merit

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++mer·it1 /ˈmerɪt/ ●●○ noun  1  [countable]GOOD POINT OR CHARACTERISTIC an advantage or good feature of something 长处，优点merit of The film has the merit of being short. 这部电影很短，这是个优点。 The merit of the report is its realistic assessment of the changes required. 这份报告的优点就是它对所要求的变动进行了实事求是的评估。 The great merit of the project is its flexibility and low cost. 该项目最大的优点是它的灵活性和低成本。 Each of these approaches to teaching has its merits. 这些教学方法每一种都有其优点。 Tonight’s meeting will weigh up the relative merits of the two candidates. 今晚的会议将对两位候选人的相对优点进行考量。► see thesaurus at advantage RegisterMerit is used especially in formal contexts. In everyday English, people usually talk about the good points of something: merit尤用于正式文体中。日常英语中一般说good pointsThe book does have its good points. 这本书确有它的可取之处。2  [uncountable] formalDESERVE a good quality that makes someone or something deserve praise 优秀品质 There is never any merit in being second best. 不是最好就不值一提。have (some) merit/be of merit (=be good) 有可称道之处 The suggestion has some merit. 这个建议有可取之处。on merit Students are selected solely on merit (=because they are good). 学生都是择优录取的。artistic/literary merit a film lacking any artistic merit 一部毫无艺术价值的电影3  judge/consider etc something on its (own) merits to judge something only on what you see when you look at it rather than on what you know from other people or things 根据某事件本身的情况来判断/考虑等 It’s important to judge each case on its merits. 每种情况都要具体斟酌。n COLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2verbshave meritBoth suggestions had some merit.discuss/debate the merits of something (=discuss whether or not something is a good idea)They were discussing the merits of sending soldiers to the area.consider/judge the merits of something (=think about whether or not something is a good idea)The committee is considering the merits of the proposal.assess/evaluate the merits of something (=to decide what is good about something using careful methods)Has any study assessed the merits of the two schools?question the merits of something (=not be sure if something is a good idea)People began to question the merits of nuclear energy.see little/no merit in something (=think that something is not a good idea)I can see no merit in violence. have its merits (=have some good qualities)Each idea has its merits.adjectivesartistic merit (=the qualities that make something good as a piece of art)What are the artistic merits of this statue?literary merit (=the qualities that make something good as a book, play, or poem)There was no literary merit in his poems.great meritIt seems to me that the idea has great merit.outstanding merit (=very great merit)The prize is given to students of outstanding merit.considerable merit (=a lot of merit)There is considerable merit in using this kind of approach.the relative/comparative merits of something (=the good qualities of something as compared to something else)She is an expert in the relative merits of spa waters.

Examples from the Corpus

merit• a merit scholarship• This involves identifying and describing all buildings of architectural merit and all objects of artistic, historic, literary and documentary value.• At the same time, some of the misconduct charges appear to have merit, according to officials.• There is obvious merit in good insulation, using only the most efficient kitchen appliances, heating systems and such.• When he failed to promote any women into his first cabinet he insisted he would only appoint on merit.• I think it will have some merit.• The committee is still considering the merits of the new proposals.• However the merit of Fei's book lies in its functionalist style.• The merits of the new health programme are gradually being recognized.• This was a vigorous defense of the bill and not without merit.relative merits• Within weeks after our arrival the managers of each department had begun to debate our relative merits.• In private, however, all are making judgements about the relative merits of each of the authorities.• First, we will need to consider the relative merits of selling the assets of the business as opposed to the shares.• Worse yet, they provide lots of ambiguity and material for debate on the relative merits of centralization and decentralization.• He lost all perspective on the relative merits of the jobs.• There is some debate as to the relative merits of homoeopathy and herbalism.• The relative merits of both approaches have to be considered when opting for a solution to a particular diagnostic problem.• The relative merits of free, natural and controlled language need to be evaluated.artistic/literary merit• But Sophie Ryder is a sculptor who finds artistic merit in the more mundane aspects of rural life.• The fifty-year-old display area is now to be replaced with a new space of suitably high artistic merit.• Does An exact copy of a Michelangelo statue lose artistic merit because it doesn't have his name on it.• Obviously, there is no literary merit in such rhymes.• For most novels of literary merit, neither the dualist nor the monist doctrine will be entirely satisfactory.• Membership of East Berlin's Akademie depended on government approval more than on artistic merit.merit2 ●○○ verb [transitive] formal  DESERVEto be good, important, or serious enough for praise or attention 应得到，值得〔称赞或注意〕 SYN deserve The results have been encouraging enough to merit further investigation. 结果令人振奋，值得进一步调查研究。 It’s a fascinating book which merits attention. 这是本引人入胜的书，值得关注。n GRAMMAR: Using the progressiveMerit is not used in the progressive. You say: This suggestion merits serious consideration. ✗Don’t say: This suggestion is meriting serious consideration.→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

