2024年3月18日发(作者：斐讯k2p路由器)

这些形容词描述因为特别优秀或有驱动力而使某物区别与其它事物或相关联的情况。

Outstanding是这些形容词中最普通也是最不正式的词。它最适合于表示优秀：an

outstanding scientist of the past century. 但是，它可以暗示一种完全与环境不搭配的

特征：the outstanding impression of squalor that the town left us with.

Outstanding也可以指许多偶然因素中最重要的因素：frustration as the outstanding

cause of the prison riots. Foremost比outstanding正式得多，但除此以外，其用法与

这相类似。它更强烈地表示所指的优秀，差别或力量在许多争夺第一位的竞争者中是程度

最重的：the foremost interpreter of Bach; the foremost port of the region; the

foremost reason for the legislator's change of attitude. 当表示个人的优秀时，

foremost 表示正式的或官方的认可和批准，而非实际的优异：Kozeluch was the

foremost composer of his day despite Mozart's outstanding creative triumphs.

Distinguished几乎只强调foremost的最后这一种含义，表示得到公众承认和敬仰

的美德：distinguished composers who, unlike their obscure colleagues, do not

have to struggle to get a hearing for their music. Prominent并非总是含有foremost

或distinguished所包含的优秀的意思。它可以指完全基于其它理由而获得的地位，或者

仅表示为广大的受众所熟悉：socially prominent families; a novel that became

prominent because of its sensationlism.

Dominant 主要指偶然性力量或有权力的地位（强调支配地位）：From her

dominant position as chief executive officer, she saw fit to overrule the suggestions

made by the foremost authorities; the corporation, consequently failed to make an

outstanding contribution to the nation's economy. Paramount严格表示显著的优越

性，而非多数或少数因素中最重要的一种优秀：lack of civilian morale as the

paramount cause of our defeat. 但是，在很多语境中，paramount会被认为过于正式。

另一方面，predominant和preponderant表示对最接近的竞争者保持相对微弱的优势。

Predominant表示一种最近的优势或与其它几乎同样重要的因素密切相关的因素（强调

发展的优势，但还未取得支配地位）：the era when religious tolerance became

predominant; an electorate for whom the issues are the predominant consideration

out of many extraneous factors vying for their attention. Predominant很少用于指

人，与dominant所表示的权力和控制相比，它表示不明确或非决定性的因素：the

predominant apathy of the people that enabled the radical party to gain its

dominant position. Preponderant与predominant 的用法类似，但是它特别强调数量

而不是支配地位。【All kinds of trees flourish in the region,but the preponderant

species is the maple; Caution was foremost in the minds of a preponderant number

of voters.】

Prevailing与preponderant和predominant的意思很相近，但是它表示一种虽然

平常，但却是间断的或不可持续的支配地位：prevailing westerly winds. 它也可以表示

一种决定的，但却非一致同意的共识：the prevailing bipartisan foreign policy.

反义词：mediocre, usual.

翻译自《choose the right word》