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单词 illusive
释义
illusive
(once / 10755 pages)
adj

If something misleads or deceives you, it is illusive. If you think you see a unicorn in your back yard, but it suddenly disappears, you can describe the vision as illusive.
Illusive comes from illusion, an old, old word that originally meant "to mock, to make fun of, to trick." Magicians make great use of illusions, but while someone can be deliberately illusive, the word does not always imply that that someone means to mislead you. Some things, like truth, are illusive by nature; others, like the past, become hazy through time.
CHOOSE YOUR WORDS
elusive / illusive

An elusive fairy is one you can't catch, but an illusive one was never really there at all. It was just an illusion!

Anything elusive is hard to get a hold of. It eludes you. Existentialism, love, and small rodents are among things people find elusive. If you can't understand what "nothingness" is, find that special someone, or catch the little mouse who eats your cake at night, then those things are elusive. Some examples:

Predicting extreme events any further than 10 days in advance has long been an elusive goal for meteorologists. (Scientific American)

He proved an elusive foe for law enforcement. (Reuters)

Something illusive, on the other hand, is not real, even if it seems to be. The word illusive is used mostly in literature, where we find our favorite illusions. If flickering candlelight is casting scary shadows on the wall, don't worry, those are illusive villains. They aren't really there. Check out some examples from literature:

Then he knew it was an illusion of his eyes, straining suddenly in that illusive light. (Charles George Douglas Roberts)

But though all my rural visions had proved illusive, there were some very substantial realities. (Harriet Beecher Stowe)

Although both words can apply to things you don't have, don't let the difference be elusive! You can't quite catch something elusive, but illusive things are just illusions. The word illusive is less common. It likes to hang around the library, where it can be easily caught.

WORD FAMILY
illusive: illusively
USAGE EXAMPLES
The internet is still trying to process those final words that are both so obvious and yet so illusive.
Time(Nov 26, 2016)
Fuel-cell power generation has been an illusive target for decades, with a succession of companies unable to realize its business potential.
Wall Street Journal(Oct 06, 2016)
Using underwater acoustic detection technology, scientists also heard the calls of an unidentified species of illusive beaked whales.
Washington Times(Jul 28, 2016)
adj based on or having the nature of an illusion
illusive hopes of finding a better job
Syn
illusory
unreal
lacking in reality or substance or genuineness; not corresponding to acknowledged facts or criteria
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更新时间:2024/12/23 23:23:36