小词详解 | vigilant

vigilant 英 [ˈvɪdʒɪlənt] 美 [ˈvɪdʒɪlənt]

TEM8 GRE

外刊例句

• Regulators must be vigilant. More mergers are now likely among both makers of consumer goods and retailers, as they seek the heft to battle Amazon.
  监管机构必须保持警惕。消费品制造商和零售商为获得能与亚马逊竞争的实力，今后可能会达成更多的合并。
  ——《经济学人》
• If you’re not vigilant about cleaning, bacteria can also form a soft film, or plaque, on the surface of your teeth, which can exacerbate that acidity and create an ideal environment for even more bacteria to proliferate.
  如果你不密切注意清洁，细菌也会在你的牙齿表面形成一层柔软的薄膜或牙菌斑，这会加剧酸度，并为更多细菌的迅速增殖创造理想的环境。
  ——《纽约时报》

基本释义

[adjective] keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties
[形容词] 密切注意可能的危险或困难的

深入解读

Vigilant 是一个容易与常见单词 diligent （勤奋的；细致而坚持不懈的）相混淆的单词。

该词源自拉丁语 vigilare （观察，保持清醒，不睡觉，保持警惕），15世纪末经法语 vigilant 或者直接由拉丁语 vigilantem （警惕的、焦虑的、小心的）进入英语，也是用来表示“警觉的、警惕的、警戒的”，主要指为了避免可能发生或存在的危险、困难、非法活动等而保持警惕的，常含有敏锐和勇敢的意味，比如：

• 对……保持警戒
  keep a vigilant eye upon
• 像猫一般警觉
  be as vigilant as a cat
• 要警惕敌特渗入政府内部进行暗中破坏。
  Be vigilant against the danger of enemy agents infiltrating the government and boring from within.

权威用例

要高度警惕外部势力在本地区煽动“新冷战”、制造阵营对抗，坚决反对任何国家以任何理由干涉内政、策动“颜色革命”，把本国发展进步的前途命运牢牢掌握在自己手中。
We must be highly vigilant against external attempts to foment a new Cold War or camp-based confrontation in our region. We must resolutely reject any interference in our internal affairs and the instigation of "color revolutions" by any country under whatever pretext. The future of our development must be held firmly in our own hands.

出自习主席在上海合作组织成员国元首理事会第二十三次会议上的讲话。

同近义词

• watchful: watching or observing someone or something closely; alert and vigilant
• observant: quick to notice things

往期回顾