英语词汇“unable”的英英意思、用法、释义、翻译、读音、例句、短语、词组-英语词典

EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS

But they were unable to produce perfect castings.
If they don't, one should dismiss the idea of cars unable to get out of the garage as sensational rubbish-mongering.
Older people were much more likely than the young to be unable to describe what they meant by health.
Security of tenure also means that a landlord may be unable to regain his house, if he wishes to.
Tommy, unable to read, is none the wiser.
What happens when a young husband and father is suddenly unable to work because of cancer?
When spot market prices rose, the utilities were unable to increase their rates.
When the police proved unable to handle them, the militia was called out.

Longman Language Activatorto be unable to have babies► not able/unable to have children

· The doctor told the couple that they were unable to have children.

► infertile

unable to have babies - used especially about women: · New medical techniques provide hope for infertile couples.

► sterile

unable to have babies or to be the father of a baby, especially when this is a permanent condition: · Susan thought that her illness had made her sterile.

to be unable to do something► can't/cannot

· "Will you help me move this?" "I'm sorry, I can't - my back's still giving me trouble."can't/cannot do something · Louise can't see anything without her glasses.· He couldn't remember where he had left the car.· I could never have climbed that ridge - I'm too out of shape.· Scientists still cannot explain exactly how the virus reproduces.· Sarah could not understand why anyone would want to hurt her.

► not be able to do something

- use this especially in the past or future tense: · Unfortunately, I wasn't able to help them.· I'm afraid I won't be able to come to the meeting after all.· The doctor told Tina she wouldn't be able to have children.· I've looked all over the house but I haven't been able to find my keys anywhere.

► be unable to do something

especially written to not be able to do something, especially something important that you want to do or need to do: · He lay awake all night, unable to sleep.· The surgery left her unable to walk for nearly three months.

► inability to do something

the fact that someone is unable to do something, used especially when you are annoyed with them because you think they are too weak, lazy etc to do it: · Her actions show an inability to distinguish between fantasy and reality.somebody's inability to do something: · He even blamed his parents for his inability to make friends.· Voters are becoming frustrated at the inability of the administration to do anything about the debt crisis.

► be incapable/not be capable

to not have the physical or mental ability to do something - often used when you are criticizing someone: be incapable/not be capable of: · Matthew seemed to be incapable of keeping a job.· She's no longer capable of taking care of herself.· Nero was a cruel man, utterly incapable of pity or sympathy.

► not be in a position to do something/be in no position to do something

informal to not be able to do something because you do not have enough knowledge, money, or authority: · I'm afraid I'm not in a position to answer your questions.· Local school boards are in no position to pay for the extra cost of the curriculum.scarcely/hardly in a position to do something: · The US is hardly in a position to criticize other countries for wasting energy supplies.

► not be equipped/be ill-equipped

to be unable to do something because you do not have the right training or experience: not be equipped/be ill-equipped to do something: · The young teacher wasn't equipped to deal with such a difficult class.· The organization is ill-equipped to deal with the problems it may encounter.not be equipped/be ill-equipped for: · After so many years in prison, Victor was not equipped for life on the outside.

► not know how to do something

to be unable to do something, especially something practical, because you have not learned how to do it: · I didn't know how to drive a car till I was 28.· A lot of the doctors here still don't know how to use the new equipment.

when a situation makes it impossible for you to do something► can't/cannot

· Look, I know I said I'd come, but I can't.can't/cannot do something · I can't go out to lunch today, I have too much work to do.· The doctor cannot see you without a prior appointment.

► not be able to do something

- use this especially in the past or future tense: · She has a meeting with her boss tomorrow, so she won't be able to come.· With everything that's been happening at the office lately, I haven't been able to spend much time at home.

► be unable to do something

use this especially when you want to be polite about the fact that someone cannot do something: · I'm sorry, but Mrs Jones is unable to see you now. Please come back at 6 o'clock.· The Pope was unable to attend, due to illness.

► it is not possible for somebody to do something

used especially when you want to give an excuse or reason for not doing something: · I have a full schedule all next week, so I'm afraid it won't be possible for me to see you then.· We had so many other orders that it wasn't possible to deliver yours any earlier.

COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES► be unable to bear something

· Fiona was unable to bear the thought of selling the house.

► be able/unable to cope

· Some young mothers feel that they aren't able to cope on their own.

► be unable to resist (doing) something

· He was unable to resist the temptation to smoke.

► be unable to sleep

· He lay down but was unable to sleep.

COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB► quite

· But today with his mind too preoccupied to work he seemed quite unable to keep his hands off it.· She was quite unable to understand why she was not allowed to leave.· But above all, I needed something that at that time I was quite unable to put into words.· Word had reached her that the author was not delayed but quite unable to come.· With all respect I am quite unable to concur in this reasoning.· There was an air of excitement about Lady Merchiston for which her companion was quite unable to account.· It seems that our collective wish for this state is so strong that we are quite unable to contemplate the opposite.· He put his arm round his grieving wife, but was quite unable to speak.

► still

· Accordingly, we are still unable to define the origin of mitochondrial introns and their distribution throughout eukaryotes.· I hung up the receiver, still unable to believe that what had happened was real.· The machines are still unable to plan; their routines for evaluating moves are as crude as ever.· I was still in a state of numbness about what she had done, still unable to feel.· Despite throwing chewing gum wrappers at stand-in boss Howard Wilkinson, he was still unable to get a game!· She pulls up a stool and sits down next to us, watching intently, still unable to stifle her laughter.· Jim went off for his first day at work in a mood of tender incredulity, still unable to stop smiling.· He had been terrified, but still unable to stop.

WORD FAMILYnounability ≠ inabilitydisabilityadjectiveable ≠ unabledisabledverbenable ≠ disableadverbably

