com·pli·ment1 /ˈkɒmpləmənt $ ˈkɑːm-/ ●○○ noun → complement1 PRAISE[countableC] a remark that shows you admire someone or something 赞美的话,夸奖,称赞 All the guests paid her extravagant compliments. 所有客人都对她赞不绝口。
Being compared to Abba is a great compliment. 能和阿巴乐队相提并论是极大的赞誉。
compliment on compliments on her appearance 对她外貌的赞美
2 take something as a compliment to be pleased about what someone says about you, even though they may not mean to be nice 把别人的话当作是一种夸奖〔即使说话人本意并非如此〕 They all seem to think that I ask rather cheeky questions, which I’ll take as a compliment. 他们好像都觉得我问的问题很无礼,我权当这是在抬举我了。
take something as a compliment• He would only assume that she attached some importance to his opinion and take it as a compliment.• But Marcel would no doubt take that as a compliment.• After a bit she became used to being stared at, even taking it as a compliment.• I did not quite know what they meant but I took it as a compliment.• I take that as a compliment.• But when she heard such things, Privet took it as a compliment.• But the members of Greyhound Soul take it as a compliment, as it was meant to be taken.• I said he was a workaholic, and he seemed to take it as a compliment.• After all, these services are free and we take it as a compliment if you ask. 3 ADMIRE[singular] an action that shows you admire someone 恭维的行为,赞美 He paid MacLennan the finest compliment of all by imitating him. 他通过模仿麦克伦南表达对他最大的赞美。
compliment to It’s a great compliment to the band that he came out of retirement to interview them. 他退休后又复出来采访该乐队,这对他们而言是极高的赞赏。
4. fish for compliments to try to make someone say something nice about you 讨好话,求赞美 5 compliments PRAISE[plural] praise or good wishes 致意,赞美,祝贺 This soup is delicious; my compliments to the chef. 这汤太好喝了,请代我向厨师致意。
6 with the compliments of somebody/with our compliments TCM formal used by a person or company when they send or give something to you 请接受某人/我们的敬意 With the compliments of J. Smith & Son. 史密斯父子公司敬赠。
Please accept these tickets with our compliments. 赠票若干,敬请笑纳。
7. the compliments of the season old-fashioned used as a spoken or written greeting at Christmas and New Year 谨致节日祝贺〔圣诞和新年贺词〕 8 return the compliment to behave towards someone in the same way as they have behaved towards you 照样回敬,一报还一报 They didn’t take a lot of notice of me, and I returned the compliment. 他们对我爱理不理的,我也没给他们好脸色。
return the compliment• What else to do but return the compliment?• Hardin returned the compliment with a blaster specifically borrowed for the occasion.• As she pulled on a tan leather blouson, she eyed me warily, and I returned the compliment.• One year later, the Eastbourne Road school is returning the compliment.• If they failed to understand the settled peasants, the latter returned the compliment.• I have ventured into the use of your name several times but you have not returned the compliment.• Characteristically, Scargill is not returning the compliment and is not planning to co-operate with the alliance.• Cheltenham's Tory faithful welcomed the Lady and she returned the compliment. 9 back-handed compliment British EnglishBrE, left-handed compliment American EnglishINSULT something that someone says to you which is nice and not nice at the same time 暗含讥讽的恭维,亦夸亦损的话 ‘You’ve got a brain. Try using it.’ ‘Thanks for the back-handed compliment!’ “你脑袋很聪明,要用一用呀。”“谢谢啦,你这是明褒暗损啊!”
back-handed compliment• It's a back-handed compliment really, you know.
COLLOCATIONSverbspay/give somebody a compliment 夸奖某人He was always paying her compliments. 他总是在夸她。
mean something as a compliment 某话是夸奖的意思When I said she’d lost weight, I meant it as a compliment. 我说她瘦了是夸她。
get/receive a compliment 得到夸奖The exhibition has received a lot of compliments from the public. 这次展会备受公众好评。
accept a compliment (=show that you are pleased to have been given a compliment) 接受夸奖She accepted his compliment graciously. 她谦和地接受了他的赞美。
adjectivesa great compliment 极大的赞美He said he loved my paintings, which was a great compliment. 他说他非常喜欢我的画,这是极大的赞美。
the highest compliment (=the best thing you can say) 最高的赞誉The highest compliment you can pay an actor is to say they don’t look as if they are acting. 说演员不像是在演戏,这是对他们的最高赞誉。
nan unexpected complimentJohn blushed at the unexpected compliment.