常用英语词汇大盘点目录contents01 Ability/Skill 能力或技能02 Awkwardness/Unskillfulness 笨拙03 Strength 力量04 Weakness 虚弱(弱点)05 Beauty 美06 Ugly 丑陋07 Happy 快乐的08 Sad 悲伤的09 Humorous 幽默的10 Uninteresting 无趣的11 Uninterested 不感兴趣的12 Important 重要的13 Unimportant 不重要的14 Kind 亲切的15 Unkind 刻薄的16 Polite 有礼貌的17 Impolite 没礼貌的18 Generous 慷慨大方的19 Miserly 吝啬的,贪婪的20 Brave 勇敢的21 Cowardly 怯懦的22 Honest 诚实的,正直的23 Dishonest 不诚实的24 Love 爱01 Ability/Skill 能力或技能Formal Words List (正式场合用词)名词accomplishment—skill achieved by training or education 通过培训或教育获得的技能;成就;成绩adeptness—ability resulting from a combination of skill and training 由技能和培训相结合而产生的能力;熟练;内行adequacy—ability that is sufficient but no more than sufficient 足够的能力;足够;恰当aptitude—natural or native ability 才能;天资brilliance—great natural ability rather than that which comes from learning or experience 天赋(非后天习得或来自经验的才华或能力);才华横溢capability—potential ability 潜力;才能;本领competence—ability equal to the requirements of a job 足以胜任某项工作的能力;资格;胜任craft—special skill 特殊的技能;技巧;手艺dexterity—readiness and grace in physical activity; especially, skill and ease in using the hands (手或身体的)灵巧;娴熟;敏捷diplomacy—skill in dealing with people, managing human relationships, avoiding the arousal of hostile emotions, etc.(处理人际关系等的)手腕;圆滑faculty—physical ability; natural aptitude of any kind 才能;本领;技能;智能;(身体生来就有的)机能flair—natural ability in a special field, so that one does something in a uniquely successful way (天生的或特别的)才能;天赋;天资genius—unique or extraordinary natural ability 天才gift—natural ability of a very high order for some special work (用于某些特殊工作的高层次的)天赋;才能;天资initiative—active ability to start something new, begin a course of action, etc. (在创新或行动方面体现出的)主动性;进取心prudence—skill in management of on e’s affairs处理个人事务的技能;精明;精打细算;有头脑qualification—capability; competence 能力;资格;品质strategy—skill in execution or planning (执行或计划的)能力;策略;计谋talent—native, rather than acquired, ability; unusual ability and intelligence in a field 天赋(通常是在某一领域的能力和智慧);才干;才能technique—skill of expertness in the procedure, details, or performance of an art, science, etc. (科学、艺术等方面在过程、细节或表现方面展示的)专业技巧;技术;方法workmanship—ability, skill, or artistry of a worker in his work 工人在工作中体现的能力、技巧或艺术性;手艺;工艺;技巧Formal Expressions (正式场合表达)对话1.A: She has a certain aptitude for math. When she was a teenager, she was already taking college level math courses.B: I know! She really has made a lot of accomplishments in the field and her adeptness is amazing.A: I think she was born with the ability to solve math problems. I myself have toiled year in and year out just to achieve the minimum adequacy.B: Well, her brilliance in the field of math is rare. You shouldn’t compare yourself to her!2.A: Margaret’s flair for fashion design is a real talent.B: Her technique and workmanship are exquisite.A: Do you know what her qualifications are? Did she receive a degree from a university?B: Her competence comes from many years of hard work andlearning on the job.3.A: He is a genius when it comes to investing. He’s made a lot of money on the stock market.B: He does have a gift for picking the right stocks.A: My approach to investing has been one of prudence. I am very cautious and don’t speculate.B: I haven’t invested in the past but am making a new initiative to start this year.4.A: I have a new strategy for getting better grades in school this year.B: Oh really? What’s your technique?A: Simple. I realize I haven’t used all my capabilities to date. I am going to try harder.5.A: He has a real skill when it comes to diplomacy.B: Do you know what his technique is that makes him so skilled? A: It’s a natural gift. He just knows how to deal with people effectively.B: I have seen him network at social events and he does seem to have a certain flair for dealing with all types of people.6.A: Lorna has a special craft. She’s able to mold figures out of clay. B: She should go into business—you’ve got the money, she’s got the skill.7.A: My husband has absolutely no faculty whatsoever for manual work. He doesn’t know how to fix anything.B: It’s a good thing that you’ve got plenty of manual dexterity. You can make repairs to the house and he can do the housework.Business is the salt of life.Informal Words List (口语化用词)名词green thumb—The green thumb refers to someone that has a passion or knack for growing things or gardening. It is usedto describe someone in a good or complimentary way, i.e.,“That person has a real green thumb”. It is a positiveexpression