1strong feelings/thoughts 强烈的感情/思想 [countableC, uncountableU]EXPRESS something you say, write, or do that shows what you think or feel 〔用口头、书面或行动的〕表达,表示,表露
expression of
I decided to go to the meeting as an expression of support.
我决定去参加会议以示支持。
expression of sympathy/thanks/regret etc
The letter was a genuine expression of sympathy.
信中真诚地表达了同情。
Student leaders are demanding greater freedom of expression (=the right to say what you think without being punished).
学生领袖要求得到更多的言论自由。
give (political/religious/artistic) expression to something
The Socialist Party was founded to give political expression to the working classes.
社会党的创立是为了表达工人阶级的政治意愿。
Another writer who seeks to give expression to popular oral culture is José María Arguedas.
另一位寻求展现大众口头文化的作家是何塞·马里亚·阿格达斯。
2on SB’s face 在某人脸上 [countableC, uncountableU]EXPRESSION ON somebody'S FACE a look on someone’s face that shows what they are thinking or feeling 表情;神色
expression of
an expression of surprise
惊讶的表情
There was a blank expression on her face (=no expression on her face).
她脸上毫无表情。
In the photograph he seemed devoid of facial expression (=having no expression on his face).
在那张照片上,他看上去面无表情。
A pained (=worried) expression crossed her face.
她脸上露出担心的神色。
3word/phrase 单词/短语 [countableC]SLWORD, PHRASE, OR SENTENCE a word or group of words with a particular meaning 词;词组;措辞
The old-fashioned expression ‘in the family way’ means ‘pregnant’.
过时的词组 in the family way 的意思是“怀孕的”。
pardon/forgive/excuse the expression (=used when you think you may offend someone by using particular words) 原谅出言冒犯
After the climb we were absolutely knackered, if you’ll pardon the expression.
grimace an expression you make by twisting your face because you do not like something or because you are feeling pain
His face twisted into a grimace of anguish.
sneer an expression that shows you have no respect for something or someone
‘That’s what you said last time, ’ she said with a sneer.
smirk an expression in which you smile in an unpleasant way that shows you are pleased by someone else’s bad luck or that you think you are better than other people
He had a self-satisfied smirk on his face.
pout an expression in which you push out your lowerlip because you are unhappy that you did not get what you want
‘You’re going away?’ she said with a pout.
nCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: a look on someone’s face that shows what they are thinking or feeling
adjectives
somebody’s facial expression
Victor’s facial expression never changed.
a blank/vacant expression (=one that shows no emotion, understanding, or interest)
The blank expression on Bobbie’s face gave way to anger.
an anxious/troubled/worried expression
She stood looking at me with an anxious expression.
a pained expression (=one that shows you are in pain or feeling upset)
A pained expression crossed Rory’s face when he saw them together.
a surprised/shocked expression
He didn’t need to speak – his shocked expression said it all.
a puzzled/baffled/bewildered expression (=one that shows you are confused or cannot understand something)
I can still recall Dan’s baffled expression when I asked him for an answer.
a grim/stern expression (=one that shows you are very strict or angry)
Aunty Kitty looked at us with a stern expression and ordered us indoors.
an angry/furious expression
Her angry expression turned to one of utter despair.
a serious expression (=one that shows you are not joking)
I saw the serious expression on his little face and tried not to laugh.
a thoughtful expression (=one that shows you are thinking about something)
She listened to him with a thoughtful expression on her face.
an innocent expression
‘It was so late, ’ she continued with an innocent expression, ‘I had to stay the night.’
a dazed expression (=one that shows you are unable to think clearly, especially because of a shock or accident)
His clothes were torn and there was a dazed expression on his face.
a glazed expression (=one that shows you are not concentrating on the things around you)
From her glazed expression, he knew she had been taking drugs.
a smug expression (=one that shows too much satisfaction with your own cleverness or success)
Peter was wearing an unbearably smug expression and waving the tickets in front of me.
