When we call something prophetic, we mean it said what would happen later — and then it really did. A warning, a joke, a dream, a line in a book, or a person speaking can all be prophetic.

When we call something prophetic當我們說某件事prophetic, we mean it said what would happen later意思是它說中了之後會發生的事 — and then it really did而且後來真的發生了。A warning, a joke, a dream, a line in a book, or a person speaking一則警告、一個玩笑、一個夢、書裡的一句話，或是一個人說的話 can all be prophetic都可以是prophetic。

You hear it most after the fact: her words proved prophetic means people were not sure then, but later they saw she was right.

You hear it most after the fact你最常在事後聽到這個字: 'her words proved prophetic' means'her words proved prophetic'的意思是 people were not sure then, but later they saw she was right當時大家並不確定但後來發現她說對了。

Though actually, people stretch it. A film can be called prophetic if it only half-guessed a future that later looks a bit like ours. Newspapers love that looser use; it is a judging word, not a science word.

Though actually不過, people stretch it大家也會把這個字用得更寬鬆。A film can be called prophetic if it only half-guessed a future that later looks a bit like ours一部電影只要猜對了一半、後來看起來有點像我們的未來就可能被說是prophetic。Newspapers love that looser use報紙很愛這種寬鬆的用法; it is a judging word, not a science word這是個帶著評斷意味的字不是科學用字。

The older church sense is still alive too: prophetic can mean of a prophet, the kind of speech that claims to speak for God. In everyday English, though, the it-came-true sense is the one you will meet most.

The older church sense is still alive too比較古老的宗教用法也還在使用: prophetic can mean of a prophet, the kind of speech that claims to speak for GodProphetic可以指「屬於先知的」也就是那種聲稱代表上帝發言的言論。In everyday English, though不過在日常英文裡, the it-came-true sense is the one you will meet most你最常遇到的還是「說中了」這個意思。

The word is a little formal and a little dramatic. Friends do not usually spend it on the weather.

The word is a little formal and a little dramatic這個字有點正式、有點戲劇化。Friends do not usually spend it on the weather朋友之間通常不會拿它來講天氣這種小事。