小词详解 | adversity

adversity 英 [ədˈvɜːsəti] 美 [ədˈvɜːrsəti]

TOEFL SAT TEM8

外刊例句

• It has been a reminder that adversity often forces societies to advance.
  这场危机提醒了人们逆境常常迫使社会进步。
  ——《经济学人》

• America has always been at its best when it has had to overcome adversity and prove its mettle on the world stage.
  当不得不克服逆境并在世界舞台上证明自己的气魄时，美国总是处于最佳状态。
  ——《纽约时报》

基本释义

[noun] a difficult or unpleasant situation
[名词] 困难或不快的情况

深入解读

Adversity 是一个在形式上容易与 diversity （差异、不同点；多样性、多样化）容易混淆的单词，该词与英语单词 adverse （不利的、有害的、反面的）同源，都是源自拉丁语 adversus （反对、敌对）。

13世纪经古法语 adversite, aversite （逆境、灾难、不幸）进入英语后， adversity 也是指“困境、逆境、厄运”以及经济方面的“窘境”，常用作正式用语指一种严峻且持续的不幸状态，语气较强，比如：

• 身处逆境时，她从不垂头丧气。但她对权力的贪恋使她与同事们疏远了。
  She was always cheerful in adversity. But her lust for power estranged her from her colleagues.
• 他们的国家正处在内战的边缘。他们不得不同一切困境做斗争。
  Their country was teetering on the brink of civil war. They had to struggle against all kinds of adversity.

除了表示不幸状态以外， adversity 也可以用来表示具体的不幸事例，这时常用复数 adversities 表达 “灾祸、苦难、不幸经历”，比如：

• 他情路坎坷，并克服了多次个人不幸。
  He lurched from one bad relationship to another and overcame many personal adversities.

权威用例

中华民族是历经磨难、不屈不挠的伟大民族，中国人民是勤劳勇敢、自强不息的伟大人民，中国共产党是敢于斗争、敢于胜利的伟大政党。
The Chinese nation is a great nation; it has been through hardships and adversity but remains indomitable. The Chinese people are a great people; they are industrious and brave; and they never pause in the pursuit of progress. The Communist Party of China is a great party; it has the courage to fight and the mettle to win.

出自十九大报告《决胜全面建成小康社会 夺取新时代中国特色社会主义伟大胜利》（Secure a Decisive Victory in Building a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects and Strive for the Great Success of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era）。

同近义词

• distress: difficulty caused by lack of money
• misfortune: an unfortunate condition or event
• mishap: an unlucky accident

往期回顾

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