occasion

Word family  noun occasion adjective occasional adverb occasionally

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++oc·ca·sion1 /əˈkeɪʒən/ ●●● S1 W2 noun  1  time 时间 a) [countable]HAPPEN a time when something happens 〔某事发生的〕时刻，时候，时节on ... occasions I’ve seen Jana with them on several occasions. 我几次看见贾娜和他们在一起。 On this occasion we were sitting in a park in Madrid. 这一次我们是坐在马德里的一座公园里。 She had met Zahid on two separate occasions. 她遇到过扎希德两次。 b) [singular]SUITABLE a suitable or favourable time 〔合适的〕机会；〔有利的〕时机occasion for This was the occasion for expressions of friendship by the two presidents. 这是两位总统进行友好交流的时机。 ► Do not use occasion to mean ‘a time when it is possible for you to do what you want to do’. Use opportunity or chance: Do not waste this opportunity (NOT this occasion).表示可以做自己想做之事的机会时，不要用 occasion，而要用 opportunity 或 chance: Do not waste this opportunity (不说 this occasion). 不要坐失良机。► see thesaurus at time2  special event 特别的事件 [countable]HAPPEN an important social event or ceremony 重要的社交活动，盛会 I’m saving this bottle of champagne for a special occasion. 我要把这瓶香槟酒留到特别的日子喝。► see thesaurus at event3  cause/reason 原因/理由 [uncountable] formalCAUSEREASON a cause or reason 原因，理由 His remark was the occasion of a bitter quarrel. 他的话引起了一场激烈的争吵。 I had occasion to call on him last year. 去年我因事去拜访过他。4  if (the) occasion arises formalNEED if a particular action ever becomes necessary 如有必要，必要时 If ever the occasion arises when I want advice, you’re the first person I’ll come to. 我若是有事需要请教，第一个便来找你。5  on occasion SOMETIMESsometimes but not often 有时，间或，偶尔 On occasion, prisoners were allowed visits from their families. 囚犯可获准偶尔接受家属探访。6  on the occasion of something formalHAPPEN at the time of an important event 在〔重要事件〕之际 on the occasion of his second wedding 在他第二个婚礼上 → rise to the occasion at rise1(9)n COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1: adjectivesseveral occasionsHe has helped me on several occasions.many occasionsI have seen him drunk on many occasions.numerous occasionsShe has been late on numerous occasions.two/three etc occasionsHe was given a red card on two occasions this season.a rare occasion (=used when something does not happen often)Only on rare occasions did she ever receive a letter.a particular occasionOn that particular occasion, he greeted me by kissing my hand.a previous occasionHe insisted then, as on every previous occasion, that he was innocent.a separate occasionI had heard this story on at least four separate occasions.a different occasionThe same person can react differently on different occasions.such occasions (=an occasion like the one mentioned or described)He had a box of toys by his desk for such occasions.phrasesa number of occasionsThe crowd interrupted her speech on a number of occasions.more than one occasion (=more than once)She stayed out all night on more than one occasion.at least one occasion (=once, and probably more than once)On at least one occasion he was arrested for robbery. COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: an important social event or ceremony 重要的社交活动，盛会adjectivesa special occasion 特殊场合She used her best china on special occasions. 她在特殊场合摆出最好的瓷器。a big/great/splendid occasion 盛大场合The big occasion for country people was the Agricultural Fair. 农业展览会就是乡村民众的盛会了。a formal occasion 正式场合He wore the suit on formal occasions. 这套装他在正式场合才穿。a social occasion 社交场合I prefer not to discuss business at social occasions. 我不喜欢在社交场合谈生意。a ceremonial occasion (=a very formal official occasion) 礼仪场合nThe gowns are worn only on ceremonial occasions.a happy/joyful occasion 愉快的场合nThe wedding had been a joyful occasion.a sad/solemn occasion 悲伤/庄重的场合nHe did not want his funeral to be a sad and solemn occasion, but a celebration of his life.a festive occasion (=when you celebrate something) 节庆场合nThe Great Hall had been prepared for the festive occasion.a historic occasion (=important as part of history) 历史性场合nThis is truly a historic occasion.verbscelebrate an occasion 庆祝某一事件To celebrate the occasion, a small party was held at his home. 他家里举行了一个小聚会来庆祝此事。mark an occasion (=do something special to celebrate an event) 纪念某一事件The bells were rung to mark the occasion. 敲响钟声以示纪念。nsuit the occasionThe table was decorated to suit the occasion.phrasesa sense of occasion (=a feeling that an event is very special or important) 盛会的感觉The music gave the event a real sense of occasion. 音乐为这一活动平添了隆重的气氛。enter into the spirit of the occasion (=join in a social occasion in an eager way) 融入某一场合的气氛nPeople entered into the spirit of the occasion by enjoying a picnic before the outdoor concert.

