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单词 difficult
释义
difficultdif‧fi‧cult /ˈdɪfɪkəlt/ ●●● S1 W1 adjective Word Origin
WORD ORIGINdifficult
Origin:
1300-1400 difficulty
Examples
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
  • a difficult job
  • Campbell has the reputation of being difficult to work with.
  • Heavy snow will mean difficult driving conditions in some areas.
  • I'd like to thank the staff for working very hard in these difficult conditions.
  • It's very difficult to find people who are willing to do the job.
  • My mother's illness makes it difficult for her to walk.
  • My wife and I have gone through some difficult times.
  • Officials say they are in the difficult position of having to implement a law they strongly.
  • Stop being difficult!
  • That's a good question, but it's a difficult one to answer.
  • The insects are so small that they are difficult to see without using a microscope.
  • The reading exercise was very difficult for most of the children.
  • Things at home have been very difficult since my father died.
  • Until now, patients often found it difficult to get information about their rights.
  • When Darren was a little boy, he was very difficult at times.
EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
  • According to industry officials, a new breed of digital phone transmits in computer code that is much more difficult to intercept.
  • Being almost the colour of the rocks, the Harpies are difficult to spot before they move.
  • Felipe takes me to the coast too but it is a bit difficult now that I can not see.
  • In its good fortune, Sears may illustrate several keys to thriving in a difficult retail environment.
  • More difficult would be patients with a deep seated psychological problem which would require more than three months' treatment.
  • The difficulty with habits is that they are difficult to change.
  • This is made more difficult by the speed at which new stores are now built.
  • To be a member of more than two or three real teams at the same time is difficult.
Thesaurus
THESAURUS
not easy to do, understand, or deal with: · a difficult question· The homework was really difficult.· It is difficult to see how peace can be achieved in the region.
difficult. Hard is less formal than difficult and is very common in spoken English: · The test was really hard.· a hard decision· It was hard to forgive him.
very difficult, because you have to use a lot of effort, or because it affects you emotionally: · a tough race· Doctors have to make tough decisions about who to treat first.· The team faces some tough competition.· Life is tough sometimes.
difficult because it is complicated and full of problems: · She had helped him out of a tricky situation.· Merging the two companies was bound to be tricky.
rather difficult to deal with – used especially when something could be embarrassing: · You’ve put me in a very awkward position.· It was getting dark and foggy, which made the rescue even more awkward.
difficult in an interesting or enjoyable way: · I wanted a job that was more challenging.· a challenging piece of music
difficult and tiring, because it takes a lot of effort: · Being a nurse in a busy hospital is a demanding job.· it can be very demanding bringing up young children.
if something seems daunting, you think that it will be difficult and you do not feel confident about being able to do it: · a daunting challenge· The task seemed a little daunting at first.
needing to be dealt with carefully or sensitively, especially in order to avoid offending people or causing problems: · This is a very delicate subject, and it can be difficult to talk about it with your parents.· He thanked me for the way in which this delicate matter had been handled.
Longman Language Activatordifficult to do or understand
· That's a good question, but it's a difficult one to answer.difficult for · The reading exercise was very difficult for most of the children.difficult to see/hear/describe etc · The insects are so small that they are difficult to see without using a microscope.it is difficult (for somebody) to do something · It's very difficult to find people who are willing to do the job.find it difficult to do something · Until now, patients often found it difficult to get information about their rights. make it difficult for somebody to do something · My mother's illness makes it difficult for her to walk.
not easy to do or understand. Hard is less formal than difficult: · I thought the exam was really hard.· The hardest thing about moving to a new place was meeting new people.it is hard (for somebody) to do something: · It's hard to see the stage from here.· It was hard for me to understand her - her accent was very strong.find it hard to do something: · I find it hard to believe that he didn't know the gun was loaded.
very difficult to do or deal with - use this about jobs, decisions, questions, or problems: · The judge asked the lawyers on both sides some very tough questions.· The governor is trying to show voters that he's able to deal with the toughest issues facing Ohio today.
spoken use this about something difficult you have been asked to do, especially when you do not think it is likely you will be able to do it: · "Can you finish the work by Friday?'' "Sounds like a tall order to me, but I'll see what I can do.''
spoken use this to tell someone that something is much more difficult than they think it is: · Talking calmly to a screaming child sounds like a good idea, but any parent will tell you it's easier said than done.
: not the easiest...to do spoken use this to say that it is difficult to do something: · I'll drive you there -- it's not the easiest place to get to if you don't have a car.· I tried to explain it to him, but he's not the easiest person to talk to.
use this to say that something is difficult to do or make: · Finding a solution to the present crisis in the region is no easy task.not an easy task/job/decision: · The roads are often dangerous, and getting food to the villages has not been an easy task.
spoken something that is difficult and annoying to do or deal with: · It was a pain - I had to read more than 200 articles - but I learned a lot from it.· Getting across town at rush hour is a real pain in the neck.
needing a lot of skill, hard work, and determination
a challenging job or activity needs a lot of hard work and skill, but it is also interesting and enjoyable: · The job wasn't challenging enough for me - I wanted something more creative.· Bowden called the piece "one of the most challenging pieces of music I've ever played."
