often
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++of·ten /ˈɒfən, ˈɒftən $ ˈɒːf-/ ●●● S1 W1 adverb 1 OFTENif something happens often, it happens regularly or many times 经常，时常，多次 SYN frequently She often works at the weekend. 她周末经常要上班。 If you wash your hair too often, it can get too dry. 如果洗头过勤，头发会变得干枯。 How often do you see your parents? 你隔多久去看你父母？quite/very often I quite often go to Paris on business. 我经常去巴黎出差。 Robin is a difficult child; you’ve said so yourself often enough (=a lot of times). 罗宾是个难管的孩子，你自己也常常这么说。it is not often (that) It’s not often that a government minister will admit to being wrong. 政府部长承认错误不是常事。2 OFTENif something happens often, it happens in many situations or cases 往往，通常 It’s often difficult to translate poetry. 诗歌通常很难翻译。very/quite often Very often children who behave badly at school have problems at home. 在学校里不守规矩的儿童往往在家里也有问题。3 all too often (also only too often)TOO/TOO MUCH used to say that something sad, disappointing, or annoying happens too much 有太多时候，太过频繁〔表示坏事发生次数太多〕 All too often doctors are too busy to explain the treatment to their patients. 有太多时候，医生忙得没时间对病人解释治疗方法。 This type of accident happens only too often. 这类事故太多了。4 every so often SOMETIMESsometimes 有时，偶尔 An inspector comes round every so often to check the safety equipment. 偶尔有检查员来检查安全设备。5 as often as not (also more often than not) spokenUSUALLY usually 通常，往往，一贯 More often than not the train is late. 这趟火车常常晚点。n THESAURUSoften used when saying that something happens many timesGary was often bad-tempered in the morning.We often meet up for a drink after work.a lot informal oftenI think she likes him – she talks about him a lot.His wife goes abroad on business a lot.frequently especially written often – used especially in writing or more formal EnglishPassengers complain that trains are frequently late.Older patients frequently forget to take their medicine.regularly often, especially at regular intervalsBuses run regularly every ten minutes.again and again used to emphasize that someone does something many times, or the same thing happens many timesShe told herself again and again that everything would be all right.Gunfire rang out across the city again and again.repeatedly especially written used to emphasize that someone does something many timesHis doctor had repeatedly warned him not to work so hard.constantly/continually often over a long period of time – used especially about something that is annoying or causes problemsThey seem to be continually arguing.It’s hard to keep up with technology when it’s constantly changing.time and time again many times – used when this is annoying or does not have any effectHe forgets his keys time and time again.I tell students time and time again to keep careful notes.to often happen or do somethingtend to do something to often do a particular thing and be likely to do itDave tends to arrive late so don’t worry.Girls tend to be better at languages than boys.have a tendency to do something to often do something, especially something that is not good, and be more likely to do it than other people or thingsSome people have a tendency to put on weight.This type of cloth has a tendency to shrink.be inclined to do something to do something fairly often or be fairly likely to do it, especially because this is part of your characterTeenage boys are inclined to take risks.She was inclined to giggle in class.have a habit of doing something used when saying that something has happened many times before and is likely to happen againBen had a habit of coming home drunk.Life has a habit of surprising people.be prone to something to be more likely to have problemsSome older computer systems were prone to go wrong.The fitter you are, the less you are prone to injury.plants that are prone to diseasen GRAMMAR: Word order• Often usually comes before a verb: I often go to bed late.• Often usually comes after the verb ‘be’: She is often late. • Often usually comes after an auxiliary verb such as ‘do’ or ‘have’: I have often wondered what happened to him.• Often is used at the beginning of a sentence, especially when something seems surprising: Often I don’t go to bed until 2 a.m. • Often is also used at the end of a sentence: Do you go to bed late often?
