每日一词学英语(125): paddy

Imagine a small group of farmers tending a rice paddy some 5,000 years ago in eastern Asia or sowing seeds in a freshly cleared forest in Europe a couple of thousand years before that. (From Economist, August 17, 2009: Nothing new under the sun) 想像一下先民在稻田里耕作或在林间空地播种的情景，那其实已经是影响气候变化的人类活动了，并不是到了工业革命或大规模农业生产时全球气候才开始变化。

paddy又作paddy field，(noun) (pl. -ies) a field in which rice is grown。rice paddy是稻田。

每日一词学英语(124): breathalyser

breathalyser是英式写法，也可以写成美式的breathalyzer，是由breath和analyser混合而成的。(noun) a device used by the police to measure the amount of alcohol in a driver’s breath。酒精测定计。

现在有一种新的酒精测定计，可以用来检测肺癌。A hand-held breathalyser which can detect lung cancer is being developed by scientists, in a breakthrough that could save thousands of lives. (From Telegraph, 30 August 2009: Breathalyser developed for lung cancer)

每日一词学英语(123): pepper with

不从超市里买，而是改吃天然野生食品，有助于减少碳排放。与通常的观念不同，城里的绿地、灌木丛中有不少野生的可食用绿色植物。Contrary to popular opinion, urban 'wildernesses' such as scrubland, parks and hedgerows are peppered with edible greens. (From BBC, 4 January 2009: Foraging for food)

pepper sth with sth: [often passive] to include large numbers of sth in sth.
*He peppered his speech with jokes.

需要注意，只有确认采摘的植物可以食用再去吃，否则可能有害健康。

每日一词学英语(122): barring

日本后天（周日，29号）举行大选，不出意外的话，执政的自民党会下台，这将成为1945年以来日本政坛的最大变动。Barring the unexpected, the party will be voted out of power tomorrow in the country’s biggest political upset since 1945. (From The Times, August 29, 2009: Election result could end 54-year run of Japan’s ruling party, the LDP)

这个词是介词，except for; unless there is/are。
*Barring accidents, we should arrive on time.

每日一词学英语(121): edgy

英国这家银行有本难念的经，去年不得已被部分国有化，现在又想结束对政府的依赖，进退两难。投资者不能不焦虑不安。Lloyds investors probably have most cause to be edgy. (From The Times, August 27, 2009: A £35bn dilemma for the Government)

edgy: (adj.) (informal) nervous, especially about what might happen.
*She’s been very edgy lately.
*After the recent unrest there is an edgy calm in the capital.
*I’m feeling a bit edgy about the exam tomorrow.

和on edge的异同：两个词意思一样，不过edgy也可以形容时间或事件，
*It was an edgy match with both players making mistakes.
on edge也可以形容人的神经（nerves）。
*His nerves had been on edge (= he had been nervous or bad-tempered) all day.

每日一词学英语(120): nimby

We have to counteract the nimbys who say they want change, but not in their backyard. (From Telegraph, 26 August 2009: John Prescott attacks wind turbine 'nimbys')

今天这个词源于“not in my back yard”的第一个字母。(noun) (pl. -s or -ies) (humorous, disapproving) a person who claims to be in favour of a new development or project, but objects if it is too near their home and will disturb them in some way
*The nimbies were out in force against proposals for a high-speed rail link.

其实上面那句话中对这个词已经做了解释：nimbys are those who say they want change, but not in their backyard。

英国前副首相John Prescott强烈批评这些风力涡轮机的nimbys。这些人比较自私，是该批评。

每日一词学英语(119): contraption

四百年前的今天，意大利科学家伽利略向威尼斯参议院展示了他发明的望远镜。伽利略并非第一个发明望远镜的人，但他让望远镜出名，并开创了现代天文学。

Four hundred years ago on Tuesday, an Italian professor of physics and mathematics called Galileo Galilei demonstrated a simple contraption to the Venetian Senate that would set in motion one of the most profound revolutions in human thought — a revolution that continues today. (From The New York Times, August 25, 2009: 400 Years of Modern Astronomy)

contraption: (noun) a machine or piece of equipment that looks strange.
*She showed us a strange contraption that looked like a satellite dish.
Etymology (from Wiktionary): originally a Western English dialectical word. Origin unclear. Perhaps from contrive + trap.

