indefinite

Word family

in·def·i·nite /ɪnˈdefənət/ AWL adjectiveadj

1 CONTINUOUSan indefinite action or period of time has no definite end arranged for it 〔行动或时间〕无限期的

The next day the union voted to begin an indefinite strike.

第二天工会投票表决决定开始无限期罢工。

The picture has been loaned for an indefinite period to the National Gallery.

那幅画长期出借给国家美术馆。

2 EXACTnot clear or exact 模糊不清的；不明确的 SYN vague

Teachers find the report’s terminology so indefinite that it is confusing.

老师们发现报告的专门用语含义不明确，令人费解。

Examples from the Corpus

indefinite• Our plans for traveling are deliberately indefinite.• You have one that would make it clearly indefinite and one that would make it clearly definite.• However, tenured teachers do not have a right either to a particular position in a school district or to indefinite employment.• Two somewhat indefinite entries under Letcombe Basset specify only Hampshire.• The deferral is indefinite if reinvestment is in non-depreciating assets such as freehold land and buildings.• Before leaving, the teacher had requested an indefinite leave of absence, but the school board had denied his request.• The refugees will be housed and fed here for an indefinite period.• To avoid a league suspension, Favre was prohibited from drinking beer for an indefinite period.• The unions are balloting 24,000 members in four companies next week on an indefinite strike.

in·def·i·nite adjectiveadj

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus