英语词汇“elusive”的英英意思、用法、释义、翻译、读音、例句、短语、词组-英语词典

1adj 2adj 3adj

Things that are elusive are hard to find, pin down, or remember. They slip right out of your grasp.

Ever try to catch a mouse? It's not easy, because mice are quick and elusive — they're tough to catch. Rabbits are speedy, so they're elusive too. Also, things that are tough to understand or describe are elusive — like the concepts of love and beauty. If you had an idea and then forgot it, the idea is elusive: it slipped away. Anything you can't get hold of, with your hands or with your brain, is elusive.

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

elusive: elusively, elusiveness+/elude: eluded, eludes, eluding, elusion, elusive/elusion: elusions

USAGE EXAMPLES

This is what creates the red patches and silvery scales of psoriasis, and it also explains why “cures” are elusive.

Seattle Times(Jan 01, 2017)

The Russian companies newly sanctioned by the U.S. also suggest an elusive link.

Wall Street Journal(Dec 30, 2016)

Murray’s focus now turns to the Qatar Open in Doha as he builds towards his push for an elusive first Australian Open title next month.

The Guardian(Dec 30, 2016)

adj skillful at eluding capture

"a cabal of conspirators, each more elusive than the archterrorist"- David Kline

Syn

artful

marked by skill in achieving a desired end especially with cunning or craft

1adj difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze

that elusive thing the soul

Syn

subtle
impalpable

imperceptible to the senses or the mind

2adj difficult to describe

a haunting elusive odor

Syn

unidentifiable

impossible to identify

adj making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe

Syn

baffling, knotty, problematic, problematical, tough
difficult, hard

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

单词	elusive
释义	elusive (once / 1593 pages) 1adj 2adj 3adj Things that are elusive are hard to find, pin down, or remember. They slip right out of your grasp. Ever try to catch a mouse? It's not easy, because mice are quick and elusive — they're tough to catch. Rabbits are speedy, so they're elusive too. Also, things that are tough to understand or describe are elusive — like the concepts of love and beauty. If you had an idea and then forgot it, the idea is elusive: it slipped away. Anything you can't get hold of, with your hands or with your brain, is elusive. 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 elusive: elusively, elusiveness+/elude: eluded, eludes, eluding, elusion, elusive/elusion: elusions USAGE EXAMPLES This is what creates the red patches and silvery scales of psoriasis, and it also explains why “cures” are elusive. Seattle Times(Jan 01, 2017) The Russian companies newly sanctioned by the U.S. also suggest an elusive link. Wall Street Journal(Dec 30, 2016) Murray’s focus now turns to the Qatar Open in Doha as he builds towards his push for an elusive first Australian Open title next month. The Guardian(Dec 30, 2016) 1 adj skillful at eluding capture "a cabal of conspirators, each more elusive than the archterrorist"- David Kline Syn artful marked by skill in achieving a desired end especially with cunning or craft 2 1adj difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze that elusive thing the soul Syn subtle impalpable imperceptible to the senses or the mind 2adj difficult to describe a haunting elusive odor Syn unidentifiable impossible to identify 3 adj making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe Syn baffling, knotty, problematic, problematical, tough difficult, hard not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
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