每日一词学英语(118): weather

最新一项研究的数据表明，英国的经济衰退已经结束。(From Times Online, August 24, 2009: UK recession is 'over' as confidence grows)

主持这项研究的负责人Michael Izza说，定量宽松、央行降息及政府削减增值税等政策帮助企业平安度过金融风暴。Policies such as quantitative easing and interest rate cuts by the Bank of England and the drop in VAT had helped businesses to weather the financial storm, he said.

weather: (verb, VN) to come safely through a difficult period or experience
×The company just managed to weather the recession.
×She refuses to resign, intending to weather the storm (= wait until the situation improves again).

注：“VN”的意思是及物动词。本博客词汇释义如无说明，一般都取自《Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary》网络版。

每日一词学英语(117): spurn

英国人过去一直用烘干机烘干衣服，现在渐渐开始改为在室外凉衣服，超市里的晾衣绳和卡子因此热销。For the first time in 50 years, Brits are spurning tumble dryers in favour of old-fashioned line-drying: washing lines and wooden clothes pegs are flying off supermarket shelves. (From BBC, 30 April 2008: Drying clothes outside)

无疑，这是保护环境的好方法。看看以下事实：
Tumble dryers are the most energy intensive household applainces - nearly two thirds more than washing machines - and create 310kg of CO2 a year each on average. Drying clothes on a washing line creates no emissions and saves about £70 a year in fuel bills. Plus, drying your clothes in the fresh air doesn't risk shrinking them and shortening their lifespan. 滚筒烘干机是最耗能的家电，比洗衣机多消耗将近三分之二能量，平均每年产生310公斤二氧化碳。室外晾衣碳排放为零，每年节约大约70英镑电费，而且不会让衣服缩水，有助于延长衣服的使用寿命。

看来，英国的好天气虽然不多，烘干机无法完全退出市场，但在可能的条件下，还是多在室外凉衣服比较好。

spurn: verb [及物动词] to reject or refuse sb/sth, especially in a proud way
同义词：shun
*Eve spurned Mark’s invitation.
*a spurned lover
*The president spurned the tight security surrounding him and adopted a more intimate style of campaigning.

每日一词学英语(116): understudy

Welsh soprano Natalya Romaniw made a dramatic journey to her unexpected debut at the Glyndebourne Festival when the show's star fell off the stage. 威尔士女高音歌手Natalya Romaniw意外地在英国著名的一年一度的Glyndebourne歌剧节上初次亮相，因为原定角色不小心摔伤。(From BBC, 22 August 2009: Dramatic dash to debut by soprano)

When she arrived on Friday night, she had only minutes to spare to replace the understudy to Martinez. 她周五晚上到的时候，只有几分钟的时间来替换Martinez的替角。Martinez就是原定角色，即上文的“the show's star”。“the understudy to Martinez”是原定角色的替角，Natalya Romaniw是来替换这个替角进行演出的，有点绕。

understudy: (noun) (pl. -ies) ~ (to sb) an actor who learns the part of another actor in a play so that they can play that part if necessary
*She worked as an understudy to Elaine Page.
同义词：standby
under+study，表示处在学习、待命状态，即正角的替角。

每日一词学英语(115): hols

在报纸上看到一个标题：Do thin people have better hols? 什么是“hols”？点击进入正文就明白了。(From The Times, August 22, 2009: Do 'skinnies' have better holidays?)

Hols: (noun) [pl.] (old-fashioned, BrE, informal) holidays
*the school / summer hols
*He's away on his hols at the moment.

报纸标题用这个词大概是为了节省空间吧？发手机短信、网上聊天可以好好用用了。

每日一词学英语(114): pylon

在英格兰和威尔士地区，牛津是第一个采用风力涡轮机发电的城市。Compared to ugly electricity pylons, wind turbines are a huge improvement for Oxford's environment. (From BBC, 19 August 2009: Wind turbine milestone for Oxford) 与傻大黑粗的高压铁塔相比，风力涡轮机可以大大改善牛津的环境状况。

Pylon: (noun) a tall metal structure that is used for carrying electricity wires high above the ground. (高压线的)桥[铁]塔

每日一词学英语(113): seafaring

一块银质怀表在海底沉睡130年后被一名潜水员发现，并被交到了表主人的近亲手里。这名亲属很高兴多年后这块表回归家族，而且惊奇地发现祖上曾有过多彩的航海经历。“.... It has come as a complete surprise to me that my ancestors had such a colourful, seafaring past.” (From The Times, August 19, 2009: Silver pocket watch found off Welsh coast returned after 130 years)

