calm

calm, peaceful, quiet, silent, still

这组形容词共同的意思是“安静”“平静”“寂静”。它们的区别在于:

1.在修饰环境时各词所指的状态为:calm指风平浪静; peaceful指没有战争或骚乱; quiet指没有吵闹干扰; still指完全没有声音。例如:

The sea was calm yesterday.昨天海水是平静的。

Countries should settle their disputes by peaceful means.各国应通过和平手段解决他们的争端。

Differences among them could have been reconciled by them through peaceful consultations.他们中间的分歧本来可以由他们和平协商调解。

He had a bad headache and needed being quiet.他头疼得厉害,需要安静。

Everything was deadly still.万籁俱寂。

2.在修饰人时:calm指人心平气和,毫不激动; peaceful表示“安详的”“温和的”; quiet指性情温和、安静等,有时也指人的闲散或不活动; still指“一动不动”; silent侧重“沉默”“不说话”,但不一定不动。例如:

The teacher is peaceful when the student appeared.当这个学生出现时,这个老师很温和。

We should keep quiet in the hospital.在医院里我们应该保持安静。

His hands were never still.他的双手一刻也不停。

We've been silent for too long. It's time to speak out.我们沉默得太久了,现在是大胆地发表意见的时候了。

She sat silent in her own room.她在自己的房间里一动不动地坐着。

calm, compose

这组词共同的意思是“平静”。它们的区别是：

compose着重指“动作”,即控制自己的思想情绪或感情,使其“平静”; 而calm着重指“状态”,即镇定而显不出迷惑或兴奋。

calm, quieten, settle

这三个词都有“(使)镇定”的意思。它们之间的差别是:

1.calm强调了先前混乱的状态,然后靠判断力、意志或信仰而恢复正常。

2.settle指采取某种措施、安排而平息了激动或兴奋,使思想和身体处于一种轻松状态。例如:

A vacation will settle your nerves.休假可镇定你的神经。

A word from his father was enough to settle him.他父亲的一句话就足以使他安静下来。

The music will settle my disordered brain.音乐会使我纷乱的心情得到安定。

Have a brandy. It will settle your nerves.喝点白兰地吧,它会使你镇定下来。

Her soft words settled his agitated mind.她的温柔的话语使他焦虑的思绪平静下来。

I'll read a bit before supper to settle my mind.我在晚餐之前读读书使心情平静。

3.quieten强调言谈举止方面外在的暂时平静。例如:

The children were shouting, but they soon quietened down.孩子们大叫大嚷着,但一会儿就安静了下来。