n (1)词，字(one or more sounds that can be spoken or written)[C]：a two-～compound 一个由两个词组成的复合词; a short passage of about seventy～s 大约有70个字的一段小文; a book in～s and pictures 一本图文并茂的书;He spoke slowly， placing emphasis on each～. 他讲得很慢，一字一顿，语气凝重。find～s to describe it 寻找描述它的词语; He's morose — that's the～. 他郁郁寡欢，不错，就用这个词来形容他。pick one's～s 注意措辞; play on～s 玩弄文字;coin～s 造字; look up/hunt up a～in a dictionary 在词典里查找一个词; How do you pronounce/spell this～? 这个词怎么读/写? misuse/mispronounce/misspell a～用/念/拼错一个词;What's the French～for dog? 法语中狗这个字怎么说? None of the children knew what the～meant. 没有一个孩子知道这个词是什么意思。
 (2)说的话，语言(short speech or conversation or remark or statement)[C]：put one's feelings into～s 用语言表达自己的感情;I don't believe a～of it/his story. 我一点儿也不相信这件事/他说的事。She didn't believe it anyway， not a～. 她怎么也不信，一点儿也不信。Trust him. His～is as good as his bond. 信任他。他的话绝对可以相信。I am a man of few～s/of my～s. 我是一个沉默寡言/说话算话的人。have no/find no/lack～s to express one's gratitude 没有恰当的语言可以表达自己的感激之情; W～s fail me. 我难以用语言表达我的感情。have a～in sb's ear 跟某人说句悄悄话; exchange a few～s with sb 与某人争辩(吵嘴); address a few～s to sb 对某人讲了几句话;They went/ate without a～. 他们一句话也没说就走了/闷头吃着。His father's～s rang in his head. 父亲的话在他脑海里回响。back up one's～s by one's deeds 以自己的行动证实自己所说的话;a few～s of advice/thanks/sympathy/warning 几句劝告/感激/同情/警告的话;doubt/borrow/understand sb's～怀疑/借用/明白某人的话;Between people like us there is no need for～s. 像我们这种关系不需要说什么。honeyed～s 甜言蜜语;〖同〗remark，comment;
 (3)消息，信息(news or message)[U](不用冠词)： The young man brought them～of her visit. 这个年轻人给他们带来了她要来访的消息。Have you heard any～of Tom lately? 你最近听到汤姆的消息了吗?W～came of his success abroad. 传来他在国外成功的消息。W～got out/was/came that he would go ahead of his project.传来消息说他将提前完成他的计划。She sent/left/got/had～that he had arrived safely. 她捎话说/留话说/得知/得知他已安全抵达。have no～from sb 没有某人的消息;await～from sb 等待某人的消息;〖同〗message，news，information;
 (4)谣言，传闻(rumour or hearsay)[U，the～]：The～is that she's left Europe/gone back to Australia. 据说她已经离开欧洲/回到澳大利亚了。The～has it/comes that he's leaving. 据说他就要离开了。〖同〗rumour，gossip;
 (5)命令，告之(giving the order or telling sb to do sth)[U，通常the～]：wait for the～to start shooting等待开始射击的命令;give the～to fire发出开火的命令; get the～to move 得到开始行动的命令;At/On the～of command，the troops moved forward.一声令下，部队开始向前运动。At/On his～，we started to work. 接到了他的指令，我们就开始工作。Just give us/say the～when you need more help. 当你还需要帮助时，请告诉我们/说一声。I have to say the～and the plan will be put into action. 我必须下令，计划将开始执行。Their～is law. 必须服从他们的命令。Doctors always have (get) the last/final～. 医生经常说了算。The last～is his/belongs to him. 他说了算。〖同〗command，order，direction，decree;
 (6)歌词(written language for music)[C]：I know the tune of the song but I don't know the～s. 我知道这首歌的曲调，但我不知道歌词。try to get proper～s to this famous tune 试着给这首著名的曲子填上合适的词; set～s to music 为曲填词;～s by sb 由某人填词;
 (7)圣经，福音(Holly Scriptures or the Gospels)[U，the W～]：the divine W～福音; the W～of God 圣经; preach/hear the W～传/听福音;〖同〗Bible，scripture;
 a word to the wise 聪明人一点就透： A～to the wise is enough. 智者一言足矣。
