叠词在英语中运用十分广泛,它是由介词“in”“by”“after”“from”“to”“for”等和连词“and”将同一个词连接形成的惯用语,通常在句子中作状语。连接的词既有名词,也有形容词和副词及其比较级。下面介绍一些常见的英语叠词供大家学习和参考。
(a)tooth for(a)tooth以牙还牙,报复
(an)eye for(an)eye以眼还眼,报复
again and again再三,反复arm in arm手挽手地
back to back背靠背地bit by bit逐步地,慢慢地
by and by很快,不久day after day日复一日,一天又一天
day by day一天天,逐日
door to door挨家挨户地end to end首尾相连
face to face面对面地foot by foot一步一步地,逐渐地
from cover to cover从头到尾,自始至终
from day to day过一天算一天;一天又一天,天天
from hand to hand传递,转手from time to time有时
from mouth to mouth口口相传,广泛流传
hand in hand手拉手,结合hand to hand短兵相接,逼近
hem to head(with sb)(与某人)面对面直接谈判
hours and hours很久很久less and less越来越少(小)
little by little缓慢地,逐渐地,一点一点地
month after month月月,每月month by month逐月地
more and more越来越多mouth to mouth口对口地
neck and neck齐头并进,不分上下
on and on连续不停地,持续地one by one每个地,逐一地
over and over反复地,再三side by side肩并肩,并排地
shoulder to shoulder肩并肩地,齐心协力地
step by step一步一步地,逐步地,稳步地
week after week一个星期又一个星期,一周接一周;一连数周week by week一个星期一个星期地,每过一周year after year年年,每年year by year年复一年
有些叠词之间可用连字符连接,主要构成形容词,有时也可构成名词或副词。
如:day-to-day按日计划的;日常工作的;例行的
down-and-down十足的,彻头彻尾的
face-to-face面对面的;面对面地
hand-in-hand手牵手的,亲密的;并进的
hand-to-hand交手的,白刃的,肉搏的
mouth-to-mouth口对口人工呼吸的so-and-so如此这般地
out-and-out十足的,彻头彻尾的;公开的,明目张胆的
step-by-step逐步的,逐渐的up-and-up越来越好