if a new job or activity is a challenge , it is difficult, but you are determined to do it because it is interesting and exciting: · You may find your first couple of months in the job quite a challenge.· Getting the two groups to work together was a challenge, but we did it.
a demanding job or activity is very difficult and tiring, because it needs all your effort and skill: · Being a nurse in a busy hospital is a demanding job - you don't get much free time.
if something is daunting , it seems almost impossible, and the idea of doing it makes you feel nervous: · Climbing Everest is a daunting challenge for any mountaineer.daunting task: · I was faced with the daunting task of learning the whole script in 24 hours.
spoken use this about something that needs a lot of effort, skill, or determination, and you admire someone who does it: · Winning 3 gold medals in the Olympic Games takes some doing.· It took some doing, but I finally persuaded Jim to give me a few more days off.
formal difficult for someone because of needing more mental or physical effort than they are able to give: · The job was taxing, but there were some good moments.· Later in the pregnancy when the drive to work was getting too taxing, I worked at home two days a week.
needing hard work and a lot of attention given to the details of a job, in order to make sure that it is done well: · Film-editing is a difficult and exacting job.· The article is based on the institute's exacting study of wages in the health care professions.
if an activity, job etc stretches you, it is difficult enough to make you use all your skill, ability etc, and this helps you become better at it: · The exercises are designed to stretch the abilities of even the most advanced students.· I was disappointed with the course -- I didn't feel I was being stretched enough.
needing a lot of energy or physical effort
tiring and needing a lot of work, energy, or physical effort: · Let your mother sit down. She's had a hard day at work.· Their car broke down, and they were suddenly faced with a long hard walk back to the nearest town.
needing a lot of physical effort: · The doctors advised against any strenuous activity for six weeks.· Last season his trainers put him through a strenuous running program.
backbreaking work, especially work that involves carrying and lifting heavy things, is extremely hard and needs a lot of physical effort: · After four hours of backbreaking work, we had finally pulled the wall down.
British /grueling American something that is gruelling is extremely tiring because it continues for a long time and you have to use a lot of effort continuously: · The Le Mans 24-hour race is the most gruelling event in the motor-racing calendar.· Before they join the army, young recruits are put through a particularly grueling endurance course.
written work or a journey that is arduous is long and tiring and needs a lot of strength and effort: · In those days, long-distance travel was slow and arduous.· Today, Corbett will continue his arduous climb to the top of the park's highest peak.
extremely difficult in a way that damages or weakens something or makes someone feel very tired: · The transatlantic flight was a punishing task for the plane's old engines.· He set himself a punishing schedule of talks, lectures and conferences all over America.
spoken use this when something is extremely difficult and needs a lot of effort or skill: · Traveling five days a week is murder. I can't do it anymore.it is murder doing something: · It's murder trying to park in this town!
British informal if something is a slog, it takes a lot of time and effort and is often boring: · He didn't become famous overnight -- it's been a long hard slog.· The first half of the book was quite interesting but the last part was a bit of a slog.
complicated and needing a lot of care
a tricky job is difficult to do because it is complicated and you have to do it very carefully: · Getting the two sides of the mobile to balance is tricky.be (a) tricky business (=be difficult to do): · Refuelling a plane in mid-air is a tricky business.
British difficult to do because you have to handle very small objects: · He managed to fix the television, but it was a time-consuming and fiddly job.fiddly to eat/mend/open etc: · I don't like shrimps -- they're so fiddly to eat.
a situation that is difficult to deal with or talk about
a difficult situation or subject is not easy to deal with or talk about, and it makes you feel nervous or unhappy: · Things at home have been very difficult since my father died.be in a difficult position (=to have problems that are difficult to deal with): · Officials say they are in the difficult position of having to implement a law they strongly disagree with.
an awkward situation or subject is difficult to deal with or talk about, especially because it might be embarrassing: · He's at an age when kids start asking awkward questions - like 'Where do babies come from?'
a tricky situation is one that you have to deal with very carefully, because there are a lot of things that could easily go wrong: · Teachers often have to deal with tricky situations such as interviews with angry parents.it could/would be tricky to do something: · It would be very tricky to try to stabilize the region without the support of other countries.
a delicate matter, subject, situation etc is one that you must be very careful talking about or dealing with because you risk offending or upsetting people: · I am seeking your professional advice on a very delicate matter.· Madeline was wondering how to approach the delicate question of her salary with her new boss.
something that is sensitive , such as a political or social problem or a document, is likely to cause trouble or be likely to upset someone: · The team is gathering information on the sensitive subject of child abuse.· The administration claims that the documents contain information of a highly sensitive political nature.
a touchy subject or situation is one that you must be very careful talking about or dealing with because you risk upsetting or offending someone: · Until now both candidates have avoided talking about the touchy subject of health care reform.
informal a political problem that is very difficult for the government to deal with because there is a lot of disagreement about it: · Fortunately for the government, this issue has drawn attention away from the hot potato of funding the London Underground.
