单词 | erratic |
释义 | erraticer‧rat‧ic /ɪˈrætɪk/ adjective ![]() ![]() WORD ORIGINerratic ExamplesOrigin: 1300-1400 Old French erratique, from Latin errare; ➔ ERREXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES Thesaurus
Longman Language Activatoroften changing or likely to change► changeable Collocations feelings or conditions that are changeable change frequently so that it is difficult to know what they will be like in a short time: · You love him now, but at your age feelings are changeable.· I'm a changeable sort of person.· changeable weather ► erratic behaviour, processes, or services that are erratic change suddenly in an unexpected and surprising way, when it would be better if they remained the same: · Her behaviour was becoming more and more erratic.· Heating was difficult owing to erratic supplies of gas, electricity and water.· The company's erratic performance is a cause for some concern. ► volatile a volatile situation or character is likely to change suddenly and unexpectedly: · The political situation in the Balkans is still extremely volatile.· She formed enduring friendships with women and more intense, volatile ones with men. ► unstable a person, situation, or system or government that is unstable is likely to change suddenly and become worse, because there is something wrong with their character or the way things are organized: · Regimes governed by violence are always unstable.· Was it safe to trust someone who was so emotionally unstable? ► variable changing according to the situation - use this about amounts, prices, speeds, temperatures etc: · Demand for the company's products is variable.· The weather here is likely to be very variable. ► inconsistent inconsistent behaviour or work changes too often from good to bad, and you cannot trust it to be good all the time: · People feel threatened when decision-making is inconsistent and arbitrary.· A succession of injuries produced an inconsistent season for one of our best players. ► unsettled conditions or situations that are unsettled change frequently so that it is impossible to make plans or know what will happen: · It is dangerous to visit there while the political situation is so unsettled.· The weather has been very unsettled lately.· Eliot led a strangely unsettled life, drifting from place to place and job to job. COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB► more something that is erratic does not follow any pattern or plan but happens in a way that is not regular: · But as the subject's brain function becomes increasingly impaired these movements become more and more erratic.· The history of the Federal Republic might then have followed a more erratic course.· This flutter is different from a wobble in that the movement of the ball is quicker and more erratic.· His fears were no doubt compounded by the fact that Vivien's behaviour was becoming more and more erratic.· In his collection of the works of contemporaries Scott's policy was more erratic.· Informal groups are looser, more erratic in their behaviour and often much more fun.· A recent upset or altercation can unsettle some one with severe dementia, making behaviour even more erratic.· She mothered all of them in a way that Jennie could not now she was becoming more erratic. NOUN► behaviour· Often the only striking feature of such a representation is the very erratic behaviour of the observations in relation to time.· Dorman-Smith's erratic behaviour had exasperated him already.· So I settle down to write her a letter explaining my erratic behaviour. ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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