A has-been is someone who used to be important, famous, or very good at something, but that time has passed. People have moved on; the person is no longer in the centre of things, and sometimes they are half-forgotten. You hear it about singers, actors, sports stars, and now and then about politicians.

A has-been is someone who used to be important, famous, or very good at somethingA has-been是曾經很重要、很有名,或某件事做得很厲害的人 but that time has passed但那個時代已經過去了 People have moved on大家都已經往前走了 the person is no longer in the centre of things這個人不再是焦點 and sometimes they are half-forgotten有時候甚至快被忘記了 You hear it about singers, actors, sports stars, and now and then about politicians你會聽到有人這樣說歌手、演員、體育明星,偶爾也會這樣說政治人物

It is informal, and it is not kind — calling someone a has-been puts them in the past on purpose. Gossip pages and sharp conversation use it; you would not put it in a polite letter or a job reference.

It is informal, and it is not kind這個字很口語而且不太友善 calling someone a has-been puts them in the past on purpose叫某人a has-been等於是故意把他歸到過去式 Gossip pages and sharp conversation use it八卦版面和尖銳的對話裡會用 you would not put it in a polite letter or a job reference你不會在客氣的信件或工作推薦信裡用它

It can also sit in front of a noun: a has-been actor. Though actually, people sometimes say it with sadness rather than spite: they fear becoming a has-been themselves.

It can also sit in front of a noun它也可以放在名詞前面 a has-been actora has-been actor Though actually, people sometimes say it with sadness rather than spite不過有時候人們說這個字是帶著難過而不是惡意 they fear becoming a has-been themselves他們是害怕自己有一天也變成a has-been

It looks like a verb, but in this use it is a noun (and sometimes an adjective). Write it with a hyphen.

It looks like a verb, but in this use it is a noun (and sometimes an adjective)它看起來像動詞但在這個用法裡是名詞(有時候也當形容詞用) Write it with a hyphen要加連字號來寫