and often utilized for those that enjoy workingwith nature.know-how—Know-how refers to the amount of information or skill one has about something. It is used in a positive sense todescribe someone’s strong level of knowledge. Forinstance, he has a lot of know-how about this subject. Theindividual in essence knows how to deal with, explain, etc.his subject of expertise.on the ball—This expression is a relatively positive one. It means that someone is busy, but in a good way, and generally theyhave a lot of different things going on, as opposed to onething. It is often used when someone is trying to say thatthey are busy, but keeping things in balance and wellmanaged. If you say “She is really on the ball,” that meansshe is very sharp to understand things, very quick to do herwork, and always on time.one’s thing—When we say “one’s thing” we are using it to refer to one’s passion, or one’s interest about a certain topic orsubject matter. For instance, we might be referring to afriend and say “his thing is fast cars”, which means he likesfast cars; they are his passion or specialty. One’s thing inlife can be big in scope or small, such as one’s thing in lifeis staying young at heart, or it can be something simple, likeone’s thing eating ice cream on a hot summer day.the formula—Usually when we use the word, the formula, this is not really a slang expression, but more to denote a methodor way of doing something, though it is not like a science ormathematical equation that is very complex. For instance,one sometimes says “The formula for success is having alot of determination, stamina and good luck.” Sometimes itcan also be used in place of saying the “secret”, like “Whatis your formula for staying slim?”the goods—This term can be used either to mean real goods, like “Have you got the goods tonight?” the stuff, the products. Itcan also be used to imply information. “Have you got thegoods on that girl?” Do you know what she is up to, whatshe is doing or what she is about? It is a strong slangexpression that is used more by working class or blue collarworkers.the right stuff—The right stuff is commonly used when referring to whether or not something is good enough. It is an adjective,and used in a positive framework. For instance, one cansay “Does he have the right stuff?”(Does the candidatehave what it takes to do the job well?) “Is that the right stuffthat you gave me?” (Is it appropriate for what I wanted?) up to the task—This is used when discussing whether or not someone or something is qualified or talented enough to do thejob at hand. Are they up to the task at hand? Can they do it?Can they complete it on time or in a quality way? It isneither negative no positive, as one can say “He wasn’t upto the task,” meaning he wasn’t good or strong enough, or“He was up to the task,” and he performed well.what it takes—This is usually used when we talk about doing a job or a task. It is a performance word. “Does the car have whatit takes to drive across the country?”“Does the singer havewhat it takes to compete internationally?”Again, it caneither be a negative or positive, you either do or don’t havewhat it takes to finish, complete or even start something. what one’s into—When we say “what one’s into,” this is referring to one’s interest, hobbies, or passion. It is a commonexpression that replaces “likes”or “is interested in”. Forinstance, Bob is really into skiing. Or, it doesn’t matter whatone’s into when one is a student, but when you are workingfull-time, this is important.动词be great at—This is a very positive term to imply that someone would be good at something that they do, or that they try.For instance, one would say “He would be great atmodeling, as he is such a handsome boy.” It is a term that isused to show confidence in someone’s abilities.be hot stuff at—This term can be used negatively or positively. It can be used as a compliment about someone’s behavior,such as “That person is going to be hot stuff at cooking,once he graduates from the program.” It can also be usedin a derogatory way to imply someone’s arrogance, such as“Does he think he is going to be hot stuff at cooking, whenhe has only taken one cooking course?”can a duck swim—This phrase is used as a short comeback when someone says something that is obvious to the listener. Forexample, “Are you good at driving?” and the listener wouldsay, “Can a duck swim?” Of course, I