標題: 實用英語話你知：Water down (淡化) [打印本頁] 作者: dingdong 時間: 2009-1-13 09:26:05 標題: 實用英語話你知：Water down (淡化)
[都市日報 2009-1-13]
幾個月前，政府提出停車熄匙建議。在營業車司機反對後，政府公佈折衷的建議。The government has watered down a proposal to ban vehic les parked with idling engines after strong opposition from commercial-vehicle drivers。去年底，聯合國氣候會議結束。一些環保團體如綠色和平說，歐盟的方案接受大量的碳，把一個非凡的計劃「淡化」了。Environmental groups like Greenpeace said the European Union package “watered down” an ambitious programme by giving too many carbon credits。
Water down 是「淡化、折衷」的意思。其他例子：I have watered down the report’s conclusions so as not to alarm the staff是「我把報告的結論加以淡化，免得各位同事驚慌」，They have returned with a watered down and more acceptable version of the proposal是「他們帶著一個折衷的、更易接受的建議回來了」。
注意： Water down的常用意思是「摻了水」。例如：This wine has been watered down.