談◇Don was in close conversation with the girl on his right.唐正和他右邊的女孩親切交談。➤a buzz of conversation, a hum of conversation談話的嗡嗡聲◇She could hear him over the buzz of conversation and laughter.一片嗡嗡的談笑聲中,她能聽到他的聲音。➤during the course of (the) conversation在談話的過程中◇During the course of conversation, it emerged that Sheila had lived in Nigeria.從談話中得知,希拉在尼日利亞生活過。➤keep the conversation going使談話繼續下去◇Our hostess did her best to keep the conversation going.我們的女主人盡了最大努力使談話繼續下去。➤a lull in the conversation談話中的沉寂➤a topic of conversation話題◇The main topic of conversation was the war.話題主要是這場戰爭。