| 释义 |
*earth /ɜθ; ɜːθ/
n
1 also 又作 the Earth [singular 单数] the PLANET that we live on 地球:
The space shuttle will return to earth next week. 太空穿梭机将于下周返回地球。
the planet Earth 行星地球
the most beautiful place on earth 地球上最漂亮的地方
→ compare 比较 WORLD¹
2 [U] the substance that plants, trees etc grow in; soil 土，土壤:
footprints in the wet earth 湿土里的脚印
3 what/why/how etc on earth...? spoken used to ask a question about something that you are very surprised or annoyed about 【口】 究竟是什么/为什么/怎样…？等〔用以询问令人惊讶或厌烦的事〕:
What on earth made you say such a stupid thing? 到底是什么原因让你说出这么愚蠢的话来？
4 cost/pay/charge the earth informal to cost, pay etc a very large amount of money 【非正式】 花费/支付/收取一大笔钱:
That holiday must have cost the earth! 那次度假一定是贵得吓人！
5 come down to earth (with a bump) to realize that life has returned to normal and that there are problems you must deal with 回到现实，丢弃幻想
6 [C usually singular 一般用单数] BrE a wire that makes electrical equipment safe by connecting it to the ground 【英】 地线; GROUND AmE 【美】
USAGE NOTE 用法说明: earth, world and 和 land
The earth is the planet we live on. earth（地球）就是我们生活的这个星球:
The earth moves around the sun every 365 days. 地球每 365 天绕太阳运行一周。
The world is the earth and all its people, countries etc. world（世界）则包括地球及其所有的人、国家等:
It's one of the largest countries in the world. 它是世界上最大的国家之一。
You can also use earth to mean 'the world'. 也可以用 earth 指“世界”:
It's the highest mountain on earth. 它是世界上最高的山。
When you compare the earth's surface to the sea, use land. 如将地球的表面与海洋作比较，要用 land（陆地）:
After weeks at sea, the sailors saw land. 水手们在海上航行了数周以后看到了陆地。
When you compare it to the sky, use earth. 如将它与天空作对比，使用 earth（地球，大地）:
The spacecraft returned to earth safely. 太空船安全地返回了地球。 |