joke n. 1.笑话,戏谑,诙谐。 2.笑柄,笑料。 3.容易的事,易如反掌的事。 4.不足取的东西;无实质性价值的东西;空话。 A joke never gains an enemy but often loses a friend. 〔谚语〕戏谑永远不能化敌为友,反而常常失去朋友。 carry [push] the joke too far 玩笑开得太过分了。 It is all a joke. 这完全是笑话。 It is no joke. 可不是开玩笑的事。 for a joke 当作笑话,开玩笑。 say sth. in a joke是开玩笑说的。 be [become] the standing joke of the company 成了朋友间的笑柄。 That test was a joke. 那个测验太容易了。 turn everything into a joke 把任何事情都当儿戏。 a practical joke恶作剧。 be but a joke只不过开开玩笑,完全是句空话。 crack [cut, make] a joke 说笑话。 have one's joke开玩笑。 joking apart [aside] 〔口语〕且别开玩笑;言归正传。 make a joke about sb. [sth.] 拿某人[某事]开玩笑。 play a joke on sb. 取笑某人,欺骗某人。 put the joke on sb. 〔美国〕开某人玩笑。 The joke is on him. 玩笑开在他身上了,结果他当了傻瓜。 vi. 说笑话;开玩笑。 Now you must be joking. 你是说笑罢。 vt. 1.和…开玩笑,取笑,愚弄。 2.以说笑话取得(赏赐等)。
rather adv. 1.〔与动词连用〕宁愿,宁可,毋宁。 2.稍微,有点;相当,颇;比较地说。 ★在形容词+名词的结构中带有不定冠词时, rather 通常可位于不定冠词之前,也可位于其后。 3.〔与 or 连用〕说得更恰当点,更确切地说。 4.相反地,反而,倒不如说…更好[更合理]。 5.〔与连词 than 配合〕(与其…)不如(好)。 6.〔用作表[述]语〕更应当,更应该,当然。 I would rather not go. 我宁可不去。 Which would you rather have, tea or coffee 你喜欢喝茶,还是喝咖啡呢? I'd rather he was married to somebody else. 我宁愿他同别的人结婚。 He's done rather well. 他做得相当好。 This one is rather too large. 这个稍微大一些。 That is rather an unusual question. (=a rather unusual question) 这是一个相当异常的问题。 He got home late last night, or rather early this morning. 他昨天半夜里,更确切地说,今天一清早才回到家。 He was no better, but rather grew worse. 他的病情未见好转,反而更恶化了。 It's not generosity, rather self-interest. 这不是慷慨,相反,这是自私。 He is honest rather than clever. 与其说他聪明,不如说他老实。 It is rather cold than not [otherwise]. (不管怎么说)天就是很冷。 I had rather go than stay to be insulted. 我宁可去,也不愿留着受辱。 He insisted on staying rather than go. 他坚持要留下来,而不愿意去。 It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us. 我们更应当在这里献身于摆在我们面前的伟大事业。 int. 怎么不,当然。 Have you been here before - R- ! 你以前到这儿来过吗? --当然来过。 had [would] rather ... than (与其…)不如。 rather than 而不。 rather too ...稍微…一点 ( This one is rather too large. 这个稍微大一点)。 the rather that [because] 尤其因为…(就更加)。