【突破英文词汇】有关size, quantity“大小，数量”的词汇

1. gamut¹ /ˈgæmət/ n. 整个范围；全部

   --entire range of anything from one extreme to another

After the test I thought at first I had done very well, then quite well, and finally, poorly. I ran the gamut from confidence to despair.

考试后起初我觉得自己考得很好，后来认为不错，最后是差劲。我经历了从自信到失望的整个过程。

2. iota² /aɪ'əʊtə/ n. 极小量；微小；一点儿

   --(ninth and smallest letter of the Greek alphabet)very small quantity; infinitesimal amount; bit

If you make the same mistake again, despite all my warnings, I will not have one iota of sympathy for you.

如果你不顾我的警告再犯同样的错误，我一点也不会同情你了。

3. magnitude /ˈmæɡnitju:d/ n. 大小；重要性

   --size; greatness; largeness; importance

Shopping for clothes can be a small matter for some, but a problem of the greatest magnitude for others.

逛街买衣服对某些人而言是小事一桩，但对某些人来说却是最重要的问题。

4. pittance³ /ˈpɪtns/ n. 微薄的薪水；少量

   --small amount; meager⁴ wage or allowance

At those low wages, few will apply for the job. Who wants to work for a pittance?

很少人会去申请那个低薪的工作，谁想为一份微薄的薪水工作？

5. superabundance /ˌsu:pərəˈbʌndəns/ n. 极多；过多

   --great abundance; surplus; excess

Our committee does't need any more help. We have a superabundance of helpers.

我们委员会不需要任何更多的援助，我们有很多帮手。

6. inflate⁵ /ɪn'fleɪt/ vt. 使充气；使膨胀

   --swell with air or gas; expand; excess

Since the ball has lost air, we shall need a pump to inflate it.

这个球漏气了，我们需要一个气筒打气。

7. colossal⁶ /kəˈlɔsl/ adj. 巨大的

   --huge; enormous; gigantic; mammoth⁷; vast

The game will be played in a colossal sports arena⁸ with a sitting capacity of more than 60,000.

这场球赛将在一个可容纳六万多人的巨型运动场里举行。

8. commodious⁹ /kəˈməʊdiəs/ adj. 宽敞的

   --spacious and comfortable; roomy; ample; not confining

Even during change of classes there is no crowding because the halls and stairways are commodious.

即使在换教室的时候也不拥挤，因为走廊和楼梯都很宽敞。

9. infinite /ˈinfinit/ adj. 无限的

   --without ends or limits; boundless¹⁰; endless; inexhaustuble

In our science lesson tomorrow we shall consider whether space is bounded or infinite. 

明天的科学课上，我们将思考太空是有限的还是无限的问题。

10. infinitesimal /ˌɪnfɪnɪˈtesɪml/ adj. 微小的

   --so small as to be almost nothing; immeasurably small; very minute

If there is any salt in this soup, it must be infinitesinal. I can't taste it.

如果汤里有盐的话，也一定很少，我吃不出味道来。

11. inordinate¹¹ /ɪnˈɔ:dɪnət/ adj. 过度的

   --much too great; not kept within reasonable bounds; excessive; immoderate

Frank kept my book for such an inordinate length of time that I shall never lend him anything again.

弗兰克借我的书借了那么久，我再也不借给他任何东西了。

12. picayune /ˌpɪkə'ju:n/ adj. 微小的

   --concerned with trifling¹² matters; petty; small or little value

The trouble with your studying is that you spend too much time on picayune details and not enough on the really important matters.

你学习中存在的问题是在小细节上花的时间太多，而在真正重要的事情上所花的时间却不够多。

13. puny¹³ /'pju:nɪ/ adj. 微不足道的

   --slight or inferior in size, power or importance; weak; insignificant¹⁴

The skycraper dwarfs¹⁵ the surrounding buildings. By comparison to it, they seem puny.