to make a situation more difficult
to make a situation worse or harder to deal with: · The differences in languages made the negotiations more difficult.· Changes in the bus service will make it harder for people to get to the hospital and other medical facilities.· The new job means more hours at work, which makes it harder for me to see my kids.
to make a situation, problem etc more difficult by making it more complicated: · I don't need a boyfriend - they just complicate your life.complicate matters/things: · Far from helping the situation, the new regulations are likely to complicate matters.greatly complicate: · A student who has no desire to learn greatly complicates the teacher's job.
someone who is unhelpful and causes problems
someone who is difficult is not easy to live with or work with because they do not behave in a helpful, friendly way: · When Darren was a little boy, he was very difficult at times.· Campbell has the reputation of being difficult to work with.
someone who is awkward is deliberately unhelpful and unfriendly, and seems to like causing problems for people: · Do you have to be so awkward about everything?
spoken someone who is impossible makes you annoyed and impatient, for example because they are never satisfied or they keep changing their mind: · She's impossible! Even when I offer to help her she always finds some reason to complain.· Dan's impossible to live with when he's sick.
someone who is a pain is annoying and difficult to deal with: · Carla can be a pain sometimes, but she's been a good friend to me.· Little brothers are such a pain in the neck!
a child who is always behaving badly and often gets into trouble: · In my years as a teacher, I've seen plenty of problem children come and go.
very difficult to deal with, live with, work with etc: · I'm not surprised you've had problems with Diane. She's not the easiest person to work with, is she?
British informal someone who is bolshy behaves in an unhelpful, bad-tempered way and argues with the people that they are supposed to obey: · Stop being so bolshie and just get on with it, will you?
a time when you have a lot of problems
use this about a period of time when you have a lot of problems or a lot of bad things happen to you: · The last few months have been especially hard for her.· Those few days were so difficult that I decided to leave my job.· 1996 was perhaps the worst year the automobile industry has faced so far.have a difficult/hard time: · Most families have a very difficult time dealing with a family member's drug addiction.
use this about a period of time when there are a lot of problems, especially when these are very serious: · It seemed that the bad years were finally behind me.(have a) bad time: · He had an especially bad time at boarding school.
spoken use this about a situation or period of time when you have had a lot of problems or a lot of bad things have happened to you: · He's a good person to be with if ever you're in a tough situation.· Many of the veteran players had a tough time adjusting to the coach's style.
difficult conditions
difficult conditions are ones that make what you are doing more difficult: · Heavy snow will mean difficult driving conditions in some areas.· I'd like to thank the staff for working very hard in these difficult conditions.
British /unfavorable American unfavourable conditions make it difficult for someone to do something, or for something to exist: · Bloom states clearly that he believes that many schools provide unfavorable learning conditions.· Despite an unfavourable business environment, the stock market remained steady.unfavourable for: · Weather forecasters said winds and 13-foot waves may make conditions unfavorable for clean-up and salvage operations.
adverse conditions make it difficult for someone to do something, or for something to exist: · Planes are being kept on the ground because of the adverse weather.· In spite of adverse public opinion, the plan to privatize the railways continued.
use this to describe severe conditions or weather that make it difficult for people to live or travel: · The Antarctic survey team will be using vehicles specially designed to cope with the hostile environment.
to have problems when you are trying to do something
if you have difficulty when you are trying to do something, you cannot easily do it: have difficulty/trouble (in) doing something: · It was obvious the patient was having great difficulty breathing.have difficulty/trouble with something: · A lot of Japanese students of English have trouble with the pronunciation of "b's and "v's.
to not be able to do something easily, especially because you do not have enough ability or skill: · I found the course difficult at first, but it gradually got easier.find it difficult to do something: · She always found it difficult to keep up with the rest of the class.
if you do something with difficulty , you can do it, but only by using all your strength, all your determination etc: · She spoke with difficulty, choking back her tears.
to find it difficult to do something, especially because there are unexpected problems or because you have difficulty persuading other people: · I tried to find the house but I had such a hard time, I decided to give up.have a hard time doing something: · I'm still having a hard time getting the company to pay me.
if you can hardly or can barely do something, especially something physical, it is so difficult that you almost cannot do it: · By the end of the day she could hardly walk.· The smell was so bad that I could barely force myself to stay in the room.
if a situation or job is too much for someone , it is too difficult for them to deal with: · All the bullying and back-stabbing in the office was simply too much for him.· The job was too much for any single manager to cope with.
if something is a struggle you have to try very hard and even suffer in order to do it: · Clark lived 112 days on the artificial heart, and each day was a struggle.· She managed to get her money out of the welfare office, but only after a struggle.it is a struggle (for somebody) to do something: · It was a struggle for my mother to understand our lifestyle, but she tried very hard.it is a struggle doing something: · It was a struggle trying to feed a family of five on my salary.
if you say someone would be hard put or hard pressed to do something, you doubt that they would be able to do it because you think it is too difficult: · The two girls look so similar that you'd be hard put to tell the difference between them.· The governor will be hard pressed to find more money for schools while dealing with a $6 billion budget deficit.
also have your work cut out informal to have to work very hard if you are going to succeed in doing something: · I'll have my work cut out to get this design finished by this afternoon.· Rice hopes to break the record during tonight's game, but he'll have his work cut out for him.
informal to have to start doing something difficult such as a new job without people making it easier for you because you are new: · When I first started teaching I was really thrown in at the deep end -- I had a class of forty six-year-olds all on my own.