merit• Her business has become so famous that she felt its success story merited a corner display in her new museum.• Reality: Under new state guidelines, her situation rarely would merit an investigation.• At the outset two points merit emphasis.• The subject has an importance in the history of war at this period which merits emphasis.• Puisieulx Puisieulx is the smallest of the grand cru villages and certainly does not merit its exalted status.• Finally, one issue merits more detailed comment because of its implications for the entire Docklands community - housing.• The committee will decide whether the case merits more serious attention.• It is beyond me how it came To merit such enormous fame.Origin merit1 (1100-1200) Old French merite, from Latin meritum, from merere “to deserve, earn”

mer·it1 noun →REGISTER1 →n COLLOCATIONS1merit2 verb →n GRAMMAR1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable  

an advantage Corpus of or feature something good

merit

I

mer‧it¹ /ˈmerət, ˈmerɪt/ noun1. [countable] an advantage or good feature of something
    merit of
    The film has the merit of being short.
    The merit of the report is its realistic assessment of the changes required.
    The great merit of the project is its flexibility and low cost.
    Each of these approaches to teaching has its merits.
    Tonight’s meeting will weigh up the relative merits of the two candidates.
  REGISTER
    Merit is used especially in formal contexts. In everyday English, people usually talk about the good points of something:
   ▪ The book does have its good points.
2. [uncountable] formal a good quality that makes someone or something deserve praise:
    There is never any merit in being second best.
    have (some) merit/be of merit (=be good)
    The suggestion has some merit.
    on merit
    Students are selected solely on merit (=because they are good).
    artistic/literary merit
    a film lacking any artistic merit
3. judge/consider etc something on its (own) merits to judge something only on what you see when you look at it rather than on what you know from other people or things:
    It’s important to judge each case on its merits.
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meanings 1 & 2)

■ verbs
   ▪ have merit Both suggestions had some merit.
   ▪ discuss/debate the merits of something (=discuss whether or not something is a good idea) They were discussing the merits of sending soldiers to the area.
   ▪ consider/judge the merits of something (=think about whether or not something is a good idea) The committee is considering the merits of the proposal.
   ▪ assess/evaluate the merits of something (=to decide what is good about something using careful methods) Has any study assessed the merits of the two schools?
   ▪ question the merits of something (=not be sure if something is a good idea) People began to question the merits of nuclear energy.
   ▪ see little/no merit in something (=think that something is not a good idea) I can see no merit in violence.
   ▪ have its merits (=have some good qualities) Each idea has its merits.
■ adjectives
   ▪ artistic merit (=the qualities that make something good as a piece of art) What are the artistic merits of this statue?
   ▪ literary merit (=the qualities that make something good as a book, play, or poem) There was no literary merit in his poems.
   ▪ great merit It seems to me that the idea has great merit.
   ▪ outstanding merit (=very great merit) The prize is given to students of outstanding merit.
   ▪ considerable merit (=a lot of merit) There is considerable merit in using this kind of approach.
   ▪ the relative/comparative merits of something (=the good qualities of something as compared to something else) She is an expert in the relative merits of spa waters.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ advantage a good feature that something has, which makes it better, more useful etc than other things: The great advantage of digital cameras is that there is no film to process.
   ▪ benefit a feature of something that has a good effect on people’s lives: Regular exercise has many benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease.
   ▪ merit a good feature that something has, which you consider when you are deciding whether it is the best choice: The committee will consider the merits of the proposals. | The merits and demerits of (=the good and bad features of)alternative funding systems were widely discussed in the newspapers. | The chairman saw no great merit in this suggestion (=he did not think that it was a good idea).
   ▪ virtue an advantage that makes you believe that something is a good thing: They believed in the virtues of culture, civilization, and reason. | He’s always extolling the virtues of hard work (=saying that hard work is a good thing).
   ▪ the good/great/best thing about something especially spoken used when mentioning a good feature of something. This phrase is rather informal and you should not use it in formal essays: The good thing about cycling is that you don’t have to worry about getting stuck in a traffic jam.
   ▪ the beauty of something is that used when you want to emphasize that something has a very good or useful feature: The beauty of the plan is that it is so simple.

II

merit² verb [transitive not in progressive] formal
to be good, important, or serious enough for praise or attention
   SYN  deserve:
    The results have been encouraging enough to merit further investigation.
    It’s a fascinating book which merits attention.