dismal
英 ['dɪzməl] 美 ['dɪzməl]
adj.阴沉的；凄凉的；暗的
TOEFL GRE GMAT
◉Etymology
“dismal” 这个单词源自中古英语的 “dismal”，意为"黑暗，沉闷，凄凉"。
◉外刊例句
① The economic forecast for the upcoming year looks dismal, with experts predicting a recession.
未来一年的经济预测看起来凄凉，专家预测会出现经济衰退。
——The New York Times - 2023年1月
② The once bustling shopping street now appears dismal and empty, with many stores closed down.
曾经熙熙攘攘的购物街如今显得凄凉而空旷，许多商店已经关闭。
——The Guardian - 2023年4月
③ The government’s response to the humanitarian crisis was deemed dismal by international aid organizations.
国际救援组织认为政府对人道主义危机的反应非常凄凉。
——BBC News - 2023年7月
◉Usage Examples
(1) We were all depressed by the dismal weather.
(2) He tossed about until the appearance of the dismal London daylight, when he sprang up desperately, and walked off to his uncle's lodgings in Bury Street.
(3) There was something to celebrate about amid the dismal environment on rocky Patmos.
(1) 阴沉的天气让我们都感到压抑。
(2) 他翻来复去，等到伦敦那阴沉的白天开始上曙光，便一骨碌爬了起来，前往柏利街他叔父的寓所。
(3) 在多岩的拔摩岛凄凉的环境中，原来也有值得庆祝的事。
◉Usage note
Dismal is a dreary, depressing sort of bad. "With the cold rain and their team behind by six field goals, the mood in the stands was so dismal even the cheerleaders had lost their 'Rah.'"
Dismal comes from the Latin dies mali which means "bad days." There is a hopelessness implied in the word. If you fell on the way to school and cut your knee, it would be bad, but not dismal. If you fell into a giant mud puddle and had to wear dirty, crusty clothes until you got home, it might make the school day seem pretty dismal.
◉Colins
1. [ADJ-GRADED 能被表示程度的副词或介词词组修饰的形容词]忧郁的；凄凉的；令人沮丧的 Something that is dismal is bad in a sad or depressing way.
...Israel's dismal record in the Olympics...
以色列在奥运会上让人沮丧的记录
My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal...
我重新找到一个合适的工作岗位的希望很渺茫。
It was a dismal failure.
这是个让人沮丧的失败。
dismally
He failed dismally in his opening match.
他在揭幕战中惨败。
2. [ADJ-GRADED 能被表示程度的副词或介词词组修饰的形容词](尤指外表)阴暗的，阴沉的，沉闷的 Something that is dismal is sad and depressing, especially in appearance.
The main part of the hospital is pretty dismal but the children's ward is really lively.
医院的主体部分死气沉沉，但是儿科病房却充满生气。
...a dark dismal day with rain falling steadily...
天空昏暗、阴雨绵绵的一天
You can't occupy yourself with dismal thoughts all the time.
不要终日陷在阴郁的思绪中。
