喜樂美語

核心畫面

Picture weighing up how a thing will turn out and finding the odds leaning one way — not certain, but the way to bet. That lean is the word, and it works as both adjective and adverb. Two spoken phrases turn it upside down: saying something is likely, in a flat voice, becomes the way English says you do not believe it at all.

可以想成：估量一件事會怎麼發展，發現天平往某一邊偏——不是確定，但要押就押這邊。這個「偏」就是這個字，形容詞和副詞都…更多收起可以想成：估量一件事會怎麼發展，發現天平往某一邊偏——不是確定，但要押就押這邊。這個「偏」就是這個字，形容詞和副詞都用它。另外有兩句口語把它整個翻過來：用平平的語氣說「這很有可能」，在英文裡反而成了「我一點也不信」的說法。

From the picture

看起來合適的

同樣是「往這邊偏」，但偏的不是機率而是眼光：這個看起來會是對的選擇。

likely, suitable, promising · adjective · B2

Seeming right or good for a particular job, use, or purpose.

合適的；有希望的

口語裡的反話

這兩句都是把「很可能」故意用在明明不可能的地方，靠語氣把意思翻成反面。

a likely story · adjective · B2

Used in the phrase "a likely story" to show that you do not believe what someone has just told you.

才怪；騙人的吧

Also in this word

likely, probable · adjective · B1

Expected to happen or be true, though not completely certain.

很可能的

likely, probably · r · B1

Probably; used to say that something will most likely happen or is most likely true.

很可能；大概

原始詞典資料12 筆記錄

以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。

Likelyname

  • 1

    A surname.

  • 2

    A census-designated place in Modoc County, California, United States.

likelyadj詞源 1/ˈlaɪkli/

  • 1

    Probable; having a greater-than-even chance of occurring.

    • Rain is likely later this afternoon.
    • His parents — a restless, titanically self-involved father and a mother who cultivated her inner life in strict solitude — seem a much likelier source for his condition.
  • 2

    Reasonably to be expected; apparently destined, probable.

    • Do you think there's likely to be snow?
    • He is likely to succeed at anything he tries.
  • 3

    Appropriate, suitable; believable; promising, having a good potential.

    • Jones is a likely candidate for management.
    • The relationship with social status is a likely topic for investigation.
  • 4

    Plausible; within the realm of credibility.

    • not a very likely excuse.
    • The DPRK propagated an extraordinary tale of his birth occurring on Mount Baekdu, one of Korea's most revered sites, being accompanied by shooting stars in the sky. It is more likely that he was born in a small village in the USSR, while his father was serving as a Soviet-backed general during the second world war.
  • 5

    Leading with high probability to some specified outcome.

    • a likely recipe for disaster.
  • 6

    archaicAttractive; pleasant.

    • I found a likely spot under a shady tree for the picnic.
  • 7

    obsoleteSimilar; like; alike.

    • For love is a celestiall harmonie Of likely harts composed of starres concent

likelynoun詞源 1/ˈlaɪkli/

  • 1

    Something or somebody considered likely.

likelyadv詞源 2/ˈlaɪkli/

  • 1

    Probably.

    • Likely he’ll win the election in this economy.
    • He’ll likely win the election in this economy.
  • 2

    obsoleteSimilarly.

資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。