British spoken if you have a job doing something , it takes a lot of time or a lot of effort, and you may not be able to do it: · You'll have a job persuading him to give you any more money.· There was some kind of festival going on, and we had a job finding somewhere to park the car.
to pretend that something is more difficult than it really is
British to pretend that a piece of work you have to do is more difficult than it really is, especially so that other people will notice and feel sorry for you: · Whenever I ask my husband to do the washing he always makes a real meal of it.· There's no need to make such a meal of it -- here, give it to me.
a time or arrangement that causes difficulties
· I'm afraid he's come at an inconvenient time.inconvenient/not convenient for · I can call you back later if it's not convenient for you to talk now.· They discussed moving the office to a new building downtown but it wasn't convenient for most of the staff.it is inconvenient to do something · If you find it inconvenient to come to the office, we can email the files to you.
especially spoken a time that is not convenient because you are busy or you have made other plans: · Sorry - have I come at a bad time?
spoken if something, especially an arrangement, time, date etc is bad for or is no good for you, it is not convenient because you have other plans: · Saturdays are no good for me. Could we play Fridays instead?· Would it be bad for you if we met at my house instead of yours?
if something is awkward or difficult , it is inconvenient to do it, especially because it would interrupt something else: · Robson's resignation comes at an awkward time for the company.· Things are a bit difficult at the moment. Can I call you back this afternoon?
easy to do, use, or understand
not difficult to do, use, or understand: · The questions were really easy.· It's an easy journey - we just drive to the station, then take the direct train to Paris.· Our new computer system should make the work a lot easier.easy to read/use/learn etc: · All the instructions are in large print to make them easy to read.it is easy to do something: · It is easy to see why she didn't marry him.easy for somebody to do something: · Was it easy for you to find a job?find something easy/find it easy to do something: · Susan's always found school work easy.· He doesn't find it easy to talk about his personal feelings.
easy not hard is more informal than not difficult: · "Did you make this pizza yourself?" "Yes, it's not difficult."it's not difficult to do something: · It's not difficult to see why she's unhappy all the time.· The reason for the problem is not hard to find.
easy to understand or do because it is not complicated - use this about things like explanations or instructions, or about machines or systems: · She drew us a simple map so that we wouldn't get lost.· I like this recipe because it's so simple.be simple to use/make/prepare etc: · The new photocopier is much simpler to use than the one we had before.
easy to understand and easy to do, so someone should not have any problems - use this especially about a method or process: · It is very straightforward - you just type the file name, then press 'Enter'.· There's a straightforward calculation for working out how much tax you have to pay.
spoken easy to use or understand - use this especially about computers or written information: · We are trying to develop software that is more user-friendly.· The booklet is intended to be a user-friendly guide to pension schemes.
someone who causes a lot of problems
someone who deliberately causes problems, especially by complaining a lot or trying to make people fight or argue: · The violence was started by a small group of troublemakers.· Women who point out cases of harassment risk being labelled troublemakers.
someone who is difficult or awkward causes a lot of problems, because they behave in an unreasonable or unhelpful way: · Darren's always been such a difficult child.difficult/awkward about: · She's being really awkward about the divorce.
when someone causes problems, especially deliberately
to cause a problem, even if you do not intend to: · After a while, John started causing problems in class.· They have two good running backs who can cause problems for our team's defense.· A popular independent candidate could create problems for the Democrats by taking away votes.
to deliberately cause problems, especially by starting arguments or fights: · Don't give him another drink, or he'll start causing trouble.· Some of the demonstrators were determined to make trouble, whatever the police did.· It's not just gang members that cause trouble, it's middle- and upper-class kids too.
to deliberately cause problems and make it difficult for someone to do something, for example in order to punish them or persuade them to do something: · They can't actually stop us, but they could make life difficult.make life difficult for: · Some employers have made life difficult for employees who need time off for extended illnesses.
informal to deliberately treat someone badly and cause trouble for them, for example by criticizing them, complaining, or asking them a lot of difficult questions: · When I first came here everyone gave me a really hard time, because I was the first woman to run a department.give sb a hard time about: · My mother gave me a really hard time about Freddy. She couldn't stand him.
informal to cause problems by making changes in a situation that everyone else thinks is satisfactory: · We have a pretty good life here. Why rock the boat?· Judge Thurgood Marshall never hesitated to rock the boat, from the beginning of his long legal career.· A lot of people have a don't-rock-the boat mentality that stops them from complaining.
when a fact or situation causes problems
to cause a problem that has to be dealt with: · You would be the only woman on a staff of over thirty men, which could create problems.· Both parents and teachers are worried about the problems posed by drugs.cause/create/pose a problem for: · Rebecca was frequently late for work, which caused problems for her colleagues.· Rising inflation could pose a major problem for the government.
