accent

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++ac·cent1 /ˈæksənt $ ˈæksent/ ●●○ noun [countable]  1  SLLthe way someone pronounces the words of a language, showing which country or which part of a country they come from 口音 → dialect He had a strong Irish accent. 他有浓重的爱尔兰口音。2  the accent is on something EMPHASIZEif the accent is on a particular quality, feeling etc, special importance is given to it 重点在…上，强调… accommodation with the accent on comfort 注重舒适的住处3  SLLthe part of a word that you should emphasize when you say it 重音 SYN stressaccent on In the word ‘dinner’ the accent is on the first syllable. dinner一词的重音在第一音节上。4. SLGa written mark used above or below particular letters in some languages to show how to pronounce that letter 变音符号 COLLOCATIONSverbshave an accent 有口音The man had a Spanish accent. 这个男人有西班牙口音。speak with an accent 说话带有口音She spoke with an accent that I couldn’t understand. 她说话有口音，我听不懂。pick up an accent 学会一种口音During his stay in England, he had picked up an English accent. 他旅居英格兰期间学会了英格兰口音。lose your accent (=no longer speak with an accent) 不再有口音5After five years in Europe, Ricky had lost his American accent.里基在欧洲生活了五年后，说话不再有美国口音。nAfter 9 years in London, Ben had lost his French accent.put on an accent (=deliberately speak with a different accent from your usual one) 故意用一种腔调说话When Mum’s on the phone, she puts on a funny accent. 妈妈打电话时说话腔调很好笑。ADJECTIVES/NOUN + accenta strong/broad/thick/pronounced accent (=very noticeable) 浓重的口音She spoke with a strong Scottish accent. 她讲话带有浓重的苏格兰口音。na broad Australian accenta slight/faint accent 轻微的口音He has a very slight accent. 他略微有些口音。a French/American etc accent 法国/美国等口音nI noticed that he had a Spanish accent.a New York/London etc accent 纽约/伦敦等口音nThe woman had a Chicago accent.a foreign accent 外国口音nI got a call from a man with a foreign accent.a southern/northern accent 南方/北方口音nHe spoke with a lovely soft southern accent.a regional accent (=from a particular area of a country) 地方口音nIf you have a regional accent, don’t try to hide it.an upper-class/middle-class/working-class accent 上层阶级/中产阶级/工人阶级（说话）的腔调nSebastian spoke with an upper-class accent.a posh/plummy accent British English informal (=an upper-class accent) 【英，非正式】上等人（说话）的腔调na tall man with a posh accentnnounsa hint/trace of an accentI could detect the hint of a German accent in her voice.

Examples from the Corpus

accent• Her acquired accent sounded suddenly very strong.• Her companion had a broad Australian accent.• Alex spoke Portuguese with a Brazilian accent.• She spoke with a distinctly upper class accent.• Anyone with a foreign accent, including refugee children, were labelled as potential saboteurs.• Margy comes from Newcastle and speaks with a Geordie accent.• I knew from his accent that he was from the South.• His accent was so strong that I couldn't understand a word he was saying.• Maria speaks Spanish with a Mexican accent.• It was the peculiar accent that puzzled me before; it made Alice's words sound garbled, nonsensical.• National regional accents sound very attractive on radio.• Are the accents strongly regional and therefore perhaps unfamiliar to your students?• The accent on non sequiturs and non-linear thinking echoes the Ono sensibility and much else in determinedly avant-garde circles.ac·cent2 /əkˈsent $ ˈæksent/ verb [transitive]  1  to make something more noticeable so that people will pay attention to it 显出，突出；强调 SYN highlight Use make-up to accent your cheekbones and eyes. 用化妆来突出颧骨和眼部。2. SLL technical to emphasize a part of a word in speech 重读→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

accent• The side tables were accented by fresh flower arrangements.• The opening chase sequence, accenting its violent end, is exhilaratingly choreographed.• Skillful use of make-up can accent your cheekbones and hide small blemishes.Origin accent1 (1500-1600) French Latin accentus, from ad- “to” + cantus “song”

ac·cent1 noun →COLLOCATIONS1ac·cent2 verbLDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable  

the showing Corpus language, someone the of way pronounces words a

accent

I

ac‧cent¹ /ˈæksənt $ ˈæksent/ noun [countable]1. the way someone pronounces the words of a language, showing which country or which part of a country they come from ⇨ dialect:
    He had a strong Irish accent
2. the accent is on something if the accent is on a particular quality, feeling etc, special importance is given to it:
    accommodation with the accent on comfort
3. the part of a word that you should emphasize when you say it
   SYN  stress
    accent on
    In the word ‘dinner’ the accent is on the first syllable.
4. a written mark used above or below particular letters in some languages to show how to pronounce that letter
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ verbs
   ▪ have an accent The man had a Spanish accent.
   ▪ speak with an accent She spoke with an accent that I couldn’t understand.
   ▪ pick up an accent During his stay in England, he had picked up an English accent.
   ▪ lose your accent (=no longer speak with an accent) After five years in Europe, Ricky had lost his American accent.
   ▪ put on an accent (=deliberately speak with a different accent from your usual one) When mum’s on the phone, she puts on a funny accent.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + accent
   ▪ a strong/broad/thick/pronounced accent (=very noticeable) She spoke with a strong Scottish accent. | a broad Australian accent
   ▪ a slight/faint accent He has a very slight accent.
   ▪ a French/American etc accent I noticed that he had a Spanish accent.
   ▪ a New York/London etc accent The woman had a Chicago accent.
   ▪ a foreign accent I got a call from a man with a foreign accent.
   ▪ a southern/northern accent He spoke with a lovely soft southern accent.
   ▪ a regional accent (=from a particular area of a country) If you have a regional accent, don’t try to hide it.
   ▪ an upper-class/middle-class/working-class accent Sebastian spoke with an upper-class accent.
   ▪ a posh/plummy accent British English informal (=an upper-class accent) a tall man with a posh accent
■ nouns
   ▪ a hint/trace of an accent I could detect the hint of a German accent in her voice.
     

THESAURUS

■ different kinds of language
   ▪ dialect a form of a language that is spoken in one area of a country, with different words, grammar, or pronunciation from other areas: Cantonese is only one of many Chinese dialects. | the local dialect
   ▪ accent the way that someone pronounces words, because of where they were born or live, or their social class: Karen has a strong New Jersey accent. | an upper class accent
   ▪ slang very informal spoken language, used especially by people who belong to a particular group, for example young people or criminals: Teenage slang changes all the time. | ‘Dosh’ is slang for ‘money’.
   ▪ terminology formal the technical words or expressions that are used in a particular subject: musical terminology | Patients are often unfamiliar with medical terminology.
   ▪ jargon especially disapproving words and phrases used in a particular profession or subject and which are difficult for other people to understand: The instructions were written in complicated technical jargon. | ‘Outsourcing’ is business jargon for sending work to people outside a company to do. | The letter was full of legal jargon.

II

ac‧cent² /əkˈsent $ ˈæksent/ verb [transitive]
1. to make something more noticeable so that people will pay attention to it
   SYN  highlight:
    Use make-up to accent your cheekbones and eyes.
2. technical to emphasize a part of a word in speech