prime

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++prime1 /praɪm/ AWL adjective [only before noun] 1 MAINmost important 最重要的，首要的 SYN main Smoking is the prime cause of lung disease. 抽烟是引发肺部疾病的首要原因。 Our prime concern is providing jobs for all young school leavers. 我们的头等大事是为所有的年轻毕业生提供工作。 He was named as the prime suspect in the murder investigation. 在那宗谋杀案的调查中他被定为主要嫌疑人。 Good management is of prime importance in business. 良好的经营管理在商业领域尤为重要。► see thesaurus at main2 BESTof the very best quality or kind 质量最好的，第一流的 prime rib of beef 上等牛肋排 prime agricultural land 肥沃的农田 The hotel is in a prime location overlooking the valley. 那家宾馆位置极佳，可以俯瞰山谷。3 be a prime candidate/target (for something) MAINto be the person or thing that is most suitable or most likely to be chosen for a particular purpose 是（某事物的）首选／头号目标 The school is a prime candidate for closure. 这所学校最有可能关闭。 Old people are a prime target for thieves. 老年人是窃贼的首选目标。4 prime example TYPICALa very typical example of something 非常典型的例子，有代表性的例证 Blakey Hall is a prime example of a 19th-century building. 布莱基庄园是19世纪建筑的典型。

Examples from the Corpus

prime• Cheryl is a prime candidate for the new managerial position.• Our prime concern is for the child's safety.• prime cuts of beef• If so, the place for you is Usenet news, the Net's prime discussion area.• He argued that agglomeration diseconomies were the prime explanation for the decentralization.• At least in Baja California, real estate should remain a prime factor in building new economic muscle.• The mall is in a prime location, visible from the freeway.• But perhaps its prime message is the crucial role that Rosat is likely to play in our understanding of these issues.• Mr Kravchuk has clearly been rankled by polls which show that his prime minister is twice as popular as he is.• The prime minister was primus inter pares in the cabinet-the first among equals.• Geoffrey Rippon, who was in charge of negotiations, reported to Whitelaw more often than to Heath, the prime minister.• Prime ministerial power, and therefore prime ministerial government is challenged.• The FBI regarded him as its prime suspect in the case.• Bigley was named the prime suspect in the murder.• Tourists are prime targets for theft and robbery.of prime importance• He sensed this moment was of prime importance.• He thought compatibility and interests which could be shared and understood were of prime importance.• The marriage is still of prime importance.• Here, reliability of quality and delivery is of prime importance because the producer works on minimal stock-holding of raw materials.• It would immediately become a project of prime importance, far too serious to leave any loose ends hanging free.• But no one ever mentions two things which seem to me of prime importance in the whole relationship saga.• In this case aggregate theory tells us that economic criteria are of prime importance in this image building.• The care of the environment is of prime importance to our business and is the responsibility of all employees.prime2 noun [singular] BESTDIEthe time in your life when you are strongest and most active 盛年，壮年时期in your prime She’s now 40 and still in her prime. 目前她年已四十，依然风华正茂。 He is now past his prime. 他现在已过壮年。 a man in the prime of life 一个正当盛年的男子 a young singer who was tragically cut off in her prime (=died while she was in her prime) 不幸英年早逝的女歌手

Examples from the Corpus

prime• Surely you don't allow negative numbers to be primes?• Even Margaret Thatcher in her prime could not carry her party on the question of Sundays.• He was thirty-six years old, and his youth was gone, and even his prime was passing.• In his prime, Vermeer developed what can only be called a formula, and a dazzling one.• Those selected for slaughter are done so at about thirty months, however, when their meat is at its prime.• The extract is bitter but tolerable, and the root has the taste of a radish past its prime.• The bottom strand is numbered in the same way from the 5' end, but with primes on the numbers.cut off in ... prime• The relationship has been stormy, with joint projects often cut off in their prime.

Related topics: Weapons, Construction

prime3 verb [transitive] 1 prepare SB 使某人做好准备PREPARE to prepare someone for a situation so that they know what to do 使准备好〔应付某一情况〕prime somebody with something Did you prime her with what to say? 你事先提醒她要说些什么了吗？prime somebody for something He had a shower and primed himself for action. 他冲了个淋浴，准备行动。prime somebody to do something He had been primed to say nothing about it. 有人事先关照过他，叫他什么也别说。2. a gun 枪炮PMW to prepare a gun or bomb so that it can fire or explode 为〔枪炮〕装火药；为〔炸弹等〕装雷管3 paint 上漆TBCPREPARE to put a special layer of paint on a surface, in order to prepare it for the next layer 在…上涂底漆 All metal surfaces will have to be primed. 所有金属表面都必须打上底漆。4. prime the pump informalSUPPORT A PERSON, GROUP, OR PLAN to encourage a business, industry, or activity to develop by putting money or effort into it 投资[投入人力]以促进某企业[行业等]的发展5. water 水 to pour water into a water pump in order to make it ready to work 为〔水泵〕注水→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

