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）
sit on your hands
to do nothing about a problem or a situation that needs dealing with
置之不理；无所事事
Every day the crisis worsens and yet the government seems content to sit on its hands. 危机逐日加深，然而政府似乎满足于无所事事。(Cambridge)
harma startups forced to sit on their hands as clinical trials halt. Pharma startups are in the media spotlight, after decades of playing second-fiddle to consumer and enterprise tech, but are facing their own pandemic-related challenges.
wind down
— phrasal verb with wind verb （Cambridge）
1）if a business, situation, activity, etc. winds down, or is wound down, it gradually ends: 逐步结束
They’re winding down their overseas operation because it is losing money.
2）to start to relax gradually after a period of hard work or a worrying situation: 开始放松
The City has started to wind down before the Christmas break.
The stressfulness of the job makes it hard to wind down on the weekends.
Vice President Mike Pence told reporters on Tuesday that the White House is in “preliminary discussions” to wind down its coronavirus task force, possibly in early June. （Axios）
hit out
— phrasal verb with hit verb
to criticize something or someone strongly
猛烈批评，严厉抨击
The Medical Association yesterday hit out at government cuts in healthcare services. 昨天，医疗协会猛烈抨击了政府削减医疗保健开支的措施。(Cambridge)
China hits out at US over call for Taiwan to be given WHO role. accuses US of trying to deflect coronavirus blame after call for Taiwan to be given World Health Organisation role. (SCMP)
spacefaring
noun [ U ]/ˈspeɪsˌfer.ɪŋ/
the activity of travelling in space: 太空旅行
The Trump administration and other spacefaring countries see the moon as a key strategic asset in outer space. The moon also has value for long-term scientific research that could enable future missions to Mars – activities that fall under a regime of international space law widely viewed as outdated. (Reuters)
telecommuting
noun [ U ]/ˈtel.ə.kə.mjuː.t̬ɪŋ/ (Cambridge)
→ teleworking
远程办公（在家工作，通过电话或电子邮件与办公室联系，同 teleworking）
The pandemic is accelerating the onset of new trends in work — toward telecommuting, new office layouts and a different work-life balance. And we’re already seeing signs that these effects will outlast the crisis.
court
verb (RISK) [ T ]
to risk something unpleasant, especially by behaving stupidly or carelessly
（尤指因行为愚蠢或粗心而）招致，招惹
Drinking and driving is simply courting disaster. 酒后驾车纯粹是在招惹祸端。(Cambridge)
US courts Chin(ese) anger by stepping up push for Taiwan to take part in World Health Organisation. Washington and its allies have stepped up call for island to attend World Health Assembly as an observer.
setup
noun (ARRANGEMENT) [ C/U ]
1) an arrangement of things that allows something to happen, or the process that prepares this arrangement
体制; 组织方式; 建制; 安装程序
2) a scheme or trick intended to incriminate or deceive someone.
陷害; 栽赃
President Trump told reporters Tuesday that he won’t let Anthony Fauci testify before the House of Representatives because it’s “a setup” with a “bunch of Trump haters.” (Axios)
knock back (sth)
— phrasal verb with knock verb
to refuse to accept someone or something；reject or refuse
拒绝；回绝
Australian Intelligence Knocks Back U.S. Claims. “Australian intelligence agencies have questioned evidence trumpeted by United States officials supposedly linking the coronavirus to a Wuhan laboratory as concerns within the government grow that the push will derail efforts to eliminate dangerous wildlife wet markets,” the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
the upshot
noun [ S ]
something that happens as a result of other actions, events, or decisions
结局；结果
The upshot of the discussions is that there will be no layoffs. 讨论的结果是不会进行裁员。(Cambridge)
What’s happening: Many clinical trials have been put on indefinite hold, particularly if they involved hospital sites. The upshot is that such startups are effectively in a holding pattern, with investors scrambling to decide whether or not to foot the elongated bill. (Axois）