Adj. [only before noun] connected with work or travel on the sea/ocean
*a seafaring nation （金山译为：以航海为业的民族）
这个词也可以作名词，意思是：航海事业，水手工作。
“-faring”对应的是“fare”: (intransitive) to go, travel，“seafaring”自然是“在海上工作、旅行”。

每日一词学英语(112): rub hands in glee

在德国举行的世锦赛上，Usain Bolt以9.58秒的好成绩打破自己保持的男子百米跑世界纪录。据信，他出好成绩的势头远未结束，这可以让2012年伦敦奥组委兴奋不已，充满期待。

And the organisers of the London Olympics can rub their hands in gleeful expectation of 2012. (From Times Online, August 18, 2009: When Usain Bolt is finished, all sprinters in history will be humbled)

上面这句话中出现的实际上今天这个词组的变通用法。查Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary，在glee词条下找到例句：He rubbed his hands in glee as he thought of all the money he would make。该词典对glee的解释为：noun [U] a feeling of happiness, usually because sth good has happened to you, or sth bad has happened to sb else，同义词：delight。

98课（piggy bank，August 4, 2009）的例句中也用到这个词组，这里就不重复了。

可见今天这个词组是固定搭配用法，值得学习。

每日一词学英语(111): declassify

最近的解密文件表明，公众受有关外星人的影视剧影响，对不明飞行物的目击事件持续增加。Sightings of unidentified flying objects increase when public interest is aroused by films and television programmes about aliens, newly declassified files indicate. (From The Times, August 17, 2009: UFO sightings increase 'after television shows about aliens')

To classify有一个意思是：to declare something a secret, especially a government secret。
*They decided to classify that information.
它的反义词是to declassify: to state officially that secret government information is no longer secret。
*declassified information / documents

每日一词学英语(110): incongruous

为应对经济危机，27岁的英国人Nick Weston在树上搭建了一座屋子，并要在那里过半年的罗宾逊（Robinson Crusoe）式的生活。搭建屋子所用材料很多都是自给自足，开销很少。他的女友想尽一己之力，给屋子安了窗帘，有点不协调，但颜色很红。The slightly incongruous but pretty red curtains were added by his girlfriend, Clare: “She wanted to do her bit.” (From The Sunday Times, August 16, 2009: If you go down to the woods today...)

Adj. strange, and not suitable in a particular situation
同义词：inappropriate
*Such traditional methods seem incongruous in our technical age.
*The two of them made an incongruous couple.

每日一词学英语(109): vox pop

在本年度的英国选秀节目《Britain’s Got Talent》上，10岁小女孩Holly因无法承受巨大压力而中断演唱，最后评委网开一面，给了她二度表演的机会。为此，英国打算出台新规，限制儿童在公众媒体上的曝光率，以免他们过早承受不必要的压力。只有新闻镜头里和接受采访的儿童可以不受此限。It is understood that only children in news footage and vox pops would be exempt under the proposed regulations. (From The Times, August 15, 2009: New laws could mean children disappear from TV, say broadcasters)

Vox pops是vox pop（vox populi的简写）的复数形式，noun [C, U] (BrE, informal) the opinion of members of the public, especially when it is broadcast or published，民众之声，公众舆论。
*The reporter got some vox pops in the city square to see what people thought of the country's new flag.

每日一词学英语(108): accolade

今天Google用图标纪念汉斯·克里斯蒂安·奥斯特（Hans Christian Ørsted）232岁生日。So who was Ørsted, and what did he do to deserve the Internet's ultimate accolade? (From National Geographic News, August 14, 2009: Hans Christian Orsted: Who He Was, and Why You Owe Him)

他是谁？有何功勋得获因特网最高殊荣？他是丹麦物理学家、化学家，电流磁效应的发现者。

Noun (formal) praise or an award for an achievement that people admire。

每日一词学英语(107): haul

国际奥委会决定在2012年伦敦奥运会上将女子拳击列为正式比赛项目，英国希望借此在奥运会上多得几枚奖牌。British Olympic Association chief Andy Hunt hopes the inclusion of women's boxing in the 2012 Games will help Team GB's medal haul in London. (From Teletext: Olympics: Women boxers win 2012 fight)

Haul作名词在这里的意思是：(especially in sport) a large number of points, goals, etc.
*His haul of 40 goals in a season is a record.
Medal haul指的是a large number of medals。

