4CONVENTION (尤用于回答他人)绝不可能,绝对不会 You can say not likely as an emphatic way of saying 'no', especially when someone asks you whether you are going to do something. (尤用于回答他人)绝不可能,绝对不会 [informal, emphasis]
'How about having a phone out here?' — 'Not likely!'
VERBS | ADVERBVERBS➤appear, be, look, seem, sound顯得很可能;很可能;看來很可能;似乎很可能;聽起來很可能➤become變得很可能➤make sth使⋯變得很可能◇a development they believed would make nuclear war more likely他們認為會加大核戰爭可能性的一項發展事態➤consider sth, deem sth, think sth認為⋯很可能◇The doctors didn't think it likely that she would ever heal completely.醫生們認為她不大可能完全康復。ADVERB➤extremely, fairly, very, etc.極其/相當/非常可能◇This match was never likely to be a classic.這場比賽絕不可能成為經典。◇It seems very likely that he will be forced to resign.他似乎很可能會被迫辭職。➤entirely, especially, highly, overwhelmingly, particularly完全可能;極可能;絕對可能◇It is entirely likely that the company will make another offer.該公司完全可能再次報盤。◇It is highly likely that the factory will have to close.這家工廠很可能要關閉。➤increasingly越來越可能◇Juries became increasingly likely to acquit.陪審團越來越可能作出無罪裁定了。➤hardly幾乎不可能◇They're hardly likely to get home before ten.他們幾乎不可能在 10 點以前到家。➤reasonably相當有可能➤equally同樣可能➤disproportionately有超出正常比例的可能性◇Are black defendants disproportionately likely to be wrongfully convicted?黑人被告被誤判有罪的比例更高嗎?➤ever迄今最有可能◇the best deal they are ever likely to get迄今他們可能得到的最划算的一筆買賣
➡ See also the entry for prone to sth另见prone to sth条likely ♦︎ possible ♦︎ potential ♦︎ prospective ♦︎ probableThese words all describe things that are expected to exist, happen or be true.这些词均表示事情是可能的、预期会发生的。SYNONYM SCALE 词义标尺下图显示这些词所表达可能性的大小
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PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆to be likely / possible / probable that...◆a likely / possible / potential / prospective / probable site◆a likely / possible / potential / probable cause / effect / consequence / outcome◆a likely / possible / probable explanation◆the likely / possible / potential / probable cost◆a likely / possible / potential / prospective candidate◆a potential / prospective husband / wife / parent◆quite likely / possible / probable◆hardly likely / possible◆very / extremely / highly likely / probable■likelyexpected to exist, happen or be true可能存在(或发生)的;可能是真实的◆What is the most likely cause of the infection?这种传染病最有可能的病因是什么?◆Tickets are likely to be expensive.入场券往往很贵。◆It's more than likely that the thieves don't know how much it is worth.盗贼很可能不知道此物的价值。◆They might refuse to let us do it, but it's hardly likely.他们也许会不让我们这么干,但这种可能性很小。OPPunlikely ⇨ unlikely1 see also likelihood ⇨ possibility, most likely ⇨ probably■possiblethat might exist, happen or be true, but is not certain to可能存在(或发生)的;可能是真实的◆They spoke of her as a possible future president.他们说她将来可能会当选总统。◆With the possible exception of the Beatles, no other band has become so successful so quickly.可能除了披头士乐队外,还没有哪个乐队能如此迅速走红。◆It's just possible that I gave them the wrong directions.我很可能给他们指错了方向。◆'You might be wrong, of course!' 'It's possible, but I doubt it.'“当然,也许是你弄错了!”“有可能吧,但我觉得不一定。”OPPimpossible ⇨ impossible see also possibility ⇨ possibility■potential pəˈtenʃl [only before noun] expected to develop into sth or to be developed in the future潜在的;可能的◆First we need to identify actual and potential problems.首先,我们需要弄清实际问题和潜在问题。◆What are the potential benefits of these proposals?这些提案有什么潜在的益处?ⓘ Potential is used in several main ways: to talk about people who might buy a product or use a service * potential的几种主要用法如下:修饰人,表示有可能购买商品或需要服务◆a potential audience / buyer / client / consumer / customer潜在的听众/买主/客户/消费者/顾客to talk about things that might go wrong修饰事物,表示有可能出差错◆a potential complication / danger / disaster / drawback / embarrassment / hazard / pitfall / risk / threat潜在的并发症/危险/灾难/弊端/窘况/危害/隐患/风险/威胁and to talk about things that people might gain from.修饰物,表示有可能从中获益◆a potential advantage / benefit / improvement / saving潜在的优势/利益/改善/节约OPPactual ⇨ real see also potential ⇨ potentialnoun▸potentially
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◆a potentially dangerous situation有潜在危险的局势■prospective prəˈspektɪv [only before noun] (ratherformal) expected to do or become sth有望的;可能的;预期的◆I had a phone call from a prospective client today.我今天接到一个有望成为我们客户的人打来的电话。ⓘ Prospective is mainly used to talk about people. * prospective主要用于修饰人◆a prospective buyer / client / customer / applicant / candidate / employee / employer / husband / wife / parent可能的买主/客户/顾客/申请人/候选人/雇员/雇主;准丈夫;准妻子;准父母 see also prospect ⇨ possibility, prospects ⇨ potentialNOTE辨析 Potential or prospective?Both these words can be used to talk about people who are expected to become buyers, employees, etc. However, prospective is used more to talk about a person who has already shown some interest in a product or service; potential is used more to talk about people in general who could be targeted by a company's advertising, for example.这两个词都可修饰人,表示有可能成为买主、雇员等。但是,prospective更多指这些人已经对产品或服务表现出兴趣;potential修饰消费者等时更多泛指可以被某公司设定为宣传对象等的人。■probable (ratherformal, especiallywritten) likely可能存在(或发生)的;可能是真实的◆The probable cause of the fire was an electrical fault.这次火灾的原因可能是电路故障。◆It is quite probable that they will call an election next spring.他们很可能明年春天组织一次选举。OPPimprobable ⇨ unlikely1 see also probability ⇨ possibility, probably ⇨ probablyNOTE辨析 Likely or probable?Likely can be used in a wider range of structures and registers than probable. * likely比probable可用于更广泛的结构和语域◆It is likely / probable that...有可能/很可能⋯◆sb / sth is likely to do sth某人/某事有可能做某事◆sb/sth is probable to do sthProbable is ten times more frequent in written English than in spoken English; likely is very frequent in both written and spoken English. * probable在书面语中的使用率比在口语中多十倍,likely在书面语和口语中都很常见。