a bland expression (=one that does not show any emotion)
She searched his face for answers, but his bland expression gave nothing away.
verbs
have an expression
His face had a puzzled expression.
wear an expression
Their pilot wore an expression of extreme relief.
change your expression
The child did not once cry or change her expression.
watch somebody’s expression
‘Does it really matter?’ Elizabeth asked, watching his expression closely.
see somebody’s expression
I would have liked to see his expression when she told him.
read somebody’s expression (=understand how someone is feeling by looking at their expression)
In the half light, Ellen could not read his expression.
phrases
have an expression on your face
He had a very serious expression on his face.
the expression on somebody’s face
I could tell by the expression on her face that she was angry.
a lack of expression
I was surprised at the lack of expression on his face.
be devoid of expression formal (=have no expression on your face)
His face was totally devoid of expression, but I could sense his anger.
an expression of surprise (=one showing that you are surprised)
He looked at me with an expression of surprise.
nCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 3: a word or group of words with a particular meaning
adjectives
a common expression
'Pig out' is a common expression meaning 'to eat a lot'.
an old-fashioned/outdated expression
The old-fashioned expression 'in the family way' means to be pregnant.
an idiomatic expression (=an idiom )
Try to avoid using idiomatic expressions in an essay.
a figurative expression (=one in which words are not used with their literal meaning)
Many figurative expressions equate anger with heat.
a coarse/vulgar expression (=one that is rude)
He came out with some vulgar expressions that I couldn’t possibly repeat.
an American/English etc expression
She remembered the American expression her mother had always used: 'Life’s a breeze'.
phrases
pardon/forgive the expression (=used when you have said a word or phrase that might offend someone)
After the climb, we were absolutely knackered, if you’ll pardon the expression.
nCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 4: when you put feeling or emotion into the music that you are making or into your acting
phrases
a means of expression
Art is not just a means of expression, it is also a means of communication.
a form of expression
Music and painting are two completely different forms of expression.
adjectives
poetic/literary expression (=expressing something as poetry or in literature)
The subject does not easily lend itself to poetic expression.
musical expression (=expressing something through music)
Charlie Parker took jazz to a new level of musical expression.
artistic expression (=expressing something through art)
He firmly believes there are not enough outlets for artistic expression in our society.
creative expression (=expressing something in a creative way, for example in music or art)
They work with the children to encourage creative expression.
Examples from the Corpus
expression• x² + 4 is an algebraic expression.• The director was a small, pink-cheeked man with bottle-shaped shoulders and an expression of misleading blankness.• Fighting against threats to young children's rights to early childhoodopportunities could be seen as an expression of legitimatecollectiveresponsibility.• It must be done in a context that makes it worth while or it is just an expression of talent or ego.• Wearing an expression of utterboredom, Harry turned back to his book.• "I'm not eating it, " Maria said, with an expression of disgust on her face.• Each of the statues has a different facialexpression.• Whereupon, and still looking up at Papa, I felt my facial expression beginning to change.• Knight was a quiet man whose favoriteexpression was "shucks."• "It'll be alright in the end' -- that was my mother's favouriteexpression.• Her expressionindicated that the call was urgent.• He was looking down, his expressionshuttered.• His expression became serious as he listened to her story.• Try to put a little more expression into the slowpassage.• The language makes available different types of expressions to do different types of jobs in connecting words to the world.• He said he didn't care -- well actually he used a rudeexpression that I can't repeat!• 'Shadow-boxing'? I've never heard that expression before!• I don't normally use that expression myself, but I've heard other people use it sometimes.• You use the expression "break a leg" to wish an actor good luck.• The expression on her face told me that she didn't want to discuss it.
blank expression on ... face• That last night, when the returns started coming in, he had this blank expression on his face.
pardon/forgive/excuse the expression• She's kind of a bitch, if you'll pardon the expression.• I was, if you will pardon the expression, absolutely buggered.