EASY1 easy to do, use, or understand2 to be very easy to do3 an easy job or way of life4 when someone can do something easily5 the easiest way to do something6 to make something easier for someone to doRELATED WORDSoppositeDIFFICULTsee alsoSIMPLECOMPLICATED1 easy to do, use, or understand 容易做、使用或理解的easy /ˈiːzi/ [adjective]not difficult to do, use, or understand 容易的；简单的 The questions were really easy. 那些问题实在很简单。 It's an easy journey - we just drive to the station, then take the direct train to Paris. 这趟旅程并不费事—我们只要开车到车站，然后乘火车直达巴黎。 Our new computer system should make the work a lot easier. 我们的新计算机系统应该可以使工作方便许多。easy to read/use/learn etc All the instructions are in large print to make them easy to read. 所有的说明都使用大号字体方便阅读。it is easy to do something It is easy to see why she didn't marry him. 她为什么没嫁给他，原因不难理解。easy for somebody to do something Was it easy for you to find a job? 你找工作容易吗？find something easy/find it easy to do something Susan's always found school work easy. 苏珊一直都觉得功课很简单。 He doesn't find it easy to talk about his personal feelings. 他觉得很难开口谈论自己的个人情感。easily [adverb] E-mail enables people to communicate easily and inexpensively with each other on a regular basis. 电子邮件方便人们相互之间经常交流，费用也不贵。not difficult/hard /nɒt ˈdɪfɪkəlt, ˈhɑːʳd/ [adjective]easynot hard is more informal thannot difficult不难的〔not hard 比 not difficult更加非正式〕 ‘Did you make this pizza yourself?’ ‘Yes, it's not difficult.’ “这比萨饼是你自己做的吗？”“是啊，这不难。”it's not difficult to do something It's not difficult to see why she's unhappy all the time. 不难理解她为何一直闷闷不乐。 The reason for the problem is not hard to find. 这个问题不难找出原因。simple /ˈsɪmpəl/ [adjective]easy to understand or do because it is not complicated - use this about things like explanations or instructions, or about machines or systems 简单的；易懂的；易做的〔用于指解释或说明，或有关机器或系统方面的〕 She drew us a simple map so that we wouldn't get lost. 她画了个简单的地图，免得我们迷路。 I like this recipe because it's so simple. 我喜欢这种烹饪法，因为它很简单。be simple to use/make/prepare etc The new photocopier is much simpler to use than the one we had before. 新的复印机比我们以前那台使用起来简单许多。straightforward /ˌstreɪtˈfɔːʳwəʳd◂/ [adjective]easy to understand and easy to do, so someone should not have any problems - use this especially about a method or process 简单的；易懂的；易做的〔尤指方法或过程〕 It is very straightforward - you just type the file name, then press ‘Enter’. 这非常简单—你只要键入文件名，然后按“输入”。 There's a straightforward calculation for working out how much tax you have to pay. 有一种很简单的计算方法可以算出你要交多少税。user-friendly /ˌjuːzəʳ ˈfrendli◂/ [adjective]spokeneasy to use or understand - use this especially about computers or written information 【口】使用方便的〔尤用于电脑或书面信息〕 We are trying to develop software that is more user-friendly. 我们在设法开发更易使用的软件。 The booklet is intended to be a user-friendly guide to pension schemes. 这本小册子旨在作为养老金计划的便利指南。2 to be very easy to do 非常容易做be a cinch/a piece of cake /biː ə ˈsɪntʃ, ə ˌpiːs əv ˈkeɪk/ [verb phrase]spoken informal If you can learn Japanese, learning French should be a piece of cake. 如果你能学会日语，那么学法语应该是很容易的事。 Don't worry about the exam. It'll be a cinch! 不要担心考试，容易得很呢！be a cinch to learn/drive/use etc My new car's a cinch to drive, compared to the old one. 