儒琴今日英语单词选自日常用语，欧美报刊文章, 以及英语原文小说。每天坚持学习今日英语单词，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；增强日常英语交流能力。
儒琴今日英语单词 Word of the Day
shortlist
noun & verb
a list of people who have been judged the most suitable for a job or prize, made from a longer list of people originally considered, and from which one person will be chosen.
把…列入入围名单
Whatever one’s “gut” says at this point — a much-relied-upon organ for the self-appointed judges who issue verdicts in such cases — the double standard being applied to the former vice president by some Democrats, especially by female senators who are shortlisted as his running mate, is stunning but not surprising. We’ve seen this movie before. (The Washingtonpost)
pro bono
adjective, adverb/ˌproʊ ˈboʊ.noʊ/
(relating to work that is done, especially by a lawyer) without asking for payment
（指已经做了的工作，尤指律师的工作）未要求收费的
pro bono cases/lawyers/work 未要求收费的案子／律师／工作
He takes on some charity cases pro bono. 他接收一些慈善机构的案子，不要求收费 (Cambridge)
But under today’s de facto “believe every woman” standard, few dared challenge Ford, who was backed by a fleet of pro bono lawyers and top-drawer feminist organizations. Not even the Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, all men, dared question Ford, instead hiring a female sexual-assault prosecutor to gently interview her.
lightning rod (lightning conductor)
noun [C] (FOR CRITICISM)
someone or something that takes all the blame or criticism in a situation, although other people or things are responsible too
替罪羊，代人受过者；引火烧身的人(或事); 众矢之的
In a harsh economic climate, pay rises for politicians have become a lightning conductor for criticism. 在经济状况十分严峻的情况下，给政客涨工资这一举措便成了众矢之的。(Cambridge)
The polling, portions of which were shared with Axios, comes as coronavirus-related election reform efforts have become a political lightning rod, with President Trump dismissing mail-in voting as “corrupt” and “RIPE for FRAUD.” (Axios)
hobble
verb (LIMIT) [ T ]
to limit something or control the freedom of someone
约束，限制
A long list of amendments have hobbled the new legislation. 一长串修正案限制了这项新立法。(Cambridge)
The sudden wave of tens of millions of unemployment claims has overwhelmed state agencies hobbled by outdated tech and understaffed offices. (Axios)
box out
1) (basketball) To position oneself between an opposition player and the basket in anticipation of getting a rebound.
(篮球)站在对方球员和篮筐之间，期望得到一个篮板球
2) (transitive, figuratively, by extension) To arrange a situation so as to exclude (someone); exclude
(引申为)安排某一情况以排除(某人)；排除
The federal coronavirus aid package expanded unemployment benefits for laid-off workers as the pandemic roiled the labor market, but an unprepared system has boxed out people in need — and artificially depressed the unemployment count, economists say. (Axios)
trail （v）
lose, be down, be behind, fall behind；to be losing to your competitor in a competition 落后；失败
General Election Begins with Trump Trailing. Using these toplines from Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, President Trump trails Joe Biden by an average of 3.7 points in these battleground states. Pair that with his 6-point deficit nationwide, and it’s clear the incumbent is behind.” (.insideelections.com)
tailwind
A tailwind is a wind that is blowing from behind an aeroplane, boat, or other vehicle, making it move faster.
A tailwind had cut the flying time by half an hour. 顺风
“For some Republicans, the prospect of an election that is almost wholly a referendum on Trump is unnerving. Though the president’s base remains loyal, a significant portion of GOP voters view him skeptically on a range of personal qualities. He pulled many of those voters to his side in the 2016 election by drawing an aggressive contrast with Democrat Hillary Clinton. He planned to do the same in 2020 with Biden, with the added tailwind of a surging American economy.” （Associated Press）
sideshow
noun [ C ]/ˈsaɪd.ʃoʊ/
1）a small show or event in addition to the main entertainment
穿插节目；小节目
Carol won a large soft toy at a sideshow at the fair. 卡罗尔在集市的助兴活动中赢得了一个大毛绒玩具。
2）an event or subject that is connected to another event or subject but is considered to be much less important
附带事件；次要活动
The media still regards women’s sport as a sideshow to the main event. 媒体仍然认为女子体育是主赛事的附带赛事。（Cambridge）
Said GOP strategist Scott Reed: “It’s Donald Trump versus the coronavirus and the recovery. Biden is a sideshow.” (Associated Press）
rabble-rouser
noun [ C ]/ˈræb.əlˌraʊ.zɚ/ (Cambridge)
a person who makes speeches that make people excited or angry, usually intentionally in order to make them act in a particular way
（尤指按自己的想法）煽动暴乱者，蛊惑人心者
Johnson was unpopular with the management because he was a well-known rabble-rouser. 管理层很不喜欢约翰逊，因为他是出了名的煽风点火者。
Maeve Reston: “At a time when large majorities of Americans support the stay-at-home orders that their governors have issued to keep them safe, President Trump once again stepped into the role of rabble-rouser on Friday by siding with the small group of agitators who turned up at Michigan’s state Capitol the previous day to protest Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stringent stay-at-home order.”