fate
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++fate /feɪt/ ●○○ noun 1 [countable usually singular]FUTURE the things that happen to someone or something, especially unpleasant things that end their existence or end a particular period 命中注定的事，命运的安排〔尤指不好的结局〕 I wouldn’t wish such a fate on my worst enemy. 就算是我不共戴天的仇敌，我也不希望他遭遇这样的命运。fate of No one knows what the fate of the hostages will be. 没有人知道这些人质的命运将会如何。► see thesaurus at future2 [uncountable]CHANCE/BY CHANCE a power that is believed to control what happens in people’s lives 天命，命运，运数 Fate plays cruel tricks sometimes. 有时命运的捉弄很残酷。a twist/quirk of fate (=something unexpected that happens) 命运的奇特安排 By a strange twist of fate, Smith’s first match is against the team that gave him the sack last season. 由于命运的奇特安排，史密斯首场比赛的对手正是上个赛季将他除名的那个队。3 a fate worse than death HARM/BE BAD FORsomething terrible that might happen to you – often used humorously 比死还糟糕的事情，极可怕的事〔常作幽默用法〕 He had rescued an innocent girl from a fate worse than death. 他将一个无辜的女孩子救出苦海。 → tempt fate at tempt(3) COLLOCATIONSverbssuffer a fate 遭受某种命运We must prevent other children from suffering the same fate. 我们一定不能让其他孩子遭受相同的命运。meet a fate 经历某种命运The beautiful old building met a sad fate when it was sold off to property developers. 这幢漂亮的老房子被卖给房地产开发商，真是命运悲惨。decide/settle somebody’s/something’s fate 决定某人/某事物的命运The meeting will decide the fate of the factory. 这次会议将决定工厂的命运。nThe court’s decision settled Anderson’s fate.seal somebody’s fate (=make it certain that something bad will happen to someone, especially that they will die) 决定某人的命运〔尤指死亡的厄运〕Engine failure sealed the pilot’s fate. 引擎故障决定了飞行员的命运。leave/abandon somebody to their fate (=leave someone in a bad situation) 让某人听天由命nThe abandoned sailors were left to their fate on the island.discover/find out somebody’s fate 给某人算命nHe only discovered his sister’s fate after the war.resign yourself to/accept your fate 听天由命nI had no choice but to resign myself to my fate.a fate awaits somebody formal (=a fate will happen to someone) 某种命运等待着某人nA terrible fate awaited any soldier who was captured.a fate befalls somebody formal (=someone suffers a particular fate) 某种命运降临到某人身上nI wondered what fate would befall me.adjectivesthe same fate 相同的命运He did not intend to meet the same fate as his companion. 他不想经历和同伴一样的命运。a similar fate 相似的命运The project suffered a similar fate to many of its predecessors. 该项目遭遇了与之前诸多项目相似的命运。somebody’s ultimate fate (=what finally happens to someone) 某人的最终命运The ultimate fate of the refugees is in our hands. 难民的最终命运在我们手里。a terrible/horrible/grim fate 可怕的/恐怖的/严酷的命运The crew of the ship met a terrible fate. 该船的全体船员遭遇了可怕的命运。a sad/tragic fate 悲惨的命运nThe play is about the tragic fate of two lovers.a cruel fate 残酷的命运nShe suffered a cruel fate at the hands of her captors.an uncertain fate (=not clear, definite, or decided) 命运未卜nThe Bill faces an uncertain fate in the Senate.phrasesyour fate is in somebody’s hands (=someone will decide what happens to you) 你的命运在某人手中His fate is now in the hands of the judge. 他的命运目前在法官手里。
Examples from the Corpus
fate• But fate had put into his lap one of the ubiquitous nobodies.• It wasn't as if she was in any hurry to learn her fate.• I am satisfied with my fate.• By a strange twist of fate the judge died on the very day that Cordell was executed.• They saw themselves as victims of fate.• He felt that fate had been very unfair to him.• He urged a nationwide referendum to decide the fate of the country.• Congress will meet to discuss the fate of the US nuclear defense shield.• This afternoon's debate is likely to seal the fate of the imprisoned aid workers.• The fate of the prisoners will be decided by a panel of three judges.• The solutions offered by New Right commentators and their fate is the subject of later chapters.• No, we will leave such things to fate.• It was fate that brought us together.fate of• These rulings will affect the fate of more than 6,000 refugees.a twist/quirk of fate• Despite her desolation, Nora Simpson was not the sort of woman to be beaten by a twist of fate.Origin fate (1300-1400) French Latin fatum “what has been spoken (by the gods)”, from fari “to speak”fate noun →COLLOCATIONS1LDOCE OnlineChinese
someone that things happen or to Corpus the
fate
fate /feɪt/
noun
I wouldn’t wish such a fate on my worst enemy.
fate of
No one knows what the fate of the hostages will be.