to cause problems for someone and make it difficult or inconvenient for them to do what they want to do: · Petty arguments between staff have made the manager's life difficult.make life difficult for: · The rail strikes are making life increasingly difficult for people who have to travel into London every day.
if an activity or a plan presents a problem , there is a problem connected with it that has to be dealt with: · Constructing a highway in this area would present enormous difficulties.present a problem/difficulty for: · Live television programmes present special problems for the broadcaster.present somebody with a problem/difficulty: · Britain's relationship with other members of the European Union presents Blair with problems, just as it did for the Tories.
something that is troublesome keeps causing problems over a period of time: · The infection can be particularly troublesome if it affects the lungs or throat.· The plant is regarded as a troublesome weed in rice fields.
informal to cause problems over a period of time that are difficult to deal with: · Messy walkways and picnic tables are just some of the headaches caused by the hundreds of ducks that gather by the lake.be a headache for: · Censorship is always a constant headache for newspapers in the republic.give somebody a headache: · The scandal has given the minister a very public headache.
if difficulties, illnesses, doubts, problems etc plague someone, there are a lot of them and they keep causing trouble for a long time: · Social problems plague these low-income communities.· The area is plagued by soil erosion and flooding.
if a problem or bad luck dogs someone or something, it keeps causing trouble for a long time and prevents them from succeeding: · The team has been dogged by injury all season.· Zambia had none of the heritage of war and violence that dogged, say, Kenya or Zimbabwe.
Collocations
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
 It’s difficult to see how more savings can be made.
 That’s rather difficult for me to explain. He’s finding it difficult to get a job.
(=cause problems for someone) She’s doing everything she can to make life difficult for him.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
(=used mainly about the time when people are teenagers)· 13 – 16 is often a difficult age.
(=easy or difficult to deal with)· Marcus was a very happy, easy child.
· It was a very difficult choice for me.
· Many teachers are doing a very good job under difficult circumstances.
· The economic situation created an unfavourable climate for investment.
· Difficult concepts can sometimes be explained by diagrams or graphs.
· We were finding it difficult to cope financially.
 We found his statement hard to credit.
· In the end I took the difficult decision to retire early.
· He was in a serious dilemma because neither option seemed very desirable.
(=used to say that something cannot be made to seem more important etc than it already is)· It is difficult to exaggerate the strength of people’s feelings on this matter.
· The company is facing an uncertain future.
 You might not like O'Donnel’s arrogance, but it’s hard to fault what he does on the field.
 Hyperactive children find it difficult to concentrate.
 The plot is a little difficult to follow.
 It’s hard to guess his age because he dyes his hair.
· It’s hard to imagine the suffering she must have gone through.
(=difficult, and perhaps impossible)· Obtaining funding for the film will be difficult, if not impossible.
· He was able to grasp complex issues quickly.
· It was a difficult journey, especially in the winter months.
· The economic results of the reforms are difficult to judge.
 The use of computers has made it possible for more people to work from home.
 The support being given is of a practical nature.
· The agreement is the result of two years of long and difficult negotiations.
(=used to emphasize that something is very important)· It is hard to overestimate the effect the war has had on these children.
 The flavour was hard to pin down.
· I was in the difficult position of having to choose between them.
· Does the team have the skills to tackle these difficult problems?
 The damage caused to the tourist industry is difficult to quantify.
· Some of the questions in the last section were very difficult.
· The temptation to follow them was hard to resist.
· This book will show you how to deal with difficult situations.
 Drug addicts are fairly easy to spot.
· He was 13 and going through that awkward stage.
 Rob found Cathy’s attitude hard to stomach.
(=very complicated)· Immigration is a complex subject.
· The task of selecting just five candidates is difficult.
· Measures to slow down traffic on the main street have actually made things worse.
· She has had to make the difficult transition from child actor to adult star.
 Drop-down menus make the program very easy to use.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
· Make your windows as difficult to break in to as possible.· Identifying such scars may prove as difficult as linking tsunami deposits unambiguously to impacts.· The problem may not, however, be as difficult as it seems.· To reconstruct his thought and rediscover its movement is as difficult as investigating his secretive life.· It's not as difficult as I thought it would be.· And looking at our own context is as difficult for us as it is for fish to look at water.· Alex's task of dictating the pace was quite as difficult as Michael's of delivering the lines.· It would have been as difficult to discover any resemblance between the two situations as between the appearance of the persons concerned.
· Goal conflicts make this socio-economic leap extremely difficult for any individual to absorb.· A composite building of steel plus concrete is extremely difficult to achieve in New York City.· There are grounds for arguing that learning hierarchies like this which are both progressive and universal are extremely difficult to find.· It forces real interest rates into the stratosphere and makes rapid growth extremely difficult.· When we find this extremely difficult, there are a few things we can do to make it easier.· Yet many new entrepreneurs find it extremely difficult to ask anyone for money.· Trading conditions in many countries were extremely difficult last year, but both spirits and beers increased their trading profits.· One note of caution: Work inhibition is extremely difficult to diagnose.
· It's easy enough to say this: I know from experience how difficult it is in practice!· He knew how difficult she would find breaking away from the life she had been living.· New parents rarely anticipate just how difficult unequal parenting is on a marriage.· It helps one understand how difficult it is just to eat, to pick things up or to dry your feet.· I understand how difficult it may be for you to dare to dream.· And it occurred to me that I neither knew how many the family owned nor how difficult mine would be to replace.
· Ideas of Divine Right were, it is true, becoming increasingly difficult to justify in intellectual terms.· As these examples suggest, it becomes increasingly difficult to disentangle royal and ducal retinues.· Warm, affectionate moments may become less frequent and increasingly difficult to achieve.· And it was true, she was finding breathing increasingly difficult, thanks to the wild commotion in her heart.· And raising hard money became increasingly difficult as the campaign wore on.· As demands crowd in on you it becomes increasingly difficult to keep things in perspective.· Some are now developing exclusively for the IBM-compatible platform, making it increasingly difficult to find software for Apple machines.
· It will also be more difficult to bring in relatives and easier to expel immigrants.· They become less effective and even more difficult when a patient suffers a relapse.· When it comes to expanded memory on an 8086 you are correct in thinking that life is a bit more difficult.· This has made our task if anything yet more difficult, punctuated by agonizing debates and times of distrust.· They also made it more difficult for temporary residents or visitors to become permanent residents.· In a world of shifting boundaries, vanishing borders, and proliferating frontiers, security is even more difficult to achieve.· Whilst this is more difficult to remember, it involves less typing.· Compromise, the essence of politics, becomes more difficult after one has staked out a position in public.
· I hope to show that the incompetence that is most difficult to correct is tightly coupled with skilfulness.· The most difficult drug shipments to detect are those secreted in the container boxes of commercial ships.· Small, immature goats suffer most; they find moving around in deep snow most difficult and demanding.· She also pronounced the film among the most difficult to use.· He was a most difficult man, and yet she hated him to think so ill of her.· Some of the most difficult diagnostic problems may be caused by the person who functionally elaborates an underlying organic disease.· That, however, though serious, is not the most difficult task to be faced in interpreting these issues.· For many young people this is the most difficult problem that they have ever had to deal with in their lives.
· When confronted with a small garden for the first time, its often difficult to know what to do for the best.· There are three characters called James in the New Testament, and it is often difficult to distinguish them in later legend.· In practice, however, the precise boundaries of ministerial responsibility are often difficult to define.· It is often difficult to distinguish the effects of low infections from malnutrition.· Even teenagers, often difficult to entertain, rate it highly.· Membership is gained consciously or unconsciously and it is often difficult to determine the time when a person becomes a member.· It was often difficult to persuade able men to accept diplomatic posts in distant capitals.
· Finding the rodding arm in an inspection chamber fitted with an interceptor trap is particularly difficult.· Deciding when this occurs is particularly difficult for the therapist.· It also helps them anticipate situations that are particularly difficult.· It was particularly difficult to remove from the corners.· Younger players in particular, as well as less established players, may find it particularly difficult to resist such pressures.· Calculations for transition metal species present particularly difficult problems.· This concept of structure is particularly difficult to grasp because it appears not once but twice.
· This is quite difficult to do unless you are sure you want to give up that last feed.· We find it quite difficult to feel sorry for big-firm associates.· Drawing three-dimensional objects is quite difficult, but for computers the task is almost as easy as drawing a two dimensional object.· Wild hare, unfortunately, is quite difficult to find.· It was quite difficult to believe that there could be any animation in them.· Figuring out frontal lobe functions has been quite difficult.· As the original barn was quite difficult to get to, I asked John Pennington if I could use his.· The concept of ideal types remains controversial and quite difficult to grasp.
· I thought maybe I was just being selfish, it's so difficult to analyse your emotions.· Why is it so difficult for my son to spend just a few hours a week doing homework?· This does, however, prove so difficult in most cases that it is not recommended.· Especially when the struggle is so difficult, and the behavior so enticing, pleasurable, and meaningful.· The reason given usually was that oral work was so difficult to do.· This results from the fact that it is so difficult to distinguish deterministic chaos from highly random behavior.· That's why it's so difficult!· We are extremely fortunate that such a devastating virus is so difficult to effectively transmit from person to person.
· The sticks wouldn't be too difficult to find, not here in the wood, especially after the gale.· It should not be too difficult to improve on that, you might have thought.· Whatever Sandy thinks of what I said, he apparently recognizes that to reverse field now would be too difficult.· It should not be too difficult, she thought, to allow one of those buttons to become undone.· Transportation was too difficult, the number of hours too high.· He's very proud; it's too difficult for him to do anything about it now.
· It is very difficult to say.· A.. Certainly if you had to rely on those two sources of income alone you would have a very difficult time.· It is very difficult dealing with fractures and dislocations which have happened on fairly hard rock climbs.· It is very difficult to contemplate going there with all that in one's mind.· It is very difficult to say with certainty what they were at any particular moment.· Arthritis can make movement not only painful but very difficult.· They regulate the interpretation of behaviour and hence make it at least very difficult for evidence to count against them.· Winning new business would be very difficult.
NOUN
· Birkenhead said it was the most difficult decision since the evacuation of the Dardanelles, but that did not help much.· It was the most difficult decision of my life.· Now there's a handbook to help couples deal with making such difficult decisions.· Goodwill can permit effective cooperation for purchasing of secondary care but goodwill is ephemeral when difficult decisions have to be made.· Male speaker A very great man, who contributed to every area of politics and never avoided making difficult decisions.· Paradoxically difficult decisions are more difficult to make in difficult times.· It wouldn't, she promised, be a difficult decision.· In the circumstances the latter was unlikely: he had not done so in May on an infinitely more difficult decision.
· The Commission was in a difficult position.· But officials say they are in the difficult position of having to implement a law they do not like.· Marian and Izz had seen Tess moving house with her family, and knew what a difficult position she was in.· Later, they spoke for the first time of the difficult position they found themselves in over the past few days.· The band is also in a difficult position.· The need to target moderate independents has put Dole in a difficult position.· Many girls in difficult positions resisted prostitution, whether formal or informal.· It seems that many people find this a difficult position to adhere to in a serious way.
· So without doubt one of the most important and difficult problems in cancer research is that of identifying the other mutations.· During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries many studies were undertaken in hopes of solving the difficult problems of animal locomotion.· Making contact with the families in the first instance was the most difficult problem.· That fact poses some difficult problems for those of us trying to make sense of the news we are given.· Differences of opinion are often the most difficult problem to resolve.· Much of the joy typical of Great Groups seems to reflect the profound pleasure humans take in solving difficult problems.· Hers is an honest response to a difficult problem.· Team members may also participate in problem-solving task forces established to work on particularly difficult problems or those that cross team boundaries.
· This is perhaps the most difficult question one can answer.· I prefaced it by saying that these were difficult questions which he was at liberty not to answer.· One difficult question is what is the situation if the overseas trust went through a non-qualifying buy-back procedure?· Practice interviewing with a friend who will ask you difficult questions.· The second is the more difficult question.· This is a difficult question but in practice few spreadsheets need more than 1 or 2 MBytes of expanded memory.· But the most effective way of exploring this difficult question is not in abstract, supra-historical terms.· I simply pose these difficult questions.
· Ruth and I have lived, and the kids have lived, in an extremely difficult situation.· But he was caught in a difficult situation, coming in at midseason with a losing record.· In response to the difficult situation schools find themselves in, a critical and forward-looking approach to curriculum renewal was developed.· There is time to make the best of a difficult situation.· There are special circumstances, there are politically difficult situations, appeals must be made.· Braun has dealt with difficult situations before.· Increased apprehension in such a difficult situation increased tension. 3.
· It is, however, a very difficult task.· It is not a difficult task as long as you first understand the way that your printer works.· The most tedious and difficult task is emptying the pond.· Justo now has the difficult task of having to imprison his own father.· Observers say Secrett faces a difficult task at a time of falling income for the organisation.· And it is still the most difficult task any of us faces.· Now I suppose I shall have the difficult task of telling Donna.· The profit-seeking firm faces the difficult task of searching for the appropriate profit-maximising output and profit margin.
· Chapter 3 Volcanic eruptions are difficult things to classify.· The most difficult thing for Brown was defending a policy in public that he opposed in private.· It was surely the most difficult thing in the world to appear sincere when one's heart was breaking.· There are difficult things going on here.· I think colour is one of the most difficult things to use.· The construction of musicals is a difficult thing that few are good at.· Cars seem to be the most difficult thing to purchase on a cash basis.· The most difficult thing afoot is to keep our problem child from blowing it in one fell swoop.
· Working through these difficult times is a challenge for all our staff who have maintained their integrity, application and cheerfulness.· No matter how good things are, we cycle into difficult times.· She deserves sympathy in these present difficult times.· At Carville the staff had a difficult time convincing patients of an identity of interest.· Ma Bell's difficult times were matched by the buoyant profits of her seven regional offspring.· Western novels about women had a more difficult time finding a foothold.· And, that even in difficult times, there is compassion.· A.. Certainly if you had to rely on those two sources of income alone you would have a very difficult time.
· No matter how good things are, we cycle into difficult times.· The church there is undergoing difficult times and badly needs our prayers.· Moreover, in the difficult times that are coming, you will have to take a full and active part.· Working through these difficult times is a challenge for all our staff who have maintained their integrity, application and cheerfulness.· Adam knows that he and Seth have difficult times in store.· She deserves sympathy in these present difficult times.· I pray that this spirit will pull us through these difficult times.
Phrases
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
  • Female speaker It's hard to believe it's happened.
  • It's hard to believe another child could do such a thing.
  • It's hard to believe just how dire it is.
  • It's hard to believe Marie's got a husband.
  • It's hard to believe now but I actually made do with hooks for a while!
  • It's hard to believe that he started painting in World War Two and is still painting today.
  • It's hard to believe, but we're fast approaching the dessert hour.
  • The ideological points are still there but it's hard to believe that totalitarian regimentation could be so tight.
  • Even a Patel, probably a Bhatt if I looked hard enough.
  • It's bad enough trying to fly with unequal line lengths; having an asymmetric kite can be most frustrating!