每日一词学英语(106): gibbous

每年八月，英仙座流星雨都会如期而至。昨晚，作为2009国际天文年的活动之一，英国的业余天文学家把观测活动搬到网上，并从当红明星Miley Cyrus那里抢得Twitter网头把交椅。(From Times Online, August 12, 2009: Perseid 'tweeteors' knock Disney star Miley Cyrus off top slot)

因为有月亮争辉，英国昨晚的观测效果并不是很好，不过，英格兰南部的观测者在后半夜还是一饱眼福了。Conditions over the UK last night were far from perfect — and a "gibbous" moon is providing competition — but skywatchers in southern England enjoyed quite a show if they stayed up late enough.

Adj. (technical) (of the moon) with the bright part bigger than a semicircle and smaller than a circle 形容大于半圆但不足满月的月亮（凸月）。

每日一词学英语(105): pillage

伴随着中国不断扩大的对外投资建设，在海外的中国移民人数也不断增加。相应地，中国移民和当地居民之间的冲突事件也在增加。今年5月在非洲的巴布亚新几内亚就发生了针对中国人的暴力事件，至少一人死亡，全国几个城镇的中国企业遭到洗劫。At least one person was killed and Chinese-owned businesses were pillaged in several cities (including the capital, Port Moresby) and towns throughout the country. (From the Economist, August 11, 2009: Overseas and under siege)

(verb) to steal things from a place or region, especially in a war, using violence. 同义词：plunder。
*(不及物动词)The rebels went looting and pillaging.
*(及物动词)The town had been pillaged and burned.
*(及物动词)Works of art were pillaged from churches and museums.

每日一词学英语(104): vandal

Hazel Blears, the former Communities Secretary, has said that her car was attacked by vandals rather than political opponents carrying out a vendetta. (From Times Online, August 10, 2009: Blears blames vandals for attack on car in constituency)

前Communities Secretary说，她的车被砸，凶手不是有仇的政治对手，而是vandals，即people who deliberately destroy or damage public property，破坏他人财产者。这个词对应的动词是vandalize: [usually passive] to damage sth, especially public property, deliberately and for no good reason。

每日一词学英语(103): in tatters

The reputation of the Home Office was left in tatters as a national newspaper enlisted the help of a security researcher to make a clone of a genuine card and change the information on it. (From ITProPortal, 08 August, 2009: White Hat Hacker Cracks UK ID Card In 12 Minutes)

英国一家全国性报纸招了一名安全专家，复制了一张乱真的身份证并更改了其中的信息，Home Office因此名声扫地。

tatters以复数形式来用，意思是撕破了的布条或衣服。in tatters在这里是：ruined or badly damaged。同义词：in shreds
*Her reputation was in tatters.
*The government’s education policy lies in tatters.

每日一词学英语(102): bungle

英国气象部门四月时预报今年夏天是“BBQ summer”，实际上却阴雨连绵。尽管预报失误，气象部门的员工还是得到了人均650英镑的“预报准确”奖金，媒体讽刺说这是“下雨”奖金。（From The Sunday Times, August 9, 2009: It’s raining bonuses at the Met Office）

More than 1,700 staff are getting a “forecast accuracy” bonus of about £650 each — after a series of bungled predictions. bungled prediction和forecast accuracy意思相反。

bungle: to do sth badly or without skill; to fail at sth. 同义词：botch
*They bungled the job.
*a bungled robbery / raid / attempt