 as good as one's word 守信用： I know she is as good as her～， so I trust her. 我知道她言而有信，所以我相信她。
 be not the word for不足以形容(infml)：“Tired” isn't the～for the way I feel. “疲劳”一词难以形容我的感觉。
 by/through word of mouth 口头上的：The news/rumour got around by～of mouth. 那个消息/谣言被传开了。
 (right) from the word go 从一开始 (infml)：No one told me that right from the～go. 从一开始就没人告诉我。
 (hardly/not) get a word in edgeways (不)能插嘴： She couldn't/could hardly get a～in edgeways for those two kept shouting at each other. 她插不上/几乎插不上嘴，因为那两个人一直吵个不停。
 give sb/keep one's word 许诺/守诺：I'll give her my～(my～to her). 我将对她许下诺言。The salesman has kept his～that he repaid us. 推销员遵守诺言赔偿了我们。
 go back on/depart from/break one's word 食言：You have promised and you cannot go back on/depart from/break your～. 你已经作出许诺，你不能食言。
 have sb's word for it (that...) 得到许诺：You can have my～for it that it won't happen again. 我可以向你保证，那种事不会再发生了。
 (not) have a good word to say for...(不)说……的好话 (infml)： He hardly has a good～to say for what I'm doing. 他对我正在做的事情几乎不说一句好话。
 have a word (with sb) (about sth) 私下说：I want to have a～with you about last night. 关于昨晚的事我想和你说一句。
 have (war of) words 争辩(吵)(infml)： I can see I'll have to have～s with him about this. 我明白对这件事我得和他吵一架。
 in a/one word 简而言之：In a/one～，I don't like him. 一句话，我不喜欢他。
 in other words 换句话说： In other～s， they got lost. 也就是说，他们输了。
 in one's own words 用自己的话： Tell me what happened in your own～s. 用你自己的话告诉我发生了什么事情。
 (not) in so many words (没有) 直截了当地说：He didn't say so in so many～s，but that's what he meant. 他没有直截了当地这么讲，但这就是他的意思。
 not a word (to sb) (about sth) 别说(讲)：Not a～to anyone about this. 不要对任何人说这件事。
 put in/say a (good) word for sb 为某人说好话： John's going to put in/to say a good～for me in the hope that his boss will give me a job. 约翰要为我说句好话，希望他的老板给我一份工作。
 put words in(to) sb's mouth 硬说某人说过某些话：Did you put～s into his mouth or vice versa? 是你硬说是他说的，还是他硬说是你说的?
 take sb at his word 相信某人的话：We just took her at her～and left straight away. 我们相信她的话，马上离开了。
 take sb's word for it (that...) 相信某人的话： You can take my～for it that she's not there. 请你相信我的话，她不在那里。
 take the words (right) out of sb's mouth 讲出某人要说的话：“Wasn't that a magnificent performance?” “You took the～s right out of my mouth.”“那难道不是一场精彩的演出吗?”“你说出了我要说的话。”
 upon one's words 保证，说实话： Upon my～s， I've never heard of such a thing. 我敢保证，我从来没有听说过这件事。
 word by word 一字一字地：The little boy read the story to me～by～. 小男孩一字一字地为我读那篇故事。
 word for word 逐字地：He told me what she said～for～. 他一字不差地告诉我她说了什么。
 vt 用词语表达(express by using words)[T+n，尤pass]： He～ed his explanation tactfully. (His explanation was tactfully～ed.) 他巧妙地作了解释。Try to～the letter/your answer in a friendly way. 写信/回答问题措辞尽量友好些。W～your idea clearly. 把你的想法表达清楚。These articles are plainly～ed. 这些文章浅显易懂。sharply～ed attacks措辞尖刻的攻击; strongly～ed editorials 措辞强硬的社论;a well～ed speech/statement/suggestion 措辞得体的演讲/声明/建议;〖同〗phrase，express，voice，describe，explain;
 →′word-blindness n 失读症;′wording n 词语;措辞;′wordily adv 啰唆地;′wordiness n 啰唆;′wordless adj无言的;′word-sign n 文字记号;′word-smith n 耍笔杆子的人;′word-square n 缀词方阵;′wordy adj 啰唆的