盘点那些自相矛盾的英语单词
英语中有不少单词，其本身存在互相矛盾的两个意思，如果不弄清楚，有时会给我们的英语阅读带来一定困扰。特定情况下，联系上下文语境即可弄清它们的具体意思。
1. sanction“制裁”&“批准”
Economic sanctions will only be lifted when the aggressor nation withdraws its troops.
只有侵略国撤回其军队，经济制裁才会解除。
They tried to get official sanction for the scheme.
他们想使计划获得正式批准。
2. overlook“检查；监视”&“忽视；忽略”
I am overlooking her work.
我正在检查她的工作。
I think there is one key fact that you have overlooked.
我认为你忽略了一个重要的事实。
3. finished“完成的”&“失败的”
Are you finished with that drill?
你的那个练习做完了吗？
This financial crisis means that the government's economic policy is finished.
这次金融危机意味着政府的经济政策失败了。
4. dust“擦去……的灰尘”&“在……上撒粉末”
I was dusting the mantelpiece when I noticed a crack.
我在擦壁炉台的时候发现了一道裂纹。
Dust the top of the cake with icing sugar.
在蛋糕上撒些糖霜。
5. left“留下”&“离开”
He left the house by the back door.
他从房子的后门离开了。
His shoes left muddy marks on the floor.
他的鞋在地板上留下了泥印。
6. trim“添加，装饰”&“修剪，剪枝”
The children are trimming up a Christmas tree with ribbons, laces.
孩子们正在往圣诞树上挂彩带和蕾丝。
He trimmed dead branches off a tree.
他从树上剪掉枯枝。
7. cleave“劈开；分开”&“粘住；紧贴”
With one blow of the knight's axe, he clove the rock in twain (= into two pieces).
武士大斧一挥，将石头劈成了两半。
The ancient ivy cleaved to the ruined castle walls.
古老的常春藤紧紧攀附在破败的城堡墙上。
注意：表“粘住；紧贴”时，cleave通常与to连用。
8. scan“细看，审视”&“粗略地看”
She anxiously scanned the faces of the men leaving the train.
她急切地盯着一张张下火车的人的脸。
I scanned through the booklet but couldn't find the address.
我很快地翻阅了一遍小册子，但没有找到那个地址。
9. fast“快速的”&“固定的”
Computers are getting faster all the time.
计算机一直在提速。
She made her end of the rope fast to a tree.
她把绳子的一头牢牢地绑在树上。
10. off“关掉”&“响起”
She turned off the TV.
她关掉了电视。
The alarm went off.
闹铃响了起来。11. weather“经受住”&“受侵蚀”
The company weathered the recession.
这家公司挺过了经济衰退。
The rock was weathered.
岩石风化了。
12. screen“放映；播出”&“遮掩；遮蔽”
The programme was not screened on British television.
这个节目没有在英国电视上播出过。
She raised her hand to screen her eyes from the bright light.
她抬手遮住耀眼的亮光。
13. help“帮助”&“抑制”
How can I help you?
我如何才能帮你呢？
I couldn't help laughing.
我忍不住大笑起来。
14. clip“剪下来”&“别上去”
I clipped his picture from the newspaper.
我把他的照片从报纸上剪了下来。
He clipped his flashlight to his belt.
他把手电筒别在腰间。
15. fine“糟糕的；不合时宜的”&“优秀的；极好的”
He picked a fine time to leave us.
在那个时候扔下我们走了，他可真是会挑时间。
This building is the finest example of its type.
这幢建筑是同类建筑中最杰出的代表。
16. flog“鞭笞，棒打”&“推销，出售”
Soldiers used to be flogged for disobedience.
过去士兵们常常因不守军令而遭鞭笞。
He tried to flog his old car, but no one would buy it.
他想快点儿卖掉他的旧车，但没人愿意买。
17. ravel“使纠缠；使错综复杂”&“弄清；解开”
Mark's interference merely ravelled things further.
马克的掺和只是让情况进一步复杂化了。
It took Daisy a long time to ravel out all the wool.
黛西花了很长时间才把毛线解开。
18. mean“吝啬的，小气的”&“极好的，出色的”
He's too mean to buy her a ring.
他太吝啬了，舍不得给她买一枚戒指。
She's a mean piano player.
她是个出色的钢琴演奏家。
19. toss out“丢弃”&“提出”
She tossed out my old chair.
她把我的旧椅子扔了。
I decided to toss out the idea.
我决定提出这个想法。
注意：第二个例句在特定情况下也可以指“抛弃”那个想法，要根据上下文而定。
20. buckle“坍塌，垮掉”&“系牢”
My knees buckled with fear.
