ultimatum

Word family

ul·ti·ma·tum /ˌʌltəˈmeɪtəm/ noun (plural ultimatums or ultimata /-tə/) [countableC]

THREATENa threat saying that if someone does not do what you want by a particular time, you will do something to punish them 最后通牒，哀的美敦书

The club gave him an ultimatum - either he apologized, or he would be expelled from the team.

俱乐部给他下了最后通牒——要么道歉，要么等着被开除出队。

The army issued an ultimatum for all weapons in the city to be surrendered by October 26th.

军队发出最后通牒，必须于 10 月 26 日交出该市的全部武器。

n COLLOCATIONS

verbs

give somebody an ultimatum

My boss gave me an ultimatum: get better results or find another job.

issue/deliver an ultimatum (=officially give someone an ultimatum)

The authorities issued an ultimatum to the students to end their protest or face arrest.

present somebody with an ultimatum

Iraq was presented with an ultimatum by the UN to cease the invasion of Kuwait.

receive an ultimatum

We received an ultimatum from the army demanding our surrender.

phrases

the terms of an ultimatum

The terms of the ultimatum required them to withdraw by noon.

Examples from the Corpus

ultimatum• It was not so much a letter, as an ultimatum.• He was given an ultimatum by Murphy to prove his fitness by Friday but went well in training on Monday.• The State Council gave the armed groups an ultimatum to lay down their arms by March 30 and to open transport routes.• She's ignored all my previous warnings about being late for work, so I've decided to give her an ultimatum.• This is an ultimatum that Steadman is ready to meet.• The hijackers have issued an ultimatum -- either the government releases the prisoners or the plane will be blown up.• The upshot of the visit was the withdrawal of the Berlin ultimatum in favour of a conference.• Morliere, anxious to avert an explosion, reassured Valluy that the ultimatum was unnecessary, since hostilities had stopped.• Fifteen blacks were called in and given this ultimatum.

Origin ultimatum

(1700-1800) Modern Latin Late Latin ultimatus; → ULTIMATE1

ul·ti·ma·tum noun →n COLLOCATIONS1

LDOCE Online

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus