| 单词 | theory |
| 释义 | theorytheory /ˈθiəri, ˈθɪri/ ●●● S2 W2 AWL noun (plural theories) 1[countable, uncountable] science a set of ideas that explains why something happens or is true, especially scientific ideas that have been tested and are accepted as true by scientists: I love to read about new scientific theories.theory about/on The article presents several theories on the spread of crime.theory of We’re studying Einstein’s theory of relativity.a/the theory that The book is based on the theory that the dinosaurs were wiped out by an asteroid. There is plenty of evidence to support the theory.► see thesaurus at idea2[countable] an idea that someone thinks is true, but does not have facts to prove: theory on/about It seems that everyone has a theory about the case.a/the theory that Police are working on the theory that he may have been kidnapped.3[uncountable] the general principles or ideas that a subject is based on: She’s taking a music theory class.4in theory used to say that something seems to be true, but may not be true because other things may influence a situation: In theory, more competition is good for consumers. → practice1 (3) [Origin: 1500–1600 Late Latin theoria, from Greek, from theorein to look at]COLLOCATIONSverbsdevelop/propose a theory (also come up with a theory informal) Finches (=birds) on the islands helped Darwin develop his theory of natural selection.test a theory Researchers developed a questionnaire which they gave to workers to test their theory.prove a theory Now that the Higgs boson particle has been detected, the theory is closer to being proved.apply a theory (=use it in a real situation or a different situation) Scientists took what they learned on Mars and applied the theory to dust storms on Earth.support a theory Modern research strongly supports his theory.disprove a theory (also refute a theory formal) (=show that it is wrong) Later experiments seemed to disprove the theory, because the results could not be repeated.discredit a theory (=make people stop believing in it) The latest findings in astronomy discredit his entire theory.a theory predicts something (=gives accurate information about how something or someone will behave) These ripples in the fabric of space were predicted by Einstein’s theory of general relativity.a theory is based on something The theory was based on the observation that one kind of protein was found in large amounts in the brains of children, but not in adults.a theory suggests something (also a theory posits something formal) The theory posits that space expanded faster than the speed of light in the seconds after the birth of the universe.a theory holds something (=it says that something is true) The “domino theory” held that if one nation became Communists, its neighbors would follow.adjectives/nouns + theorya scientific theory Scientific theories can be tested experimentally.an economic/social/political etc. theory His economic theory assumes that both labor and capital are perfectly mobile.a conspiracy theory (=a theory that an event was the result of a secret plan made by several people) Conspiracy theories question the official account of President Kennedy’s assassination.a pet theory (=a personal theory that you strongly believe) Each of them had his pet theory on what had caused the uprising. |
| 随便看 |
英语词典包含48224条英英释义在线翻译词条，基本涵盖了全部常用单词的英英翻译及用法，是英语学习的有利工具。