我的新车比起旧车来很容易开。be a doddleBritish informal/be a snap/a breezeAmerican informal /biː ə ˈdɒdlǁ-ˈdɑːdl, biː ə ˈsnæp, ə ˈbriːz/ [verb phrase] ‘You passed your driving test?’ ‘Yes -- it was a doddle!’ “你通过驾驶考试了？”“是呀—很容易！” Managing a team of businessmen is a snap compared to a team of twelve-year-olds. 管理一群生意人，相比于对付一群12岁的孩子来说，那是太轻松了。a doddle/snap/breeze to do something It's a snap to make this sauce if you have a few basic ingredients in the cupboard. 如果食品柜里有一些基本的原料，这个酱汁就很容易做。be child's play /biː ˈtʃaɪldz pleɪ/ [verb phrase]use this when saying that something is surprisingly easy for someone to do, or that something is very easy compared to something else 很容易，轻而易举〔指某事对某人来说出奇地容易，或相比其他事来说容易〕 Persuading people to give away their money is child's play when you know how. 知道了方法之后，说服人们把钱捐赠出来是很容易的事。 Life today is child's play compared to how it was 100 years ago. 今天的生活和100年之前相比方便多了。there's nothing to it /ðeəʳz ˌnʌθɪŋ ˈtuː ɪt/spokensay this when it is easy for you to do something, even though other people think it is difficult 【口】没什么的 ‘Oh, great! You've fixed the washing machine.’ ‘Yeah, there was nothing to it, really.’ “噢，太棒了！你把洗衣机修好了。”“对，没什么，真的。”anyone can do something /ˈeniwʌn kən duː something/use this to say that something is so easy that everyone could do it 任何人都能做某事 Anyone can learn to cook. 谁都能学会烧菜。 I don't know why you think you're so clever -- anyone can do that. 我不明白你为什么会自认为很聪明—那事谁都能做。 Politicians insist that there are plenty of jobs and that anyone can get one if they really try. 政治家坚持说有许多就业机会，只要认真去试，任何人都可以得到一份工作。be a pushover /biː ə ˈpʊʃəʊvəʳ/ [verb phrase]someone whois a pushover is very easy to defeat, persuade etc 〔某人〕容易对付 The kids all think their new English teacher's a real pushover. 所有的孩子都认为他们新来的英语老师好对付得很。be no pushovernot be easy to defeat, persuade etc 不容易对付 Colonel Moore was no pushover. He wouldn't let anyone tell him what to do. 穆尔上校可不好对付，他是不会让别人对他指手画脚的。like taking candy from a baby /laɪk teɪkɪŋ ˌkændi frəm ə ˈbeɪbi/spokenextremely easy 【口】非常容易 Sally smiled to herself. It was easy to attract men. Like taking candy from a baby. 萨莉自己暗暗笑了。吸引男人真是容易，就像哄小孩的糖果吃。3 an easy job or way of life 轻松的工作或生活方式easy /ˈiːzi/ [adjective] He has lived an easy life in college for the last few years. 他最近几年一直在大学里过着轻松的日子。 Being a teacher isn't easy. 当老师可不容易。have it easyhave a very easy life 生活过得舒服 Lawyers really have it easy -- lots of money for very little work. 律师的日子可真好过——钱很多，工作又很少。cushy /ˈkʊʃi/ [adjective]informalvery easy - use this especially when you think that someone has an extremely easy job or life and you are jealous of them or do not approve of them 【非正式】轻松的；容易的〔尤用于表示某人工作或生活很舒适，你很嫉妒或不以为然〕 Eventually he got a cushy job as a newspaper correspondent in Madrid. 最后他在马德里找了一份美差，给一家报社当记者。 Being a stewardess is not a cushy lifestyle - it's very hard work. 当空姐日子可不好过—那工作很辛苦。a cushy numberBritisha cushy job or way of life 【英】轻松的工作〔生活方式〕 What a cushy number, living rent-free in return for taking the dog out once a day! 这样的日子太快活了，每天带着狗出去遛一圈，就可以住免费的房子！