这座摩天大楼使周围的建筑物相形见绌，相比之下，它们显得微不足道。

1 gamut   

n.全音阶，(一领域的)全部知识

参考例句：

• The exhibition runs the whole gamut of artistic styles.这次展览包括了所有艺术风格的作品。
• This poem runs the gamut of emotions from despair to joy.这首诗展现了从绝望到喜悦的感情历程。

2 iota   

n.些微，一点儿

参考例句：

• There is not an iota of truth in his story.他的故事没有一点是真的。
• He's never shown an iota of interest in any kind of work.他从来没有对任何工作表现出一点儿兴趣。

3 pittance   

n.微薄的薪水，少量

参考例句：

• Her secretaries work tirelessly for a pittance.她的秘书们为一点微薄的工资不知疲倦地工作。
• The widow must live on her slender pittance.那寡妇只能靠自己微薄的收入过活。

4 meager   

adj.缺乏的，不足的，瘦的

参考例句：

• He could not support his family on his meager salary.他靠微薄的工资无法养家。
• The two men and the woman grouped about the fire and began their meager meal.两个男人同一个女人围着火，开始吃起少得可怜的午饭。

5 inflate   

vt.使膨胀，使骄傲，抬高（物价）

参考例句：

• The buyers bid against each other and often inflate the prices they pay.买主们竞相投标，往往人为地提高价钱。
• Stuart jumped into the sea and inflated the liferaft.斯图尔特跳到海里给救生艇充气。

6 colossal   

adj.异常的，庞大的

参考例句：

• There has been a colossal waste of public money.一直存在巨大的公款浪费。
• Some of the tall buildings in that city are colossal.那座城市里的一些高层建筑很庞大。

7 mammoth   

n.长毛象；adj.长毛象似的，巨大的

参考例句：

• You can only undertake mammoth changes if the finances are there.资金到位的情况下方可进行重大变革。
• Building the new railroad will be a mammoth job.修建那条新铁路将是一项巨大工程。

8 arena   

n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台

参考例句：

• She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
• He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。

9 commodious   

adj.宽敞的；使用方便的

参考例句：

• It was a commodious and a diverting life.这是一种自由自在，令人赏心悦目的生活。
• Their habitation was not merely respectable and commodious,but even dignified and imposing.他们的居所既宽敞舒适又尊严气派。

10 boundless   

adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的

参考例句：

• The boundless woods were sleeping in the deep repose of nature.无边无际的森林在大自然静寂的怀抱中酣睡着。
• His gratitude and devotion to the Party was boundless.他对党无限感激、无限忠诚。

11 inordinate   

adj.无节制的；过度的

参考例句：

• The idea of this gave me inordinate pleasure.我想到这一点感到非常高兴。
• James hints that his heroine's demands on life are inordinate.詹姆斯暗示他的女主人公对于人生过于苛求。

12 trifling   

adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的

参考例句：

• They quarreled over a trifling matter.他们为这种微不足道的事情争吵。
• So far Europe has no doubt, gained a real conveniency,though surely a very trifling one.直到现在为止,欧洲无疑地已经获得了实在的便利，不过那确是一种微不足道的便利。

13 puny   

adj.微不足道的，弱小的

参考例句：

• The resources at the central banks' disposal are simply too puny.中央银行掌握的资金实在太少了。
• Antonio was a puny lad,and not strong enough to work.安东尼奥是个瘦小的小家伙，身体还不壮，还不能干活。

14 insignificant   

adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的

参考例句：

• In winter the effect was found to be insignificant.在冬季，这种作用是不明显的。
• This problem was insignificant compared to others she faced.这一问题与她面临的其他问题比较起来算不得什么。

15 dwarfs   

n.侏儒，矮子（dwarf的复数形式）vt.（使）显得矮小（dwarf的第三人称单数形式）

参考例句：

• Shakespeare dwarfs other dramatists. 莎士比亚使其他剧作家相形见绌。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The new building dwarfs all the other buildings in the town. 新大楼使城里所有其他建筑物都显得矮小了。 来自辞典例句