单词	unable
释义	unableun‧a‧ble /ʌnˈeɪbəl/ ●●● W2 adjective [not before noun] Examples EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS But they were unable to produce perfect castings. If they don't, one should dismiss the idea of cars unable to get out of the garage as sensational rubbish-mongering. Older people were much more likely than the young to be unable to describe what they meant by health. Security of tenure also means that a landlord may be unable to regain his house, if he wishes to. Tommy, unable to read, is none the wiser. What happens when a young husband and father is suddenly unable to work because of cancer? When spot market prices rose, the utilities were unable to increase their rates. When the police proved unable to handle them, the militia was called out. Thesaurus Longman Language Activatorto be unable to have babies► not able/unable to have children · The doctor told the couple that they were unable to have children. ► infertile unable to have babies - used especially about women: · New medical techniques provide hope for infertile couples. ► sterile unable to have babies or to be the father of a baby, especially when this is a permanent condition: · Susan thought that her illness had made her sterile. to be unable to do something► can't/cannot · "Will you help me move this?" "I'm sorry, I can't - my back's still giving me trouble."can't/cannot do something · Louise can't see anything without her glasses.· He couldn't remember where he had left the car.· I could never have climbed that ridge - I'm too out of shape.· Scientists still cannot explain exactly how the virus reproduces.· Sarah could not understand why anyone would want to hurt her. ► not be able to do something - use this especially in the past or future tense: · Unfortunately, I wasn't able to help them.· I'm afraid I won't be able to come to the meeting after all.· The doctor told Tina she wouldn't be able to have children.· I've looked all over the house but I haven't been able to find my keys anywhere. ► be unable to do something especially written to not be able to do something, especially something important that you want to do or need to do: · He lay awake all night, unable to sleep.· The surgery left her unable to walk for nearly three months. ► inability to do something the fact that someone is unable to do something, used especially when you are annoyed with them because you think they are too weak, lazy etc to do it: · Her actions show an inability to distinguish between fantasy and reality.somebody's inability to do something: · He even blamed his parents for his inability to make friends.· Voters are becoming frustrated at the inability of the administration to do anything about the debt crisis. ► be incapable/not be capable to not have the physical or mental ability to do something - often used when you are criticizing someone: be incapable/not be capable of: · Matthew seemed to be incapable of keeping a job.· She's no longer capable of taking care of herself.· Nero was a cruel man, utterly incapable of pity or sympathy. ► not be in a position to do something/be in no position to do something informal to not be able to do something because you do not have enough knowledge, money, or authority: · I'm afraid I'm not in a position to answer your questions.· Local school boards are in no position to pay for the extra cost of the curriculum.scarcely/hardly in a position to do something: · The US is hardly in a position to criticize other countries for wasting energy supplies. ► not be equipped/be ill-equipped to be unable to do something because you do not have the right training or experience: not be equipped/be ill-equipped to do something: · The young teacher wasn't equipped to deal with such a difficult class.· The organization is ill-equipped to deal with the problems it may encounter.not be equipped/be ill-equipped for: · After so many years in prison, Victor was not equipped for life on the outside. ► not know how to do something to be unable to do something, especially something practical, because you have not learned how to do it: · I didn't know how to drive a car till I was 28.· A lot of the doctors here still don't know how to use the new equipment. when a situation makes it impossible for you to do something► can't/cannot · Look, I know I said I'd come, but I can't.can't/cannot do something · I can't go out to lunch today, I have too much work to do.· The doctor cannot see you without a prior appointment. ► not be able to do something - use this especially in the past or future tense: · She has a meeting with her boss tomorrow, so she won't be able to come.· With everything that's been happening at the office lately, I haven't been able to spend much time at home. ► be unable to do something use this especially when you want to be polite about the fact that someone cannot do something: · I'm sorry, but Mrs Jones is unable to see you now. Please come back at 6 o'clock.· The Pope was unable to attend, due to illness. ► it is not possible for somebody to do something used especially when you want to give an excuse or reason for not doing something: · I have a full schedule all next week, so I'm afraid it won't be possible for me to see you then.· We had so many other orders that it wasn't possible to deliver yours any earlier. Collocations COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES► be unable to bear something · Fiona was unable to bear the thought of selling the house. ► be able/unable to cope · Some young mothers feel that they aren't able to cope on their own. ► be unable to resist (doing) something · He was unable to resist the temptation to smoke. ► be unable to sleep · He lay down but was unable to sleep. COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB► quite · But today with his mind too preoccupied to work he seemed quite unable to keep his hands off it.· She was quite unable to understand why she was not allowed to leave.· But above all, I needed something that at that time I was quite unable to put into words.· Word had reached her that the author was not delayed but quite unable to come.· With all respect I am quite unable to concur in this reasoning.· There was an air of excitement about Lady Merchiston for which her companion was quite unable to account.· It seems that our collective wish for this state is so strong that we are quite unable to contemplate the opposite.· He put his arm round his grieving wife, but was quite unable to speak. ► still · Accordingly, we are still unable to define the origin of mitochondrial introns and their distribution throughout eukaryotes.· I hung up the receiver, still unable to believe that what had happened was real.· The machines are still unable to plan; their routines for evaluating moves are as crude as ever.· I was still in a state of numbness about what she had done, still unable to feel.· Despite throwing chewing gum wrappers at stand-in boss Howard Wilkinson, he was still unable to get a game!· She pulls up a stool and sits down next to us, watching intently, still unable to stifle her laughter.· Jim went off for his first day at work in a mood of tender incredulity, still unable to stop smiling.· He had been terrified, but still unable to stop. Word family WORD FAMILYnounability ≠ inabilitydisabilityadjectiveable ≠ unabledisabledverbenable ≠ disableadverbably not able to do something → inabilityunable to do something Lucy was unable to find out what had happened. Unable to sleep, I got up and made myself a drink.RegisterIn everyday English, people usually say that they can't/couldn't do something rather than are/were unable to do something:· She couldn't find out what had happened.
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