coast /kəʊst/ [intransitive verb]to not have to make much effort in your job or school work because the work is easy for you to do 干得〔学得〕轻松 If you feel that you've been coasting in your job, perhaps it's time for a change. 如果你感到工作很轻松，也就该换一换工作了。coast along Laura was a bright kid and she could coast along at school without too much effort. 劳拉是个聪明的孩子，学习起来很轻松，不用太费事。4 when someone can do something easily 某人能轻松地做某事easily /ˈiːzɪli, ˈiːzəli/ [adverb] A burglar could easily climb in through that window. 窃贼可以轻而易举地从那扇窗子爬进去。 When I went to college, I made friends very easily. 我进了大学之后，交朋友非常容易。easily recognized/damaged/done etcwhen something can be recognized, damaged etc easily 容易认出/损坏/做等 These plates are easily damaged, so please be careful with them. 这些盘子很容易弄碎，请小心轻放。 Lizzie and Jane are so alike that they're easily mistaken for each other. 莉齐和简长得很像，很容易认错她们。effortless /ˈefəʳtləs/ [adjective]something that iseffortless is done in a way that makes it seem very easy, although in fact it is very skilful 不费力的，轻松自如的〔但实际需要很高的技巧〕 The way she dances makes it seem so effortless. 她跳起舞来显得毫不费力。 Other musicians were amazed by Parker's effortless improvisational skill. 帕克轻松即兴演奏的技巧令其他音乐家惊叹。effortlessly [adverb] Greg's a great cook, and he does it all so effortlessly! 格雷格是个了不起的厨师，他做什么菜都这样轻松自如！come naturally /ˌkʌm ˈnætʃərəli/ [verb phrase not in progressive]if somethingcomes naturally to you, you seem to have a natural ability to do it, so that you can do it well without having to try hard 天生就会；是天生的能力 Her family are all actors, so it probably comes naturally. 她的家人都是演员，所以她可能也是天生的。come naturally to Speaking in public seems to come quite naturally to her. 当众演说好像她天生就会似的。 Looking after babies doesn't come naturally to all new mothers. 并非所有的新妈妈天生都会照看婴儿的。can do something with your eyes shut/standing on your head/blindfolded /kən duː something wɪð jɔːr ˈaɪz ˌʃʌt, ˌstændɪŋ ɒn jɔːʳ ˈhed, ˈblaɪndˌfəʊldd/ [verb phrase]to be able to do something very easily, especially because you have done it so many times before 闭着眼睛都能做某事〔尤因以前做了很多次〕 He's a really good mechanic -- he could change a tyre standing on his head. 他是个非常出色的技师——他闭着眼睛都能换轮胎。 Don't worry. I've driven to the Bronx so many times, I could do it standing on my head. 别担心，我已开车去过布朗克斯多次，就是闭着眼睛我都能找到那个地方。think nothing of /ˌθɪŋk ˈnʌθɪŋ ɒv/ [verb phrase not in progressive]to think that something is a very easy and normal thing to do, although most people think it is difficult and unusual 认为…算不了什么〔虽然大部分人认为很困难或不同寻常〕 Emily thinks nothing of preparing a meal for twenty people. 埃米莉认为给20个人准备一顿饭不是什么大不了的事情。 Before cars were invented, people thought nothing of walking six miles to work. 在发明汽车之前，步行六英里去上班对人们来说不算什么。breeze/breeze through /briːz, ˈbriːz θruː/ []informalto win or succeed in something easily 【非正式】轻松赢得〔做成〕 McKenzie breezed the first three rounds of the tournament. 麦肯齐轻松地完成了锦标赛的头三轮比赛。 She's likely to breeze through this game, but the next might not be so easy. 她有可能轻松地赢了这场比赛，但是下一场就没那么容易了。5 the easiest way to do something 做某事最容易的方法the easy way /ði ˈiːzi ˌweɪ/ [noun phrase] The easiest way of making money is to get other people to do it for you. 挣钱最容易的办法就是让别人去替你挣。do things the easy way As a student, Louise was lazy, and always did things the easy way. 