UNCERTAIN1 something that you cannot be certain about2 when a situation is uncertain, and something bad may happen3 when two different results are possible4 when there are several different opinions about somethingRELATED WORDSoppositeCERTAINLY/DEFINITELYsee alsoSURE/NOT SUREKNOW/NOT KNOWDOUBT1 something that you cannot be certain about 不能确定的某事uncertain/not certain /ʌnˈsɜːʳtn, nɒt ˈsɜːʳtn/ [adjective]something that isuncertain, has not been definitely shown or decided 不确定的 The cause of the accident is uncertain. 事故原因不明。 Exactly how and when these plant species came to the Great Plains is not certain. 这些植物物种到底是何时以何种方式进入美国大平原的还不确定。it is uncertain whether/if It is still uncertain whether the conference will actually take place. 现在还不确定这个会议究竟会不会开。it is uncertain how/why/when/that It's uncertain when the trial will begin. 审讯什么时候开始还未确定。 It is not at all certain that Christopher Columbus was the first European to discover America. 克里斯托弗·哥伦布是不是第一个发现美洲的欧洲人，这根本不能肯定。unclear/not clear /ʌnˈklɪəʳ, nɒt ˈklɪəʳ/ [adjective]a situation that is unclear, is one that people do not know enough or understand enough to be sure about it 不清楚的，不确定的；不明了的〔因人们对某事没有掌握足够的信息〕 The causes of the dispute are not entirely clear. 这次争端的起因未完全清楚。 At this hour, the fate of the passengers and crew is still unclear. 此时此刻，乘客和机组人员还是生死未卜。it is unclear how/why/whether etc It isn't clear how the fire started. 起火原因不明。 It's not yet clear whether the disease is caused by a virus. 这种疾病是否由病毒引起还不确定。 It was unclear when the two sides would meet again to discuss the budget. 双方何时再次碰头商讨预算之事尚不清楚。it is not clear that It's not clear that the problems with the new computer system have been worked out. 新电脑系统的问题是否已经解决还不清楚。be up in the air /biː ˌʌp ɪn ði ˈeəʳ/ [verb phrase]informaluse this about something that is uncertain because a decision has not yet been made 【非正式】未确定，悬而未决 I might be going on a training course next week, but it's still up in the air. 我下个星期可能要去参加一个培训课程，但还没定下来。 They still haven't said if I've got the job -- it's all up in the air at the moment. 他们还没有说我是否得到了这份工作—现在都还没决定。there is uncertainty about/over something /ðeər ɪz ʌnˈsɜːʳtnti əbaʊt, əʊvəʳsomething/use this to say that people do not feel certain about what has happened or will happen, and are worried about it - used especially in newspapers and public speeches 某事还不确定〔难以预料〕〔尤用于报纸上或公开演说中〕 The Principal said there was uncertainty about the candidate's qualifications. 校长说这名应聘者资历如何还不确定。 There is some uncertainty over where the refugees are going to be housed. 难民将安置在哪里还有点说不准。2 when a situation is uncertain, and something bad may happen 事态不明朗，可能会有不好的事情发生uncertain /ʌnˈsɜːʳtn/ [adjective] The situation on the island is still very uncertain and the army is on full alert. 岛上局势仍然很不稳定，军队处于高度戒备状态。 The long-term benefits of the treatment are extremely uncertain. 这种疗法的长期好处极不明确。 The economic outlook is so uncertain that I would think carefully before investing any money. 经济前景这么不明朗，任何一笔投资我都要先仔细考虑。highly uncertainvery uncertain 非常不确定 The company faces a highly uncertain future. 这家公司前景非常渺茫。be/look/remain etc doubtful /biː ˈdaʊtfəl/ [verb phrase]to be uncertain and likely to be bad 难说，悬而未定 The result of the President's re-election campaign remains doubtful. 总统竞选连任的结果难以预料。 With more and more cuts in government spending, the program's future now seems doubtful. 政府支出日益削减，这个计划现在前途未卜。it is doubtful if/whether It is doubtful if she will survive the operation. 很难说她是否能挺过这次手术。 It is extremely doubtful whether the aid is actually reaching the people who need it most. 援助物品是否送到了最需要的人手里，这非常难说。it is doubtful that It is doubtful that the governor's proposed tax increase will be popular with voters. 州长的增税提案会否受到选民拥护还很难说。be in doubt /biː ɪn ˈdaʊt/ [verb phrase]if someone or something's future or success is in doubt, it seems very uncertain and they may not be able to continue or to succeed 〔某人或某事物的前途〕不肯定，不确定 After yet another injury, his football career is in doubt. 他再一次受伤，是否能继续他的足球事业还说不准。 The building's future remained in doubt until the government agreed to restore it. 这栋大楼的未来一直不确定，直到后来政府同意修缮。it's touch and go /ɪts ˌtʌtʃ ən ˈgəʊ/spokenyou sayit's touch and go when a situation seems extremely uncertain and you are worried that something may not happen in the way you want 【口】没有把握，吉凶未卜〔指担心事情不能如愿发生〕 It was touch and go for a few hours, but we were able to get everything out of the basement before it flooded. 那几个小时里情况很危急，不过我们还是赶在地下室被水淹前把东西全都搬了出来。 An urgent operation was needed to save his life, and doctors said it was touch and go until the end of the procedure. 