can do the thing thatyou are referring to. It is as obvious to me as the fact thatducks swim.cut the mustard—To cut the mustard is used when one is referring to whether or not someone or something is good enough orif they are at the standard of quality that is necessary for ajob or task. For instance, often a boss will say “I hope thatthat employee can cut the mustard around here, if not, I willhave to fire him.”Can they work at the quality that isexpected by the company or an employer?have it in one—To say “Does she have it in her” is implying “Does she have the ability, stamina to do something.” For example,“Does she have it in her to play ball after she just had thatknee operation?”Or, “Does one have it in one to dosomething potentially difficult or dangerous?”know one’s onions—This expression is not that commonly used, but means one has the information or knowledge about aparticular matter or subject. For instance, you can askabout someone, “Does that guy know his onions?”,implying “Does he know what to do in this situation?”or“Can he do what is being asked of him?”know one’s stuff—To know one’s stuff is similar to the above expression and means one knows something in terms ofinformation or skill, or one has the ability or knowledge todo something. For instance, she really knows her stuff forshe has an excellent background in nutrition and healthyliving. That individual can even be seen as an expert orsomeone that has a wide base of knowledge.know one’s way around—To know one’s way around implies that someone knows how to get around in a particular locationor place. We sometimes say “She really knows her wayaround the kitchen”, which means that she has an excellentunderstanding of how to cook and how to use all the itemsin a kitchen. Or, one can say “I really know my way aroundBeijing, it is my hometown and I know all the streets andsights.”know the ropes—To know the ropes is also referring to knowledge known, but it is more associated with knowledge of aparticular methodology or mode of action. Sometimes wesay “He really knows the ropes around here,” which meansthat that individual really knows what to do, how to behave,how to act in a certain environment.shine—To shine means that like an object that shines in the sun, an individual “shines”. He or she stands out among others,for his/her ability to do something or talent. It is commonlyused when referring to someone’s performance, forexample, “That girl really shined at practice yesterday,” shewas a lot better than she normally is.In doing we learn.Informal Expressions (口语化表达)对话1.A: I have had a hard time cutting the mustard at work. I feel like I just don’t have the right stuff.B: You know, I feel the exact opposite. I feel like I’ve got what it takes to succeed in my current job.A: Can you teach me how? I would really like to have the goods to perform well and succeed.B: Well, I can try to teach you, but you will really have to work on your own because they can’t be taught. Once you know your stuff, you’ll look like an expert, too!2.A: He is really on the ball! Did you see his report?B: Yeah, he’s got the know-how to do well.A: His report was finished one month before the due date. He’s definitely got what it takes to succeed.B: Yeah, he really shines in class. I think he is the teacher’s favorite student!3.A: I really want to get to know John, but I can never start a conversation. Do you know what he’s into?B: I think his thing is race cars. He is always talking about them.And, he knows his way around a race track.A: He does seem to know what it’s all about.B: I think racing is boring, but that’s his thing, not mine!4.A: You don’t have a green thumb, do you? Your plants are all dying.B: Well, tending to plants in not what I’m into.A: I’ve got the know-how when it comes to taking care of plants. B: Where do you get off making such a claim? I’ve seen your plants and they don’t look too healthy.5.A: Mark’s really on the ball when it comes to work.B: Yeah, he’s really go the goods. Since he’s been here for a long time, he knows the procedures.A: He sure does know the ropes around here.B: And, he knows all the tricks to get what he wants.6.A: Is Janine really up to the task of working and looking after a family?B: Don’t be so sexist! There are two in every relationship. What about Roger?7.A: I’m confident that I’ve got what it takes to become the next company CEO.B: So you