每日一词列表（1-100）

从excel文件拷过来的，不太齐整的地方请见谅。

al fresco (63) 63 June 30, 2009
alopecia (75) 75 July 12, 2009
aplomb (47) 47 June 14, 2009
arcane (82) 82 July 19, 2009
assay (90) 90 July 27, 2009
a volley of (34) 34 June 1, 2009
balk (88) 88 July 25, 2009
battering (39) 39 June 6, 2009
bristle (85) 85 July 22, 2009
bumper-to-bumper (73) 73 July 10, 2009
bums on seats (95) 95 August 1, 2009
caesarean section (19) 19 May 17, 2009
can't half (46) 46 June 13, 2009
Cassandra (13) 13 May 11, 2009
catapult (32) 32 May 30, 2009
clubbing (55) 55 June 22, 2009
cocktail (17) 17 May 15, 2009
complication (48) 48 June 15, 2009
damper (92) 92 July 29, 2009
descale (72) 72 July 9, 2009
dispense with (93) 93 July 30, 2009
ditch (9) 9 May 7, 2009
doe-eyed (74) 74 July 11, 2009
draconian (56) 56 June 23, 2009
drum up (18) 18 May 16, 2009
equestrian (7) 7 May 5, 2009
ethos (51) 51 June 18, 2009
expletive (76) 76 July 13, 2009
fag-end (49) 49 June 16, 2009
foray (71) 71 July 8, 2009
graft (54) 54 June 21, 2009
grotesque (45) 45 June 12, 2009
hear the cogs turning (5) 5 May 3, 2009
hone (26) 26 May 24, 2009
hubristic (57) 57 June 24, 2009
imponderable (81) 81 July 18, 2009
incumbent (89) 89 July 26, 2009
in place (1) 1 April 30, 2009
jacquard (70) 70 July 7, 2009
junket (53) 53 June 20, 2009
lead the charge (2) 2 April 30, 2009
lick (25) 25 May 23, 2009
like-for-like (42) 42 June 9, 2009
loophole (27) 27 May 25, 2009
make a hash of (84) 84 July 21, 2009
nemesis (79) 79 July 16, 2009
no-brainer (62) 62 June 29, 2009
once bitten, twice shy (15) 15 May 13, 2009
ornithology (30) 30 May 28, 2009
out of the blue (22) 22 May 20, 2009
outstrip (100) 100 August 6, 2009
pent-up (99) 99 August 5, 2009
penultimate (10) 10 May 8, 2009
phalanx (37) 37 June 4, 2009
phase out (20) 20 May 18, 2009
phlebotomist (14) 14 May 12, 2009
piggy bank (98) 98 August 4, 2009
premises (4) 4 May 2, 2009
prenup (68) 68 July 5, 2009
proceeds (52) 52 June 19, 2009
promiscuous (61) 61 June 28, 2009
prosthetic (33) 33 May 31, 2009
pundit (50) 50 June 17, 2009
put a shine on (3) 3 May 1, 2009
put the kibosh on (65) 65 July 2, 2009
rain check (31) 31 May 29, 2009
resounding (97) 97 August 3, 2009
RIP (59) 59 June 26, 2009
rout (41) 41 June 8, 2009
row (28) 28 May 26, 2009
sanguine (11) 11 May 9, 2009
scupper (23) 23 May 21, 2009
shambles (96) 96 August 2, 2009
sideline (35) 35 June 2, 2009
sidestep (83) 83 July 20, 2009
slick (38) 38 June 5, 2009
spate (44) 44 June 11, 2009
spelling bee (60) 60 June 27, 2009
squeamish (77) 77 July 14, 2009
staging post (80) 80 July 17, 2009
stall (40) 40 June 7, 2009
succumb (24) 24 May 22, 2009
sweltering (64) 64 July 1, 2009
swine (6) 6 May 4, 2009
take with a pinch of salt (16) 16 May 14, 2009
to boot (66) 66 July 3, 2009
toe the line (29) 29 May 27, 2009
toothless (94) 94 July 31, 2009
triplicate (69) 69 July 6, 2009
unfazed (86) 86 July 23, 2009
upshot (87) 87 July 24, 2009
veritable (58) 58 June 25, 2009
vet (36) 36 June 3, 2009
vicissitude (67) 67 July 4, 2009
watchdog (12) 12 May 10, 2009
Web 2.0 (43) 43 June 10, 2009
what’s the catch (8) 8 May 6, 2009
whittle down (91) 91 July 28, 2009
Zeitgeist (21) 21 May 19, 2009
Zimmer frame (78) 78 July 15, 2009

每日一词学英语(101): ribbing

英国卫生部门对公众提出预防猪流感的口号：Catch it, Bin it, Kill it，即：打喷嚏或咳嗽要用手或纸巾接住，用过的纸巾要及时仍进垃圾桶，勤用洗手液洗手。30岁的David McCusker在宣传广告中教给大家正确做法。

He said that he has received endless ribbing from unsympathetic friends. 最近他被朋友取笑。为什么呢？

“I was supposed to ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’, but instead I’ve been shivering, shaking and spreading it,” he said. 原来，两周前他因患上猪流感而被隔离。(From The Times, August 7, 2009: Swine flu advert actor David McCusker catches... swine flu)

