儒琴英语词汇选自欧美报刊文章以及英语原文小说。坚持学习英语今日词汇，有助于阅读和理解当今欧美主流媒体的新闻时事报道和英语文学作品。
儒琴英语词汇（English Words and Phrases of the Day）
scuffle
noun [ C ]/ˈskʌf.əl/
a short and sudden fight, especially one involving a small number of people
（尤指少数人的）短暂扭打，小冲突; 混战
Far-right and anti-racism protesters scuffle in London. Scuffles broke out in London on Saturday between far-right activists, Black Lives Matter protesters and police trying to keep the two sides apart.
absolve
verb [ T ] formal /əbˈzɑːlv/
(especially in religion or law) to free someone from guilt, blame, or responsibility for something
（尤指宗教或法律上）为（某人）解罪；赦免（某人）的罪；宣告（某人）无罪；免除（某人）的责任 (Cambridge)
In a lighter moment, Trump drew applause when he used his power as commander-in-chief to absolve “all cadets on restrictions for minor conduct offenses, and that is effective immediately.” （Foxnews）
officiate
verb [ I ] formal /əˈfɪʃ.i.eɪt/
to be in charge of or to lead a ceremony or other public event
主持（仪式或其他公众活动）
GOP congressman who officiated same-sex wedding loses nomination. Riggleman, a freshman congressman, became a target for social conservatives after he officiated a same-sex wedding last year. (Axios)
south of
phrase
less than 少于
It seems quite likely at this point that Trump’s approval rating is going to be south of 50% and his net approval rating (approval – disapproval) to be negative when people vote. That should be deeply troubling to Trump, given the strong link between approval ratings and reelection chances.
Sobriety Test
noun /səˈbraɪ.ə.t̬i/
sobriety check; also Field sobriety tests; Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST) ); breathalyzer test 酒精测试
a battery of tests used by police officers to determine if a person suspected of impaired driving is intoxicated with alcohol or other drugs.
`Stop fighting!’ Atlanta sobriety test quickly turned deadly. Atlanta police video released Sunday showing a seemingly routine sobriety check outside a Wendy’s restaurant that quickly spun out of control, ending in gunfire. (AP)
dashcam 行车记录仪
dash cameras; camera mounted on the dashboard; dash-mounted cameras
The two officers’ body cameras and the dash-mounted cameras in their patrol cars showed they spent more than 40 minutes peacefully questioning Brooks. The fighting erupted when they tried to handcuff Brooks. （AP）
stun
verb [T] (MAKE UNCONSCIOUS)
to make a person or animal unconscious or unable to think normally, especially by hitting their head hard
使失去知觉，使昏迷；
One of the dash cameras recorded the brawl. As Brooks fights to stand, Brosnan presses a Taser to his leg and threatens to stun him. Brooks grabs the Taser and pulls it away. He struggles to his feet, the Taser in his hand, and starts running. (AP)
stun gun (also taser)
眩晕枪(一种使人或动物短时失去知觉或无法动弹的武器)
a device used to immobilize an attacker without causing serious injury, typically by administering an electric shock; a weapon firing barbs attached by wires to batteries, causing temporary paralysis.
‘It is not the George Floyd case’: Rudy Giuliani argues the Atlanta police shooting death of Rayshard Brooks may have been ‘justified’ because the 27-year-old took an officer’s stun gun before trying to flee his arrest. (Daily Mail)
beat officer
家门口路线值巡警员;片警
In police terminology, a beat is the territory and time that a police officer patrols. Beat policing is based on traditional policing (late 19th century) and utilizes the close relationship with the community members within the assigned beat to strengthen police effectiveness and encourage cooperative efforts to make a safer community. Beat police typically patrol on foot or bicycle which provides more interaction between police and community members.（Wiki）
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said Saturday she doesn’t believe the shooting was justified. Police Chief Erika Shields, who joined the department as a beat officer in 1995, resigned. (AP)