我因为害怕而膝盖瘫软。
Buckle your seat belt.
请系好安全带。21. compromise“和解，让步”&“危害，损害”
In the end I agreed to compromise.
最终我同意让步。
The virus will compromise our immune system.
这种病毒会损害我们的免疫系统。
22. bolt“逃跑”&“锁住”
The horse bolted at the sound of the shot.
那匹马听到枪声后跑走了。
You'd better bolt your doors.
你最好锁上门。
23. trip“旅行”&“绊倒”
The trip from York to Newcastle takes about an hour by train.
乘火车从约克到纽卡斯尔大约要花1个小时。
She had a nasty trip on the stairs.
她在楼梯上重重地绊了一跤。
24. apology“道歉，谢罪”&“辩解，解释”
Please accept my apology.
请接受我的道歉。
The consequence of those measures will be the best apology for my conduct.
这些措施产生的后果为我的行为做了最佳诠释。
25. consult“寻求咨询”&“提供咨询”
If you have any questions, consult an attorney.
你有任何问题，都可以咨询律师。
The retired executive consults for several large companies.
这位退休高管为好几家大公司提供咨询。
26. custom“惯常，习惯”&“特殊的，定制的”
He left the house at nine exactly, as is his custom.
他9点准时离开了家，这是他的习惯。
Justin Bieber looks suave in his custom suit.
穿上了定制西装的贾斯汀·比伯展现了儒雅风范。
27. first-degree“最低级”&“最高级”
first-degree burn
一度烧伤（处于烧伤级别的低级）
first-degree murder
一级谋杀（处于谋杀级别的高级）
28. enjoin“嘱咐”&“禁止”
He enjoined caution.
他嘱咐要谨慎行事。
The government enjoined the publication of the book.
当局禁止出版这本书。
29. bound“去往，前往”&“束缚，绑缚”
She was on a plane bound for Moscow.
她在前往莫斯科的飞机上。
We found the girl bound.
我们发现女孩被绑起来了。
30. seed“播撒种子”&“去掉种子”
He is seeding the fields with wheat.
他在地里种小麦。
Wash, seed and cut the pepper into small pieces.
将辣椒洗净，去籽，切成小片。31. dollop“（固态的）一团，一块”&“（液态的）一点，少许”
a dollop of whipped cream
一团生奶油
a dollop of whiskey
少量威士忌
32. garnish“增添配菜”&“扣钱”
Garnish the dish with parsley before serving.
这道菜端上桌之前，可以在上面配些欧芹点缀一下。
His employer garnished his wages in order to pay his debt.
雇主扣除了他的一部分工资用于支付他所欠的债务。
33. lease“（房东）出租”&“（租客）租用”
It was agreed they would lease him the flat.
按照约定他们要把公寓租给他。
He went to Toronto, where he leased an apartment.
他去了多伦多，在那儿租下一间公寓。
34. out of“在外”&“在内”
I hardly get out of the house because I work out of my home.
我几乎不出屋，因为我在家里办公。
注意：第一个out of表示“在……之外”，第二个out of表示“在……之内”。
35. model“榜样的，优于别人的”&“按原样复制的模型”
She really is a model student.
她真是个模范学生。
There is a model of a wooden house.
这儿有一个木屋模型。
36. presently“现在”&“不久之后”
Of 200 boats, only 20 are presently operational.
200条船中，目前只有20条可用。
The room was hot and presently her eyes grew heavy and she began to feel sleepy.
屋子里很热，不一会儿她就觉得眼皮发沉，昏昏欲睡。
37. out“亮了”&“灭了”
It's a good thing the full moon was out when the lights went out.
熄灯之后，满月出来了。很好。
注意：第一个out表示“出来”，第二个out表示“灭掉”。
38. resign“辞职”&“重新签署”
She resigned as director.
她辞去了董事职务。
Athletes who renew their contracts resign with their teams.
想要续签的运动员都与各自的队重新签署了合约。
注意：第二句里的resign也可以写作re-sign，发音不同于“辞职”的resign。
39. fight with“与……打架”&“与……并肩战斗”
He fought with his mother-in-law.
他和岳母吵架了。
He fought with his mother-in-law.
他和岳母并肩战斗。
注意：还是这句英文，意思也可以理解为“他以岳母为武器进行战斗”。
40. unbending“倔强的；坚定的”&“放松，随意”
He has earned a reputation as a stern and unbending politician.
作为政治家，他以强硬和不妥协而闻名。
After a glass or two of wine she began unbending a little.
一两杯酒下肚后她开始放松了一点儿。