动词rib: (old-fashioned, informal) to laugh at sb and make jokes about them, but in a friendly way. 同义词：tease（有时是恶意取笑）
*He used to rib her mercilessly about her accent.

ribbing是名词，同样是old-fashioned, informal，不过今天的报纸上还在用。看来，不能因为词典上的说法而轻易把一些词打入冷宫。

每日一词学英语(100): outstrip

“供不应求”用英文怎么说？Google一下，有几种答案，感觉没有我今天无意碰到的好。

At present they produce 40 barrels a week — the equivalent of 11,520 pints — and have the capacity to produce 20 more. Previous winners such as the Coniston Brewing Company in Cumbria had to get a larger brewery to help to make their Bluebird Bitter, because demand outstripped supply. (From The Times, August 5, 2009: Champion Beer of Britain Ruby Mild will go down a treat with the ladies)

查一下词典，也找到类似例句：
1. to become larger, more important, etc. than sb/sth
*Demand is outstripping supply.
2. to be faster, better or more successful than sb you are competing against。同义词：surpass
*Their latest computer outstrips all its rivals.
3. to run faster than sb in a race so that you pass them
*She soon outstripped the slower runners.

“overtake”和“outstrip”为同义词时，意思是：to become greater in number, amount or importance than sth else
*Nuclear energy may overtake oil as the main fuel.
*We mustn’t let ourselves be overtaken by our competitors.
*Quinine has been overtaken by newer drugs.

每日一词学英语(99): pent-up

本周一（8月3号）英国的两家银行HSBC和Barclays公布了上半年财务状况，两家均有很好收益。

Along with most lenders at the moment, Britain’s healthy pair have been boosted by their investment banks. Barclays’ division saw profits double compared with last year, and HSBC’s unit did even better. Pent-up demand from companies to raise funds, as well as wider trading spreads and low interest rates, explain the windfall. (From Economist, August 3, 2009: Happier days) “healthy pair”就是指上述两家银行，windfall是：an amount of money that sb/sth wins or receives unexpectedly，横财。

pent-up: adj. (of feelings, energy, etc.) that cannot be expressed or released，被压抑的，无法表现的
*pent-up frustration / energy

pent是pen的过去分词，pen sb/sth up: to shut an animal or a person in a small space。

每日一词学英语(98): piggy bank

那个憨态可掬的储钱罐叫“扑满”，就是今天这个词，a container in the shape of a pig, with a narrow opening in the top for putting coins in, used by children to save money。

So who is fattening up their piggy banks on the back of swine flu, and who else might be rubbing their hands with glee (and antibacterial handwash, of course)? (From The Times, August 4, 2009: Who is making a profit from swine flu?)这句话的意思是，谁借猪流感发财，挣得盆满钵满，谁洗手越洗越高兴（越洗钱越多，当然高兴）？

每日一词学英语(97): resounding

Birth control was one of the resounding policy successes of the last quarter of the last century. (From Times Online, August 3, 2009: China’s future will be hobbled by old age)

这个词经常和success、victory搭配，同义词是emphatic，意思是：very great。
*a resounding victory / win / defeat
*The evening was a resounding success.
*The question was answered with a resounding yes.

每日一词学英语(96): shambles

日本即将于8月30号举行大选，民主党、自民党鹿死谁手，不到最后一刻还不好说，不过两党竞争早就明里暗里展开了。(From The Economist, July 30, 2009: The opposition peers ahead)

The cartoon’s sponsor, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), may be a shambles, empty of ideas and brought low by in-fighting, but its ruthless political instincts have not deserted it after half a century of nearly unbroken rule. 自民党可能是个烂摊子，可政治斗争还是比较有经验的。

这个词是单数形式，noun [sing.] (informal) a situation in which there is a lot of confusion. 同义词：mess
*The press conference was a complete shambles.
*What a shambles!
*The government is in a shambles over Europe.
*He’s made an absolute shambles of his career.

每日一词学英语(95): bums on seats

英航今年首次在第二季度出现亏损，乘客人数下降，尤其是经济舱和头等舱。(From Mirror, 1 August 2009: British Airways loses £148 million)

Boss Willie Walsh said BA also cut fares by around 9% on average in a bid to get bums on seats. 英航通过降低票价来吸引乘客，提高上座率。

bums on seats (BrE, informal): used to refer to the number of people who attend a show, talk, etc., especially when emphasizing the need or desire to attract a large number
*They’re not bothered about attracting the right audience—they just want bums on seats.