adj (1)相等的，均等的，同等的(same in amount，degree，force，number，quality，size，value，etc) [无comp]：divide/cut into six～parts/slices 分成/切成均等的六份/片; be of～value 具有同等的价值; be～in height/in size/in amount 高度/尺寸/数量相等;demand～pay for～work with men 要求与男子同工同酬;fight for～rights 为权利平等奋斗; have an～chance 拥有同等的机会;speak English and Chinese with～ease 英语和汉语讲得一样流利; The calories in this piece of bread are～to those in four crackers. 这片面包所含的热量与那四片饼干的热量是相同的。Twice three is～to six. 三乘以二等于六。3 + 2 and 5 are～. 三加二等于五。〖同〗 even，same，like，equivalent，balanced; 〖反〗unequal，different，uneven，dissimilar，varied，diverse，unbalanced;

(2) 平等的 (having the same privileges，status，or rights) [作pred]：All men are created～/are considered～in a court of law. 人生而平等/法律面前人人平等。The rich are～with the poor in the sight of God. 在上帝面前富人和穷人是平等的。〖同〗 matched，comparable; 〖反〗 different，unlike;

(3) 能胜任的，经得起的，有 …… 能力的 (able and strong enough to deal with sth) [A(to)] [作pred]：be(feel/seem)～to sth/to doing sth 能(感到能/似乎能)胜任某事/做某事; be～to an occasion/a situation/any trial/a contest/a position/能应付某种场合/应付局面/经受任何考验/应付竞争/胜任职务;

be/put sb on an equal footing 使某人处于平等地位：We should be on an～footing with each other. 我们应该处于平等的地位。

on equal terms (with sb) (与某人)处于平等的地位：They met him on～terms. 他们与他平等相见。

n 平(同)等的人或事物(someone or something that is equal to another) [C]：treat sb as an～平等对待某人; be considered the～of sb 被认为与某人相同; have no～in sth 在某方面没有对手; without～无敌; mix with one's～s 和与自己相仿的人交往; be the～of one's word 守约; You are not his～in math/at running. 你在数学/跑步方面不是他的对手。He is his brother's intellectual～. 他在智力上与他哥哥不相上下。The French Minister of Foreign Affairs is the～of the American Secretary of State. 法国的外长与美国的国务卿地位相当。〖同〗match，equivalent，counterpart，parallel;

vt 等于，使相等，比得上 (be equal to; make or produce sth equal to) [T+n，T+n+prep (in)]：be～led by no one in intelligence 在智力上无人可以与之匹敌;～the world record in 100-metre race/the lowest price in the market 在100米赛跑中平世界记录/与市场最低价持平; No one can hope to～him. 没有任何人可以指望赶上他。These three boxes～that large one in weight. 这三个盒子和那个大盒子的重量相同。Four times five～s twenty. 5乘以4等于20。〖同〗 match， parallel，equalize; 〖反〗 disagree，diverge;

→′equally adv 相等(同)地;e͵quali′tarian adj & n 平均主义的(者);e′quality n 同(平，均)等;′equalize v (使)相(均)等;e′quation n 平(均)衡;

equal out (v adv) 与 …… 持平(vi)：The pros and cons～out. 赞成的人数与反对的人数相等。

【注意】当equal to意为“胜任”时，后面只能用名词或动名词。

【辨异】equal与equivalent均可表示等同于他物或彼此相等。equal 一般表示东西在尺寸、数量或价值等方面完全一致， 如：The bread is cut into fourteen equal slices.(面包平均切成14片); equivalent 则强调事物在意义、重要性、效果等方面相同，不能具体地去衡量，如： Nodding your head is equivalent to saying yes. (点头就等于说同意。)