常见的肯定形式表示否定意义
■anything but 决不 (=not…at all)
Your answer is anything but perfect. 你的答复一点儿也不完美。
注:该结构也可如下例一般,表示“除~外,任何都…”之意:
I’ll give you anything but that. 除了那个之外,我什么都可以给你。
■far from 完全不
The show was far from being a success. 那次表演并不成功。
■fail to 无法~ (=do not, cannot)
Even Big Ben failed to strike correctly one day when its chiming mechanism failed. 即使是大笨钟(英国国会议堂大钟),都有可能因为敲钟装置故障而有敲错的一天。
注:never fail to 意为“一定”。如:
He never fails to write home to his parents every month. 他每个月必定写信给他的双亲。
■too…to… 太……,以致无法……
He was too young to have learned to say no to a woman. 他太年轻了,还没学会向女人说不。
■the last+名词+to不定式〔关系代词从句〕 最不……
Jack would be the last man to believe that. 杰克是绝对不可能相信这种事的人。
He is the last person who(m) we would want to come. 他是我们最不欢迎的人。
■much [still] less 更别提
He can hardly understand French, much less Latin. 他不太懂法文,更别提拉丁文。
注:let alone 也有“更别说”之意:
He cannot speak German, let alone Dutch. 他不会说德文,更别提丹麦文了。
■know better than to 还没笨到……
I know better than to do such a thing. 我还没笨到去做那种事。
■(but) in vain (但却)无法办到
He tried to open the door, (but) in vain. 他试着要开门,但却做不到。
■more than 无法……
The heat was more than he could stand. 那种炎热的程度是他所不能忍受的。
■beyond 无法……
The scenery is beautiful beyond description. 那里的风景美得非笔墨可形容。
■be above 是……之力所不能及,无法……
Her lecture was above me (=my understanding). 她上的课超乎我能理解的范围。
He is above telling lies. 他不屑撒谎。
■be free from 没有,不
This district is free from air pollution. 这个地方是没有空气污染的。
注:be free of 也可表示:没有。如:
Some day the world may be free of hunger. 也许有一天世界能免于饥荒。