2. [uncountable] a power that is believed to control what happens in people’s lives:
Fate plays cruel tricks sometimes.
a twist/quirk of fate (=something unexpected that happens)
By a strange twist of fate Smith’s first match is against the team that gave him the sack last season.
3. a fate worse than death something terrible that might happen to you – often used humorously:
He had rescued an innocent girl from a fate worse than death.
⇨ tempt fate at tempt(3)
■ verbs
▪suffer a fate We must prevent other children from suffering the same fate.
▪meet a fate The beautiful old building met a sad fate when it was sold off to property developers.
▪decide/settle sb’s/sth’s fate The meeting will decide the fate of the factory. | The court’s decision settled Anderson’s fate.
▪seal sb’s fate (=make it certain that something bad will happen to someone, especially that they will die) Engine failure sealed the pilot’s fate.
▪leave/abandon somebody to their fate (=leave someone in a bad situation) The abandoned sailors were left to their fate on the island.
▪discover/find out sb’s fate He only discovered his sister’s fate after the war.
▪resign yourself to/accept your fate I had no choice but to resign myself to my fate.
▪a fate awaits somebody formal (=a fate will happen to someone) A terrible fate awaited any soldier who was captured.
▪a fate befalls somebody formal (=someone suffers a particular fate) I wondered what fate would befall me.
■ adjectives
▪the same fate He did not intend to meet the same fate as his companion.
▪a similar fate The project suffered a similar fate to many of its predecessors.
▪sb’s ultimate fate (=what finally happens to someone) The ultimate fate of the refugees is in our hands.
▪a terrible/horrible/grim fate The crew of the ship met a terrible fate.
▪a sad/tragic fate The play is about the tragic fate of two lovers.
▪a cruel fate She suffered a cruel fate at the hands of her captors.
▪an uncertain fate (=not clear, definite, or decided) The Bill faces an uncertain fate in the Senate.
■ phrases
▪your fate is in sb’s hands (=someone will decide what happens to you) His fate is now in the hands of the judge.
fate /feɪt/
noun Date: 1300-1400
Language: French
Origin: Latin fatum 'what has been spoken (by the gods)', from fari 'to speak'
1. [countable usually singular] the things that happen to someone or something, especially unpleasant things that end their existence or end a particular period:Language: French
Origin: Latin fatum 'what has been spoken (by the gods)', from fari 'to speak'
fate of
2. [uncountable] a power that is believed to control what happens in people’s lives:
a twist/quirk of fate (=something unexpected that happens)
3. a fate worse than death something terrible that might happen to you – often used humorously:
⇨ tempt fate at tempt(3)
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luck the force that causes good or bad things to happen to people 指机遇、命运、运气 ：◆ This ring has always brought me good luck. 这戒指总是给我带来好运。 chance the way that some things happen without any cause that you can see or understand 指偶然、碰巧、意外 ：◆ The results could simply be due to chance. 这结果可能纯属意外。 coincidence the fact of two things happening at the same time by chance, in a surprising way 指出人意料的巧合、巧事 ：◆ They met through a series of strange coincidences. 他们因一连串奇妙的巧合而相遇。 accident something that happens unexpectedly and is not planned in advance 指意外、偶然的事 ：◆ Their early arrival was just an accident. 他们早到仅仅是偶然而已。 fate the power that is believed to control everything that happens and that cannot be stopped or changed 指命运、天数、定数、天意 ：◆ Fate decreed that she would never reach America. 命中注定她永远到不了美国。 destiny the power that is believed to control events 指主宰事物的力量、命运之神 ：◆ I believe there's some force guiding us—call it God, destiny or fate. 我认为有某种力量在指引着我们，称之为上帝也罢，天意也罢，或是命运也罢。
fate or destiny? 用 fate 还是 destiny？
Fate can be kind, but this is an unexpected gift; just as often,fate is cruel and makes people feel helpless.Destiny is more likely to give people a sense of power: people who havea strong sense of destiny usually believe that they are meant to be great or do great things.* fate 有时是善意的，但那只是意外的恩赐；fate 也是残酷的，使人感到无能为力；destiny 更可能给人力量的感觉，have a strong sense of destiny 指人具有强烈使命感，通常认为自己必将不同凡响或成就伟业。
Patterns
by …luck/chance/coincidence/accidentIt's no coincidence/accidentthat… pure/sheer luck/chance/coincidence/accidentto believe in luck/coincidences/fate/destiny
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