Waif

waif

Y

D



–noun 

1. a person, esp. a child, who has no home or friends.

2. something found, esp. a stray animal, whose owner is not known.

3. a stray item or article: to gather waifs of gossip. 

4. Nautical. waft (def. 8).  





The astonishing thing about "Sid and Nancy" is the amount of subtle information it gives us about their relationship, given the fact that the surface of the movie is all tumult and violence, pain and confusion. This movie doesn't take the easy way out and cast these two lovers as Romeo and Juliet, misunderstood waifs. It sees beneath their leather and chains, their torn T-shirts and steel-toed boots, to a basically conventional relationship between an ambitious woman and a man who was still a boy.



But why should anyone care about a movie about two scabrous vulgarians? Because the subject of a really good movie is sometimes not that important. It's the acting, writing, and direction that count. If a movie can illuminate the lives of other people who share this planet with us and show us not only how different they are but, how even so, they share the same dreams and hurts, then it deserves to be called great. If you have an open mind, it is possibly true that the less you care about Sid Vicious, the more you will admire this movie.





2.51  不改變

refractory 

a refractory [child]. 

bigotry

which has an endless bigotry-friendly pocket book to give to [Proposition 8] in California.

invincible

cannot be conquered in combat or any manner

an invincible [army] [courage]

impregnable

a place cannot be taken, proof against attack, 銅牆鐵壁是也

an impregnable [fortress] [virtue] 

indomitable

unyielding spirit, or stubborn persistence, 不屈不撓是也 

indomitable [will].

no suffering is so dire that it cannot be [endured] and then [erased], to be [replaced]—in Rachel’s case—with an indomitable [smile]. 



2.52 減輕

assuage

to assuage one's [grief] [hunger] [fears]

abate

to abate a [tax] 

to abate one's [enthusiasm]  

The [storm] has abated. 

The [pain] in his shoulder finally abated.  

mitigate

mollify, allay, appease

militate

have effect or influence

This criticism in no way militates [against] your going ahead with your research. 



2.53 加重放大

turgid (swollen) turgid [language]

turbid (dark & muddy)

bloat

Overeating bloated their [bellies]. 

The promotion has bloated his [ego] to an alarming degree.

to [cure] (fishes) as bloaters. 

cadre

They hoped to form a [cadre] of veteran party [members]. 



4. 幼小

cad 

callow cherub

lad

The lad is determined to let his acting do the talking 

swain

a love-sick swain

Nubile