dif·fe·rence /ˈdɪfərəns/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1 [countableC, uncountableU]DIFFERENT a way in which two or more people or things are not like each other 差别,差异 OPP similaritydifference between There’s a big difference between knowing that something is true, and being able to prove it. 知道什么正确与能够证明它正确,这之间有很大的不同。
There is very little difference between the parties on green issues. 各党派在环保问题上分歧很少。
Do children know the difference between right and wrong? 儿童知道对和错的区别吗?
difference in Researchers found a number of important differences in the way boys and girls learn. 研究人员发现男孩和女孩的学习方法有一些重大差异。
5There's a world of difference (= there’s a very big difference ) between us.我们之间有着天壤之别。
n There’s a world of difference (=there’s a very big difference) between being alone and being lonely.
2 [singular, uncountableU]DIFFERENT the amount by which one thing is greater or smaller than another 〔数量上的〕差别,差异difference in age/size etc There’s not much difference in price. 价格上没有多少差别。
There’s a five-hour time difference between London and New York. 伦敦与纽约有五小时的时差。
→ split the difference at split1(9) 3 make a/the difference EFFECT/INFLUENCEto have an important effect or influence on something or someone 有作用,有影响 Whatever she did, it made no difference. 不管她做什么都没有用。
make a/the difference to One more person wouldn’t make any difference to the arrangements. 多一个人对安排不会有影响。
make a/the difference between It could make the difference between missing your train and getting to work on time. 这可能关系到你是赶不上火车,还是能够准时上班。
Having a good teacher has made all the difference for Alex (=had an important influence). 有个好老师对亚历克斯来说影响很大。
made all the difference• And that has made all the difference in the world.• It was that connection and that relationship, claims Morris, which has made all the difference in his life.• A few ricochets have made all the difference.• Outside, in the A-frame jungle, it made all the difference in the world.• Pot-growing and planting in good soil near sea level made all the difference.• That one play made all the difference.• With these and other examples, promotion probably made all the difference.• He was a Swaledale man who arrived in 1910 and that made all the difference. 4 it makes no difference to somebody used to say that it does not matter to someone which thing happens, is chosen etc 对某人来说没有关系,对某人而言没什么差别 Morning or afternoon. It makes no difference to me. 上午或下午都行,我无所谓。
it makes no difference to somebody• But it makes no difference to Spiderglass what you call yourself.• That does not mean it makes no difference to social welfare which rules we settle upon. 5 our/your/their differences ARGUEdisagreements 我们的/你们的/他们的分歧[不和] We’ve had our differences in the past. 过去我们也有过分歧。
settle/resolve your differences (=agree not to argue anymore) 解决你们之间的分歧
settle/resolve your differences• When the two kings had resolved their differences, Dynamius sided firmly with Childebert.• What happens after the packs have settled their differences will decide the issue.• Having settled her differences, she gave my hand a tentative lick.• The warring sides finally came face-to-face at a meeting designed to help them settle their differences.• But Lissovsky's biggest problem is to persuade the gangsters who frequent the club to settle their differences elsewhere.• We have to settle our differences and come together as one.• The pope as the premier bishop was there to settle their differences and to support and encourage.• It is that they are not talking because they see no way to settle their differences. 6 difference of opinion DISAGREEa slight disagreement 轻微的意见分歧 There have been some differences of opinion as to exactly how the money should be spent. 大家对这笔钱究竟该怎么花意见有些分歧。
7 with a difference informalGOOD/EXCELLENT used to describe something which is interesting or unusual, especially in a good way 不同寻常,非同一般 an adventure holiday with a difference 非同一般的历险度假
COLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + differencea big/major/huge difference 大的/主要的/巨大的差异I think you’ll notice a big difference. 我想你会注意到一个很大的区别。
an important/significant/crucial difference 重要的/显著的/关键的差异A study of the two groups of students showed a significant difference. 对两组学生进行的研究表明了一个显著的差异。
a slight/small/minor difference 微小的/小的/较小的差异There’s only a slight difference between the male and the female bird. 雄鸟和雌鸟只有微小的区别。
a marked/dramatic difference (=very noticeable) 显著的差异There was a marked difference between the two sets of results. 两组结果存在显著差异。
a subtle difference (=not obvious) 细微的差异nThere’s a subtle difference in flavour between these coffees.
an essential/fundamental difference (=a very basic one) 根本的区别nThe fundamental differences between the two sides slowly emerged.
cultural/political/regional etc differences 文化/政治/区域等差异nthe major cultural differences between the west and the east
class differences (=between different classes of society) 阶级差异nPeople’s answers to the questions showed clear class differences.
sex/gender differences (=between men and women) 性别差异ngender differences in levels of criminality
individual differences (=between one person and another) 个体差异nWe respect the children’s individual differences.
verbsshow a difference 显示差异Our data showed considerable national differences. 我们的数据反映出很大的国家差异。
know the difference (=know how two things are different) 知道区别If you don’t know the difference between two words, your dictionary can help. 如果你不知道两个单词的区别,词典可以帮助你。
can tell/see the difference (=can recognize how two things are different) 看得出差异I can’t really see the difference between these two colours. 我真的看不出这两种颜色的差别。
notice a difference 注意到区别nShe has noticed a dramatic difference in her energy levels.
spot the difference (=see the difference) 看到区别nIt’s easy to spot the difference between real and imitation leather.
n THESAURUSdifference a detail, fact, or quality that makes one person or thing different from anotherWe should think about the similarities between cultures, not the differences.
| difference betweenTry and spot the differences between these two pictures.
The difference between the two cheeses is that one is made from goat’s milk.
| difference inI don’t think there’s any difference in the way you pronounce these two words.
| know the differenceHe’s speaking Italian, not Spanish. Don’t you know the difference?
contrast a very clear difference that you can easily see when you compare two things or people: contrast between something/somebody and something/somebodyWhat surprised me was the contrast between Picasso’s early style and his later work.
gap a big difference between two amounts, two ages, or two groups of people: gap betweenThere’s a ten-year gap between Kay’s two children.
The gap between rich and poor is wider in the South than in the rest of the country.
| age/gender/income etc gapThe age gap between us didn’t seem to matter until we decided to have children.
gulf a very big difference and lack of understanding between two groups of people, especially in their beliefs, opinions, and way of life: gulf between somebody and somebodyMore riots led to a growing gulf between the police and the communities in which they worked.
| bridge/cross the gulf (=improve understanding and communication)The central problem was how to bridge the gulf between the warring factions of the party.
disparity formal a big difference between two groups of people or things – use this especially when you think the difference is unfair or may cause problems: disparity betweenIt is not easy to explain the disparity that still exists between the salaries of men and women.
| disparity inthe disparity in wealth between the highest and the lowest employees
| the economic/income etc disparityThe economic disparity between the area’s black and white citizens is a serious problem.