  • She identified the problem not as trying too hard to live up to a domestic ideal but as not trying hard enough.
  • Since the cold war ended in 1988, they have worked hard enough to produce some kind of an economic miracle.
  • That was going to be difficult enough anyway.
  • The ties with the past difficult enough to sever already.
  • This would be bad enough if California prisons were full of nothing but Charles Mansons.
  • But this arbitrary division of the country has not made life easier for either the North or the South.
  • Having to adopt the fast-track method made life difficult for all three.
  • Jim was uninterested in learning the kind of ecclesial footwork that would have made life easier for himself and his parish.
  • Latecomers, however, do make life difficult - and unnecessarily expensive.
  • The lack of economic statistics has made life difficult for economists and money managers for the past few weeks.
  • There's no greater pleasure than handing over money to a local supplier who helps make life easier.
  • To make life easier in the future, will you be publishing an index?
  • With the advent of electrics, journey times were to be halves, as well as making life easier for locomotive crews.
► miles older/better/too difficult etc
  • But what is temperament, and how do we define what is a good one?
  • I knew there was no sense in trying to do a better one.
  • Maybe it was a crackpot theory, but it was a good one.
  • Nevertheless, it was always clear that Schmidt's third term in office would prove a difficult one.
  • Payno was gleeful, for his idea was a good one.
  • The belief that hierarchical organizational structure makes for good business is a difficult one to give up.
  • The Berlin Philharmonic as it exists today may be a happier orchestra, but it is in no way a better one.
  • Then I became a lead project manager and, I have to say, I was a good one.
  • Even when they knew he was going through a bad patch they would continue to deliver dangerous back-passes to him.
  • Every team goes through a bad patch.
  • Evode has gone through a sticky patch.
  • Having hit a bad patch, financially, I decided I must try for some paid work with my knitting machine.
  • Ruefully, she recalled her pleasure at the way the book, after a difficult patch, had begun to develop.
  • Sometimes I am a real power pack of efficiency; then I hit a bad patch.
  • Talk about hitting a bad patch.
  • The Royal Family is certainly going through a rough patch.
  • Although it is already technically possible for network administrators to monitor Internet traffic, such tracking has been difficult to do.
  • Berni came into this world on May 12 at 9: 07 a. m. It was a technically difficult delivery.
  • FLEXthe name of both the machine and its language-was not technically feasible at the time.
  • One expert achieved unwanted fame by stating, categorically, that it was no longer technically possible to build modern aircraft out of wood.
  • Subsequent additions and amendments to software may be technically possible, but inadvisable because of subsequent upgrade issues.
  • The members thought that it was technically feasible and, under the right conditions, could benefit the region.
  • There is nothing technically difficult about this; if the computer can look one play ahead it can look 20.
  • There was no question that a tunnel was technically feasible, but 1 wanted to know what the economics would be.
1hard to do, understand, or deal with OPP  easy:  a difficult question an immensely difficult task Was the exam very difficult? It’s difficult to see how more savings can be made.difficult (for somebody) to understand/find/obtain etc That’s rather difficult for me to explain. He’s finding it difficult to get a job.2involving a lot of problems and causing a lot of trouble or worry:  a difficult situation Things are a bit difficult at home at the moment. There could be difficult times ahead.make life/things difficult for somebody (=cause problems for someone) She’s doing everything she can to make life difficult for him.3someone who is difficult never seems pleased or satisfied SYN  awkward:  Don’t be so difficult! a difficult customerTHESAURUSdifficult not easy to do, understand, or deal with: · a difficult question· The homework was really difficult.· It is difficult to see how peace can be achieved in the region.hard difficult. Hard is less formal than difficult and is very common in spoken English: · The test was really hard.· a hard decision· It was hard to forgive him.tough very difficult, because you have to use a lot of effort, or because it affects you emotionally: · a tough race· Doctors have to make tough decisions about who to treat first.· The team faces some tough competition.· Life is tough sometimes.tricky difficult because it is complicated and full of problems: · She had helped him out of a tricky situation.· Merging the two companies was bound to be tricky.awkward rather difficult to deal with – used especially when something could be embarrassing: · You’ve put me in a very awkward position.· It was getting dark and foggy, which made the rescue even more awkward.challenging difficult in an interesting or enjoyable way: · I wanted a job that was more challenging.· a challenging piece of musicdemanding difficult and tiring, because it takes a lot of effort: · Being a nurse in a busy hospital is a demanding job.· it can be very demanding bringing up young children.daunting if something seems daunting, you think that it will be difficult and you do not feel confident about being able to do it: · a daunting challenge· The task seemed a little daunting at first.delicate needing to be dealt with carefully or sensitively, especially in order to avoid offending people or causing problems: · This is a very delicate subject, and it can be difficult to talk about it with your parents.· He thanked me for the way in which this delicate matter had been handled.COLLOCATIONS CHECKdifficult question/decision/situation/problem etchard question/decision/testtough question/decision/job/game/racetricky question/situation/position/momentawkward question/situation/position/momentchallenging jobdemanding work/schedule/coursedaunting task/challenge/prospectdelicate subject/matter/issue
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更新时间：2025/3/21 11:54:25