Examples from the Corpus
often• "Have you ever been to the China Moon Café?" "Yes -- we go there quite often."• I have a cell phone, but I don't use it very often.• Dad wasn't often angry so I knew something terrible must have happened.• Book publishers have created Internet sites before, but they often are heavily promotional, resembling order catalogs.• I often caught myself staring into a mirror, wondering who that was staring back.• The information is all there, but it's often difficult to find it.• He often got me out of bed, late on an evening, to run an errand.• Institutions often have their own expectations, and provided all are agreed within an institution the teacher may draw on them.• It's not often I get the chance to go to the movies.• The veins are often only a metre or two wide.• Investors often repurchase those shares during the first few days of the new year.• I often see her walking past with the children on the way to school.• In modern mills, grain is stored in silos which are often separate from the mill and near to a bulk intake point.• They serve this function probably more often than the one they were created for.• It's not often that you see a grass snake these days -- they've become quite rare.• Rosi often works till 7 or 8 o'clock in the evening.it is not often (that)• When he does, he will accept that it is not often enough.• However, because of the nature of the cases concerned in summary trial, it is not often given.• For this reason it is not often possible to achieve a reduction in space requirement by using an inverted file.• As with most areas of sociological study, it is not often that a simple and unproblematic definition can be established.• There is a smaller bedroom and a tiny, suspiciously tidy kitchen, which looks as if it is not often used.very/quite often• Postage stamps from the famed, tiny republic of San Marino are very often bought as souvenirs or gifts.• Timing in introducing new specimens can very often determine whether they will be accepted by the others or torn to pieces.• These pretty little fish are quite often found in empty conch shells.• In fact, the essential concepts of science are very often neither.• When their car is taken, they suffer, at the very least, considerable inconvenience and very often substantial financial loss.• Threats and punishments very often succeed in scaring an aggressive child into changing his ways.• It is very often the intangible and indeterminate savings which provide to be of major significance. 2.• Fortunately he doesn't turn up very often these days.Origin often (1200-1300) oftof·ten adverb →n GRAMMAR1 →n THESAURUS1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
it something regularly or happens happens Corpus if often,
often
of‧ten S1 W1 /ˈɒfən, ˈɒftən $ ˈɒːf-/
adverb
SYN frequently:
She often works at the weekend.
If you wash your hair too often, it can get too dry.
How often do you see your parents?
quite/very often
I quite often go to Paris on business.
Robin is a difficult child; you’ve said so yourself often enough (=a lot of times).
it is not often (that)
It’s not often that a government minister will admit to being wrong.
2. if something happens often, it happens in many situations or cases:
It’s often difficult to translate poetry.
very/quite often
Very often children who behave badly at school have problems at home.
3. all too often (also only too often) used to say that something sad, disappointing, or annoying happens too much:
All too often doctors are too busy to explain the treatment to their patients.
This type of accident happens only too often.
4. every so often sometimes:
An inspector comes round every so often to check the safety equipment.
5. as often as not (also more often than not) spoken usually:
More often than not the train is late.
▪ often used when saying that something happens many times: Gary was often bad-tempered in the morning. | We often meet up for a drink after work.
▪a lot informal often: I think she likes him – she talks about him a lot. | His wife goes abroad on business a lot.
▪frequently especially written often – used especially in writing or more formal English: Passengers complain that trains are frequently late. | Older patients frequently forget to take their medicine.
▪regularly often, especially at regular intervals: Buses run regularly every ten minutes.
▪again and again used to emphasize that someone does something many times, or the same thing happens many times: She told herself again and again that everything would be all right. | Gunfire rang out across the city again and again.
▪repeatedly especially written used to emphasize that someone does something many times: His doctor had repeatedly warned him not to work so hard.
▪constantly/continually often over a long period of time – used especially about something that is annoying or causes problems: They seem to be continually arguing. | It’s hard to keep up with technology when it’s constantly changing.
▪time and time again many times – used when this is annoying or does not have any effect: He forgets his keys time and time again. | I tell students time and time again to keep careful notes.
■ to often happen or do something
▪tend to do something to often do a particular thing and be likely to do it: Dave tends to arrive late so don’t worry. | Girls tend to be better at languages than boys.
▪have a tendency to do something to often do something, especially something that is not good, and be more likely to do it than other people or things: Some people have a tendency to put on weight. | This type of cloth has a tendency to shrink.
▪be inclined to do something to do something fairly often or be fairly likely to do it, especially because this is part of your character: Teenage boys are inclined to take risks. | She was inclined to giggle in class.
▪have a habit of doing something used when saying that something has happened many times before and is likely to happen again: Ben had a habit of coming home drunk. | Life has a habit of surprising people.
▪be prone to something to be more likely to have problems: Some older computer systems were prone to go wrong. | The fitter you are, the less you are prone to injury. | plants that are prone to disease
of‧ten S1 W1 /ˈɒfən, ˈɒftən $ ˈɒːf-/
adverb Date: 1200-1300
Origin: oft
1. if something happens often, it happens regularly or many times Origin: oft
SYN frequently:
quite/very often
it is not often (that)
2. if something happens often, it happens in many situations or cases:
very/quite often
3. all too often (also only too often) used to say that something sad, disappointing, or annoying happens too much:
4. every so often sometimes:
5. as often as not (also more often than not) spoken usually:
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