think you’ve got the formula, Tom? I guess since you’ve finished your MBA and worked here for 10 years, you should know how to get there.8.A: Does Andy really have it in him to lead his basketball team out of this slump?B: Yes, I’m sure he can do it—he’s been leading this team through good times and bad for over twenty years.9.A: You had what it took to make it into the NBA, but do you have what it takes to stay there?B: I’ve got the goods, coach, and I’ll prove it. Just give me a chance!10.A: Does Terry know what he’s supposed to be doing down at the head office today?B: Of course—the guy knows his onions. He’s just getting up-to-date on all the latest industry news.11.A: We’ve brought Kyle in to work on the new notebook we’redeveloping. He really knows his stuff.B: Good to meet you, Kyle. The whole team is looking forward to working with you.12.A: I pride myself on being great at football.B: Oh, really? Everyone else thinks you pride yourself on stubbing your toe, falling over and missing open goals.13.A: Jeanie thinks she’s really hot stuff at samba dancing.B: Well, she did live in Brazil for five years, and used to go to all of the good dance bars.14.A: Are you up to a game this rough?B: Of course! Can a duck swim?A: Oh OK! I just don’t want you to get hurt.Less is more.02 Awkwardness/Unskillfulness笨拙Formal Words List (正式场合用词)形容词amateur—awkward in the sense of doing something poorly or unskillfully, like a beginner (因做事不老练而显笨拙,像个初学者)业余的;非职业的;不专业的awkward—unskillful; manually unskillful; clumsy (手脚)笨拙的;不灵巧的;不熟练的blundering—working, doing, acting, etc. in a clumsy, wrong, or stupid fashion; not professional (动作行为显得)笨拙,错误,可笑的;业余的,不专业的bungling—to work or act clumsily and awkwardly (工作上或行动上)笨拙的clumsy—lacking grace or skill in movement (手脚)笨拙的,样子不优雅的crass—rude 粗俗的,愚钝的floundering—going or moving clumsily 行动笨拙的;(站不稳时)挣扎的;肢体乱动的fumbling—awkwardly in one’s attempts to do or find something (笨拙地)摸索的;乱摸的;笨拙地做或处理的ham-handed—clumsy 笨拙的heavy-handed—clumsy 不灵活的;笨手本脚的;拙劣的helpless—weak; destitute of strength 无力的;无能的;不能自助的inartistic—showing no skill, talent, or inspiration 没有技巧的,缺乏才华的;非艺术的;缺乏艺术性的incapable—totally lacking in ability, or in any potential skill or ability 没有能力(或潜力)的;不称职的;不能胜任的incompetent—not possessed of the ability required for the task, work, etc. 不称职的;不胜任的slipshod—sloppy, shabby (describing job done carelessly) (形容工作不认真)马虎的;潦草的;草率的tactless—unable to do or say the proper thing; showing no skill in dealing with or getting along with people 态度生硬的;不得体的;不老练的;不圆滑的ungainly—physically awkward (describing people’s movements) (形容人的行动)不雅致的;笨拙的;笨重的All things are difficult before they are easy.Formal Expressions (正式场合表达)对话1.A: These paintings look like they were done by a real amateur painter.B: Have you even seen anything so inartistic?A: The painter is apparently incompetent.B: There’s no technique and the paintings look like a child has painted them.2.A: What is he talking about?B: Just some excuses. He is incapable of telling the truth, but he’s bad at lying, too.A: His fumbling attempts are really painful to listen to.3.A: I am helpless to change the situation.B: It was a clumsy mistake that got you in trouble. Forgetting to give the boss his wife’s message makes you look incapable.A: But I’m usually not a blundering idiot. How can I fix the problem?B: Apologize and in the future prove you aren’t incompetent.4.A: I want to get the house painted. It is getting a bit dirty and dingy. B: Make sure you hire the experts to do it. You’re so clumsy andawkward. You’ll probably fall off the ladder and hurt yourself.5.A: Andrew asked Janie if she would go with him to the high-school prom (ball held in high school once a year). Did you hear?B: No, but I’m all ears, man. What happened?A: She said no. She was put off by his crass attempt to chat her up. He’s such a bungling doofus!6.A: Oh no! Someone has put his hand in Grandma’s birthday cake! Who could have done it?B: I bet Roger did it. He is so ham-handed, always dropping things and walking into walls. It’s just another of his accidents.7.A: Usually I couldn’t care less if someone can’t dance, but the lady I’m dancing with keeps stepping on my feet.B: Your partner may be a floundering dancer, but my partner is so ungainly. She makes an elephant look like a ballerina.8.A: You seem to be working very slowly today. What is wrong? Bad time at home?B: Well, my youngest son is feeling ill, and it kept me up