作为学生，路易丝是懒惰的，做事情总是怎么方便怎么来。take the easy way outavoid the difficult or best way by doing something that is easier 以省事的方法 I decided to take the easy way out and take a different class. 我决定省点事儿，去上另一个班。easy option /ˌiːzɪ ˈɒpʃən‖-ˈɑːp-/alsosoft optionBritish /ˌsɒft ˈɒpʃənǁˌsɔːft ˈɑːp-/ [countable noun]if someone takes theeasy option they choose to do the easiest thing they can, rather than something that is better but more difficult, because they are lazy 省事的选择take the easy/soft option Instead of working to keep their marriages, more and more people are taking the easy option and getting divorced. 越来越多的人都是选择离婚图个省事，而不是去努力挽救自己的婚姻。be an easy/soft option Some people think that studying languages instead of sciences is a soft option. 有些人认为学习语言比学习科学更容易及格。6 to make something easier for someone to do 使某事让某人做起来更方便make something easier /ˌmeɪk something ˈiːziəʳ/ [verb phrase] The new system will make buying and selling houses much easier. 新的系统将会使买卖房屋变得简单得多。make it easier for somebody to do something Health authorities want to make it easier for patients to be treated at home. 卫生当局希望让病人在家接受治疗方便一些。make things/life easier We've got a new secretary starting tomorrow -- that should make things easier. 我们找了个新秘书，明天开始上班—这样做起事情就会轻松多了。 It would make life a lot easier if there was a reliable train service. 如果有可靠的铁路服务，那会使生活方便许多。simplify /ˈsɪmplɪfaɪ, ˈsɪmpləfaɪ/ [transitive verb]to make something easier to understand, by removing the parts that cause difficulty or problems 简化，使简易 The whole university admissions procedure has been simplified. 大学的整个录取手续都简化了。facilitate /fəˈsɪlɪteɪt, fəˈsɪləteɪt/ [transitive verb]formalto make it easier for a process to happen or for someone to do something 【正式】使更容易；使便利 Both centers are electronically linked to facilitate communication. 两个中心都由电子方式连接，以方便交流。 Legislation is urgently needed to facilitate police counterterrorist operations. 急需要立法，以方便警方的反恐行动。smooth the way /ˌsmuːð ðə ˈweɪ/ [verb phrase]to make it easier for someone to do something or for something to happen, by dealing with any problem that might prevent it 〔为某人做某事或某事的发生〕铺平道路，排除障碍 Our representatives will be waiting for you to arrive, and ready to help smooth the way. 我们的代表将等待您的到来，并随时准备伸出援手，铺平道路。smooth the way for It is hoped that the negotiations will smooth the way for an agreement later this year. 希望这次谈判能为今年稍后时候签订的协议铺平道路。ease /iːz/ [transitive verb]to make it easier for a process to happen or move forward, especially by officially changing something that has previously been making it difficult 减轻〔困难〕，使…变得容易〔尤指通过正式改变曾给某一过程带来困难的事〕 The help of UN experts eased the transition to independence. 联合国专家的援助令独立进程顺利进行。 We need to get rid of Africa's long-term debt burden, and ease trade and commerce. 我们需要解除非洲的长期债务负担，促进商贸。spoonfeed /ˈspuːnfiːd/ [transitive verb]to make it too easy for someone to do something by giving them too much information and help, so that they do not learn for themselves 娇养，溺爱；对…填鸭式地灌输 Don't spoonfeed him -- he's got to learn how to do things for himself! 你别对他娇生惯养——他必须学会自己做事情！ Spoonfeeding students is never a good idea -- they always fail when it comes to exams. 对学生进行填鸭式教学向来不是个好办法—这种学生在考试时总是不及格。