might1 /maɪt/ ●●● S1 W1 modal verb (negative short form mightn’t) → mite1 MAYBEpossibility 可能性 a) if something might happen or might be true, there is a possibility that it may happen or may be true, but you are not at all certain 也许,可能,大概 I might be a few minutes late. 我可能会晚到几分钟。
She might not want to come with us. 她可能不想和我们一起去。
He might have missed the train. 他可能没赶上火车。
This might well be her last public performance (=it is fairly likely). 这很可能是她最后一次公开演出了。
One of the guards might easily panic and shoot someone (=it is likely). 很可能有一个卫兵惊慌起来就朝人开枪了。
b) used as the past tense of ‘may’ when reporting that someone talked or thought about the possibility of something 可能,可以〔may的过去式〕 He might be able to help you. 他也许能帮你。
I thought they might have gone home. 我想他们可能已经回家了。
She was worried that we might get hurt. 她担心我们可能会受到伤害。
c) used to say that something was a possibility in the past but did not actually happen 〔表示过去可能会发生但实际没有发生〕 It was terrifying. We might have been killed. 好可怕,我们差点没命了。
2 ADVISEsuggesting 建议 used to suggest politely what someone should do 可以〔用于礼貌地提出建议〕 If you need more information, you might try the Internet. 如果你需要更多的信息,可以试试因特网。
I thought we might go to the new Chinese restaurant on the High Street. 我想我们可以到大街上新开的那家中国餐馆去。
It might be a good idea to put those plants in the shade. 把那些植物放在阴凉处也许是个好主意。
We’re going to a concert. You might like to come with us. 我们要去听音乐会,你也许想和我们一起去吧。
3 asking permission 请求允许 a) spoken especially British EnglishBrE used to politely ask for permission to do something 可以〔用于礼貌地请求允许做某事〕 Might I borrow your pen? 我能借用你的钢笔吗?
I wonder if I might speak to your son. 我想知道我是否可以和你的儿子谈谈。
b) used when reporting that someone asked for permission to do something 可以〔用于转述某人的请求〕 He asked if he might come in and look around. 他问他是否可以进来看看。
4 CANSB should have done STH 某人本该做某事 used when you are annoyed because someone has not done something that you think they should do 应该,本该〔表示说话人因某人还没做某事而不满〕 You might at least say thank you. 你至少应该说声谢谢。
They might have cleaned up before they left. 他们本该打扫干净再走的。
5 past purpose 过去的目的 used after ‘so that’ or ‘in order that’ to say that someone did something in order to make something else happen or be possible 〔用于so that或in order that之后,指某人做某事而使另一件事发生或成为可能〕 I asked for names and addresses so that I might pass on details to the police. 我问了姓名和地址以便把详情报告给警察。
6 might I say/ask/add etc spoken especially British EnglishBrE used to politely give more information, ask a question, interrupt etc 我可否说/问/补充等〔用于礼貌地提供更多信息、提问、插话等〕 Might I ask how old you are? 我能问一下你多大岁数吗?
Might I just say how lovely it is to see everyone here today. 我想说,今天看到大家都在这里真高兴。
might I say/ask/add etc• And what happened to yours, might I ask?
7 I might say/add spoken used to emphasize what you are saying 我要说的是〔用于强调所说的话〕 I was, I might say, not surprised. 我要说的是,我并不觉得惊讶。
I might say/add• Hair: grey and losing it, I might add.• None of which has been answered yet, I might add.• Very expensive method too I might add.• Yes, they have decided to reinstate you, over my violent objections, I might add.• Likewise. I might add a little oregano, garlic, onions, salt, and butter once in a while.• In passing, I might say how extraordinarily lucky I am to have them here with me.• And battling it gracefully, I might add, wielding his mighty pen like a sword. 8 I might have known/guessed etc spokenEXPECT used to say that you are not surprised at a situation 我就知道/猜到等〔表示对某种情况不感到吃惊〕 I might have known it was you! 我就知道是你!
I might have guessed I’d get no sympathy from my family. 我就猜到我家人是不会同情我的。
I might have known/guessed etc• Dear little Papa, as I might have known!• If you'd had a big fat bottom I might have guessed.• It was nothing I might have guessed.• Some years before, I might have guessed Bond's enigmatic presence in the scene.• All those years I might have known her!• Ooh! I might have known it!• Of course, I might have known that you'd have some clever way of dealing with everything, though.• Although I might have known you'd arrive just as drinks were being ordered! 9 might (just) as well a) SUGGESTused to suggest that someone should do something, because there is no good reason to do anything else 最好还是…,还是…为好,倒不如… I suppose we might as well go home. 我想我们还是回家为好。
b) used to say that the effect of an action or situation is the same as if it was another one 还不如,倒不如〔用于表示某个行为或情况与另一个效果相同〕 They might as well have a badge on them saying ‘Steal me’. 他们倒不如别上一枚徽章,写上“把我偷去吧”。
He might as well have been a million miles away. 他倒不如在千里之外。
might (just) as well• D.W. had come in over ocean and flown low as a drug smuggler over what might as well be called treetops.• I thought I might just as well come down to the point.• He said we might as well go before his sister arrived, because once she came, it would be impossible.• You might as well go to a branch.• I might as well have been a convert, a Gentile.• He might as well have gotten down on his hands and knees and begged for it.• And if you have to plough the field anyway, you might as well plant it at the same time.• But what is unavoidable may still be undesirable, and one might as well say so. 10 BUTalthough 虽然 used to say that even though something is perhaps true, something different or opposite is also true 虽然,也许〔表示尽管某事或许是事实,但与其不同或相反的事也是事实〕 He might be nearly seventeen but he’s still very immature. 他虽然快17岁了,但还很不成熟。
Surprising as it might seem, some tourists actually enjoy the British weather. 虽然听上去奇怪,但有些游客竟然喜欢英国的天气。
Although she might understand his beliefs, she could not accept them. 虽然她可能理解他的信仰,但她接受不了。
Try as I might (=although I tried hard), I couldn’t work out the answer. 虽然我很努力,但我仍然解不出答案。
11 ASK A QUESTIONformal question 正式的问题 used to ask a question in a formal and rather unfriendly way 〔用于正式、不友好的询问〕 And who might you be, young man? 你又是谁呢,年轻人?
12 might well used to say that there is a good reason for a reaction, question, or feeling 有充分理由,足以 ‘What do they hope to achieve?’ ‘You might well ask.’ “他们希望达到什么目标呢?”“问得好。”
a system of which we in Britain might well be envious 足以让我们英国人羡慕的一种制度
This caused a few gasps, as well it might. 这件事确实让不少人感到吃惊。