half the night. That’s why my work is a bit heavy-handed and clumsy thismorning.9.A: Yao Ming is a great basketball player, but some of his guarding for the Houston Rockets this NBA season has been slipshod. Maybe he hasn’t been training.B: Give him some time, and he’ll turn into one of the greatest basketball players of recent years.10.A: You’re such a bungling klutz, John. You can’t juggle (p lay trick for dishonest end; use trickery) the New York Stock Market without having knowledge about how stocks really work.B: I suppose you have to be a professional to juggle the market, not an amateur like me.11.A: Jan was son tactless today. She asked Helen why she hasn’t got married yet.B: She’s always like that. Couldn’t she figure out that Helen can’t find a husband because she’s a little overweight?A: Yes, but she didn’t understand the question would hurt Helen. Business before pleasure.Informal Words List (口语化用词)形容词all thumbs—All thumbs is an expression used to imply that someone is a bit clumsy or not very well coordinated. Onecan say “That guy is all thumbs at baseball; he just can’tseem to catch the ball or know how to throw it well.”Itmeans a lack of skill or ability to do something well. It isused to denote a physical ability or skill.awkward as a cow on skates—Awkward as a cow on skates implies that the individual is not comfortable or smooth inhis actions. As a cow can not skate or would be extremelyshaky on the ice, accordingly, an individual is also not ableto do something very well or does not feel confident in hisability to do something physical.butterfingered—To be butterfingered is to always drop things or have things slip out of one’s hands easily. It is sometimesused when describing people that are not very good atsports or often are careless when holding things.ham-fisted—To be ham-fisted is to be awkward about doing something. For instance, I am so ham-fisted when I have tothread a needle, my fingers are just too large to do it.However, this expression is not very commonly used ingeneral speech.klutzy—klutzy is a common expression to describe someone who is always hitting things or dropping things by accident. Theydo not seem to be very well-coordinated in life, and areoften awkward in their actions. For instance, we can say“That girl is such a klutz, she is always dropping the ballwhen we play baseball.”not what one used to be—When we say “not what one used to be,”it is suggesting that someone has changed in someway, generally into a more negative state. For instance, thatboy isn’t what he used to be, he used to be so friendly andoutgoing, and now he is extremely shy and introverted.There is a comparison that is being made, from the past tothe present.rusty/(need) oiling up—If someone is rusty, it implies that someone needs to practice or work harder at something. Itmeans that a skill is not as good as it used to be. Forexample, I sure am rusty at fishing, I haven’t done it intwenty years. It implies that someone was once competentin a skill and is now out of practice and needs to improvetheir skill level.名词amateur—When we use the word “amateur”we imply that the individual is not a professional or does not have a lot of skillor knowledge about a particular subject. For instance, wecan say “That guy is such an amateurat skating; he can’tseem to stay up on the ice for long.” Or we can say “Thatwas a real amateur performance,” implying that there wasnot a lot of skill or expertise visible.a bonehead move—If you say “That was a bonehead move,” it issaying that that was not a clever thing to do. Boneheadimplies that like a bone, which is hollow, someone doesn’thave any brain or smarts. Using the word “move” means anaction or what someone did. For instance, that was a realbonehead move, you should have known better that yourfather would not like what you did. butterfingers—Butterfingers is used when describing someone that always seems to drop things. It is as if real butter is ontheir fingers and they are always slippery. It is usedsometimes when playing sports with people or when peopledrop things a lot during a work situation. For instance, thatgirl has butterfingers, she can’t seem to hold anythingwithout dropping it.clodhopper—This is a bit of an old-fashioned word that is not used that frequently in contemporary English. However, it meanssomeone that isn’t that graceful or has much eleganceabout them. It is used to