必须马上动手术才能挽救他的生命，但是医生说，手术结束前他一直吉凶未卜。it's touch and go whether Traffic was really heavy, and for a while it was touch and go whether they'd get to the wedding on time. 交通很拥挤，有那么一会儿不能确定他们能否准时出席婚礼。be/hang in the balance /biː, ˌhæŋ ɪn ðə ˈbæləns/ [verb phrase]if somethingis in the balance or hangs in the balance, there is a risk that something bad will happen so that it will not continue 未能确定，难以预料 The survival of the African elephant hangs in the balance. 非洲象能否生存下去难以预料。 His career as a politician hung in the balance. 他的政治生涯前途未卜。 I can't say what the outcome of the talks will be -- they're very much in the balance at the moment. 我说不准这次会谈的结果将是怎样—眼下很不明朗。iffy /ˈɪfi/ [adjective not usually before noun]spoken informaluse this to describe a plan or situation that seems uncertain and may not succeed or happen as you want 【口，非正式】〔计划或情形〕未确定的 ‘What's happening about your new job?’ ‘The whole thing's rather iffy at the moment.’ “你的新工作怎么样了？”“眼下什么都相当难说。” I was hoping to go to the beach today but it's looking iffy because of the weather. 我今天本来想去海边的，但是看这天气就说不准了。3 when two different results are possible 可能有两种不同的结果something could go either way /something kʊd gəʊ ˌaɪðəʳ ˈweɪǁ-ˌiː-/ [verb phrase]informalif you say that something such as a game or a decisioncould go either way, you mean that either of two results is equally possible 【非正式】某事两种可能性都有 Legal experts following the case believe the trial could go either way. 关注这起官司的法律专家认为，两种审判结果都有可能。 Spurs are a goal up but there are ten minutes to go and the match could still go either way. 热刺队领先一球，但是比赛还有十分钟，输和赢都有可能。borderline /ˈbɔːʳdəʳlaɪn/ [adjective]aborderline case is a situation in which the decision is not certain, for example about whether someone should pass an exam, get a job etc 〔情形〕两可的，未确定的〔例如是否能通过考试、获得工作等〕borderline case/decision etc In borderline cases we look at a student's class work to decide the final exam result. 对于两可情况，我们就看学生的课堂作业来决定期终考试的成绩。 It was a borderline decision whether to send him to prison or not. 要不要判他坐牢是两可的决定。there's a fifty-fifty chance /ðeəʳz ə ˌfɪfti fɪfti ˈtʃɑːnsǁ-ˈtʃæns/spoken informalif you saythere is a fifty-fifty chance of something happening, you mean there is an equal chance of it happening or not happening 【口，非正式】可能性各半，有百分之五十的可能性 The weather forecast said there was a fifty-fifty chance of rain. 天气预报说有一半可能性下雨。be fifty-fiftythere is a fifty-fifty chance 可能性参半 It'll be a tough game -- I'd say our chances of winning are fifty-fifty. 比赛会很激烈，我想我们输赢的可能性各半。it's a toss-up /ɪts ə ˈtɒs ʌpǁ-ˈtɔːs-/spokensay this when you do not know which of two possibilities someone will choose, and you think each is equally likely 【口】机会相等 ‘Have you decided where to go on holiday?’ ‘Well, it'll be either Portugal or Turkey -- it's a toss-up.’ “你决定去哪儿度假了吗？”“噢，不是葡萄牙就是土耳其—两个地方都有可能。”it's a toss-up between I don't know who'll get the job. I guess it's a toss-up between Carl and Steve. 我不知道谁会得到那份工作，猜想卡尔和史蒂夫的机会不相上下。4 when there are several different opinions about something 对某事有各种不同的看法debatable /dɪˈbeɪtəbəl/ [adjective]it is debatable whether It is debatable whether these alternative medical treatments actually work. 这些非传统疗法是否真的可行是有争议的。a debatable point Whether or not the government was right to arrest the protesters is an extremely debatable point. 政府逮捕抗议者的做法是否正确是极具争议的一点。questionable /ˈkwestʃənəbəl/ [adjective]something that isquestionable seems doubtful and is likely to be wrong or untrue 有问题的，可疑的 The conclusions of the survey are questionable because the research was based on a very small sample of people. 这次调查的结论有问题，因为取样的人数太少。it is questionable whether It is questionable whether the advertisements will increase sales. 这些广告能否提高销量很难说。open to question/debate /ˌəʊpən tə ˈkwestʃən, dɪˈbeɪt/ [adjective phrase]something that isopen to question oropen to debate seems doubtful and needs to be checked or discussed 值得怀疑/有待讨论 Many people feel that the safety of the drug is now open to question. 许多人感到这种药的安全性现在尚难定论。 Just why the guerrillas decided to shoot down the unarmed plane remains open to debate. 游击队究竟为什么决定击落这架没有武器的飞机尚待商榷。it is open to question/debate whether It is open to debate whether the new government is any better than the old one. 新政府是否比前一届政府强还有待商榷。moot point /ˌmuːt ˈpɔɪnt/ [singular noun]something that different people have different opinions about 有争议的问题 I'm not sure that bringing in computers has made our job easier. It's a moot point. 我不能确定引进电脑是否使我们的工作更加便利。这个问题尚有争议。 Whether or not increasing taxes will result in a fairer society remains a moot point. 提高税收能否创造一个更加公平的社会仍然是一个有争议的问题。