Examples from the Corpus

occasion• It was quite an occasion. All the local dignitaries were there, dressed in their finest clothes.• I do not intend to follow that, because we shall have an opportunity to do so on another occasion.• Thanksgiving is a really big occasion in the States.• The witness said that on both occasions he noticed Davis because of his heavily tattooed arms.• I've suggested that she should move on numerous occasions, but she never takes any notice.• The control subjects did not receive either placebo or loperamide oxide tablets but underwent an identical series of measurements on one occasion.• On one occasion, Anna fainted while out shopping with friends.• She had met Zahid on a previous occasion.• I remember Michael sleeping in your room on several occasions and mom not knowing about it.• She was saving four bottles of their best champagne for a special occasion.• It's our wedding anniversary next month, and we're having a party to celebrate the occasion.• I went out and bought a new dress just for the occasion.• I had only met her once before the film brought us together, but I remember the occasion well.• Every new challenge puts all the resources of the communicator to the test, and most solutions belong to the occasion.• As I say, it is the chorus which too often fails to rise to the occasion.• It was a useful occasion for an outing to visit the Casterton dig.occasion for• The summit is an occasion for different countries to exchange views.had occasion to• She had already had occasion to notice Katherine's skills, skills with arrangement, with colours and shape.• Neilson consequently had occasion to use jets in the manner for which they were designed and for which the pilots were trained.• Inspector Blakelock or Brend Pridmore could easily have had occasion to go there.• It was nearly three years before Father Maier had occasion to raise the issue with his superiors.• She and Shildon had never had occasion to work together so what made him think of her?• The legislature has never had occasion to speak on this matter, and the issue has never come to court.• I have never had occasion to effect an arrest nor to summons any person.• I've never had occasion to dial 911 for emergency help.• It's not a phrase I've had occasion to use all that much.occasion2 verb [transitive] formal  CAUSEto cause something 引起，惹起 She had a long career break occasioned by her husband’s job being moved to Paris. 她因为丈夫的工作调到巴黎，事业曾被长期中断。occasion somebody something Your behaviour has occasioned us a great deal of anxiety. 你的行为已引起我们极大的不安。→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

occasion• The girl's solitary state occasioned a good deal of sympathy, and in some cases, even stronger feelings.• For government was occasioned by the needs of capitalism and the acquisitive mentality which capitalism produced.• The theological debates occasioned by this crisis of identity occupied the generation of Jerome and Augustine.• As with so many things, I was ignorant of the conditions that occasioned change.• Which occasioned even more horn blowing, and heads out the window shouting.• Milton's mismanagement of the company occasioned the loss of thousands of jobs.Origin occasion1 (1300-1400) French Latin occasio, from occidere “to fall down”

oc·ca·sion1 noun →n COLLOCATIONS1 →COLLOCATIONS2occasion2 verbLDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable  

when time Corpus happens a something

occasion

I

oc‧ca‧sion¹ S1 W2 /əˈkeɪʒən/ noun1.  TIME
  a. [countable] a time when something happens
    on ... occasions
    I’ve seen Jana with them on several occasions.
    On this occasion we were sitting in a park in Madrid.
    She had met Zahid on two separate occasions.
  b. [singular] a suitable or favourable time
    occasion for
    This was the occasion for expressions of friendship by the two presidents.
  ► Do not use occasion to mean ‘a time when it is possible for you to do what you want to do’. Use opportunity or chance: Do not waste this opportunity (NOT this occasion).
2.  SPECIAL EVENT  [countable] an important social event or ceremony:
    I’m saving this bottle of champagne for a special occasion.
3.  CAUSE/REASON  [uncountable] formal a cause or reason:
    His remark was the occasion of a bitter quarrel.
    I had occasion to call on him last year.
4. if (the) occasion arises formal if a particular action ever becomes necessary:
    If ever the occasion arises when I want advice, you’re the first person I’ll come to.
5. on occasion sometimes but not often:
    On occasion, prisoners were allowed visits from their families.
6. on the occasion of something formal at the time of an important event:
    on the occasion of his second wedding ⇨ rise to the occasion at rise¹(9)
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meaning 1)

■ adjectives
   ▪ several occasions He has helped me on several occasions.
   ▪ many occasions I have seen him drunk on many occasions.
   ▪ numerous occasions She has been late on numerous occasions.
   ▪ two/three etc occasions He was given a red card on two occasions this season.
   ▪ a rare occasion (=used when something does not happen often) Only on rare occasions did she ever receive a letter.
   ▪ a particular occasion On that particular occasion, he greeted me by kissing my hand.
   ▪ a previous occasion He insisted then, as on every previous occasion, that he was innocent.
   ▪ a separate occasion I had heard this story on at least four separate occasions.
   ▪ a different occasion The same person can react differently on different occasions.
   ▪ such occasions (=an occasion like the one mentioned or described) He had a box of toys by his desk for such occasions.
■ phrases
   ▪ a number of occasions The crowd interrupted her speech on a number of occasions.
   ▪ more than one occasion (=more than once) She stayed out all night on more than one occasion.
   ▪ at least one occasion (=once, and probably more than once) On at least one occasion he was arrested for robbery.
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meaning 2)

■ adjectives
   ▪ a special occasion She used her best china on special occasions.
   ▪ a big/great/splendid occasion The big occasion for country people was the Agricultural Fair.
   ▪ a formal occasion He wore the suit on formal occasions.
   ▪ a social occasion I prefer not to discuss business at social occasions.
   ▪ a ceremonial occasion (=a very formal official occasion) The gowns are worn only on ceremonial occasions.
   ▪ a happy/joyful occasion The wedding had been a joyful occasion.
   ▪ a sad/solemn occasion He did not want his funeral to be a sad and solemn occasion, but a celebration of his life.
   ▪ a festive occasion (=when you celebrate something) The Great Hall had been prepared for the festive occasion.
   ▪ a historic occasion (=important as part of history) This is truly a historic occasion.
■ verbs
   ▪ celebrate an occasion To celebrate the occasion, a small party was held at his home.
   ▪ mark an occasion (=do something special to celebrate an event) The bells were rung to mark the occasion.
   ▪ suit the occasion The table was decorated to suit the occasion.
■ phrases
   ▪ a sense of occasion (=a feeling that an event is very special or important) The music gave the event a real sense of occasion.
   ▪ enter into the spirit of the occasion (=join in a social occasion in an eager way) People entered into the spirit of the occasion by enjoying a picnic before the outdoor concert.

II

occasion² verb [transitive] formal
to cause something:
    She had a long career break occasioned by her husband’s job being moved to Paris.
    occasion somebody something
    Your behaviour has occasioned us a great deal of anxiety.