imply someone that is slightlyprimitive or rough in nature. They are not that refined orcareful in their movements or demeanor.dolt—A dolt is someone that is somewhat stupid, not that clever or bright. It is a negative word against someone, though it isnot strong enough to be considered rude or an insult. Forinstance, that boy never seems to know what to do when heis in the store, he is such a dolt sometimes. garbage—The word garbage is sometimes used to imply more than straight garbage that one throws out. It can meananything that is considered worthless or very poor in quality.One can say “I wasted my $10 on that movie, as I thought itwas garbage.”It is commonly used when criticizingsomething or trying to imply that it is bad. greenhorn—The word greenhorn is used to describe someone that is new or a novice at doing something. The person isinexperienced in doing a task or skill at hand. For instance,that boy was considered a greenhorn when he started atthe company, but now that he has been with us for sixmonths, he is quite experienced and knowledgeable. nincompoop—A nincompoop is a slang expression for someone that is a bit stupid or silly in nature. It is almost like sayingsomeone is an idiot and can’t make a good judgment ordecision for themselves. It can be used in the context thatthat person is a nincompoop because he or she can’t dosomething correctly or doesn’t use a lot of insight orthinking when doing something.ninny—Ninny means being silly or an idiot. It is not commonly used in today’s daily conversation, and is somewhatold-fashioned slang. You can say “That girl is such a ninny;she is always forgetting to bring something with her.” It canalso have connotations of being a bit forgetful or not beingtoo bright in nature.动词be not one’s speed—If one says something isn’t one’s speed, it generally means that it isn’t something that is of interest tothe speaker. If things are at the same speed, then they arein alliance, whereas if they are at different speeds they areincongruent. Thus, for example, I really don’t like going tosee the ballet, it just isn’t my speed, I prefer going to rockconcerts.be wet behind the ears—To be wet behind the ears implies that someone is a novice or new at something. For instance,one can say “That boy just joined our company and he isstill pretty wet behind the ears, and doesn’t know much.” Itis not a negative expression, but rather implies thatsomeone has just started in a new environment and willsoon improve.fall all over oneself—To fall all over oneself is not a literal translation. It instead implies that one is going out of one’sway to do something or say something. It means givingsomething an extra effort in order to generally impresssomeone. For instance, “He fell all over himself to impressthe girl when he asked her out. He brought her flowers,chocolates and even showed up in a sports car.”go to seed—To go to seed means to let something ruin or go to ruin. Just as a flower when it is coming to the end of its lifespan goes to seed, this expression is used to suggest thatsomeone or something is coming to the end of its time. Forinstance, we can say “Those people have really let thathouse go to seed; they haven’t worked on its upkeep inyears and its walls are almost about to collapse.”have two left hands/feet—To have two left hands or feet is to say that someone is not coordinated. If they were wellcoordinated or could move smoothly with grace, then theywould require one left and one right. However, as peoplecan not in actuality have two left feet, we use thisexpression to imply that their feet don’t work well together.Usually we say this if someone is a bad dancer or poorsportsman.make sad/long work of—To make sad or long work of something is to spend a lot of time and effort at a task. It implies that itis taking someone longer than it should. For instance, thatbook report is an easy one, but she is making long work of it.It is taking the doer longer than expected to finishsomething.mess up—To mess up is to make a mistake or do something wrong. It is a general expression that can cover a lot ofcases and instances of behavior. For example, I reallymessed up in my marriage, as we got divorced after onlysix months. Or, I messed up that painting by spilling wateron the paper.not know any of the answers—To not know any of the answers isa way to say that you don’t know what to do or how to react。