prime• The Cowboys will be primed and poised.• Did you prime her with what to say?• The Smiths were priming themselves for a spell in the top five.• These are then primed to recognise and attack the real invader.• When cleaned, non-ferrous metals are best brought to a bright finish before priming with zinc chromate or zinc phosphate.prime somebody to do something• Second baseman Gonzalez is being primed to take over as shortstop.From Longman Business Dictionaryprimeprime1 /praɪm/ adjective1of the best qualityacres of prime real estate right by an international airport2main or most importantThe developer’s prime objective is to build houses at maximum profit, with minimum care for the environment.their prime concern was for the safety of the international financial system.Martin Marietta Corp., the prime contractor in the rocket-engine development programprimeprime2 verb prime the (economic) pump journalismECONOMICS to make the economy grow faster by increasing government spending, hoping that this will encourage business to invest moreDirect investments in job creation are essential to prime the pump and get the economy up and running again. → see also pump-priming→ See Verb tableprimeprime3 noun above primeFINANCE used to talk about how much higher an interest rate is than the PRIME RATE (=the interest rate charged by banks to their best borrowers)The working-capital loan carried an interest rate of 3½ points above prime.Origin prime1 (1300-1400) French Latin primus “first”

prime1 adjectiveprime2 nounprime3 verbChinese

most Business important Corpus

prime

prime¹ AC /praɪm/

adjective [only before noun]

Date: 1300-1400
Language: French
Origin: Latin primus 'first'

1. most important
SYN main:

Smoking is the prime cause of lung disease.

Our prime concern is providing jobs for all young school leavers.

He was named as the prime suspect in the murder investigation.

Good management is of prime importance in business.
2. of the very best quality or kind:

prime rib of beef

prime agricultural land

The hotel is in a prime location overlooking the valley.
3. be a prime candidate/target (for something) to be the person or thing that is most suitable or most likely to be chosen for a particular purpose:

The school is a prime candidate for closure.

Old people are a prime target for thieves.
4. prime example a very typical example of something:

Blakey Hall is a prime example of a 19th-century building.

THESAURUS

   ▪ main larger or more important than all the others: the main entrance of the building | the main reason for his decision
   ▪ chief/principal most important. Chief and principal are more formal than main, and are often used in written English: Coffee is the country’s principal export. | What is the company’s chief objective?
   ▪ major very important or serious: Smoking is a major cause of heart disease. | Street crime is becoming a major problem.
   ▪ key most important, or the one that everything or everyone else depends on: Education is likely to be a key issue in the election campaign. | Hooper was a key member of the team. | Diet is key.
   ▪ number one especially spoken most important or best - this phrase sounds a little informal and it is used especially in spoken English: Reliability is the number one priority. | the number one cause of death | He is still in the number one position.
   ▪ primary most important - used especially about the most important aim, role, cause, or concern. Primary is more formal than main: The primary aim of the project was to help students develop their communication skills. | Security is our primary concern. | The primary function of the university was considered to be the teaching of ‘the great cultural disciplines’.
   ▪ prime very important or most important - used especially about the most important reason, cause, or aim, or about the most likely target or suspect. Prime is more formal than main: Their prime objective is to increase profits for their shareholders. | Tourists are prime targets for theft and robbery.
   ▪ core most important - used especially about the things that people should pay most attention to: the core skills of reading and writing | He wants the company to focus on its core business - advertising. | The party’s core values are individual freedom and reducing the amount of government bureaucracy.
   ▪ central most important and having more influence than anything else: The U.S. played a central role in the peace negotiations. | a central theme of the book | The central question is, why are people still so attached to their cars?
   ▪ predominant most common, typical, or important: Yellow was the predominant colour everywhere. | High arched windows are a predominant feature in English churches. | New York still has a predominant role in the contemporary art world.

prime²

noun [singular]
the time in your life when you are strongest and most active
in your prime

She’s now 40 and still in her prime.

He is now past his prime.

a man in the prime of life

a young singer who was tragically cut off in her prime (=died while she was in her prime)

III

prime³

verb [transitive]
1. PREPARE SOMEBODY to prepare someone for a situation so that they know what to do
prime somebody with something

Did you prime her with what to say?
prime somebody for something

He had a shower and primed himself for action.
prime somebody to do something

He had been primed to say nothing about it.
2. A GUN to prepare a gun or bomb so that it can fire or explode
3. PAINT to put a special layer of paint on a surface, in order to prepare it for the next layer:

All metal surfaces will have to be primed.
4. prime the pump informal to encourage a business, industry, or activity to develop by putting money or effort into it
5. WATER to pour water into a water pump in order to make it ready to work

adjective,

noun,

verb

prime AW

BrE

/praɪm/

🔊

NAmE

/praɪm/

🔊

adjective

[only before noun]

main; most important; basic 主要的；首要的；基本的

◆My prime concern is to protect my property. 我最关心的是保护自己的财产。

🔊

◆Winning is not the prime objective in this sport. 获胜不是这项体育运动的主要目的。

🔊

◆The care of the environment is of prime importance. 保护环境是最重要的。

🔊

◆He's the police's

prime suspect

in this case. 他是该案中警方的主要怀疑对象。

🔊

<titled tranID="44" status="1">main</titled>major ◇ key ◇ central ◇ principal ◇ chief ◇ prime

These words all describe sb/sth that is the largest or most important of its kind. 以上各词均用以形容主要的、最重要的人或事物。

main [only before noun] largest or most important 指主要的、最重要的：◆Be careful crossing the main road. 过大马路时小心点。◆The main thing is to remain calm. 最重要的是要保持冷静。
major [usually before noun] very large or important 指主要的、重要的、大的：◆He played a major role in setting up the system. 他在建立这个系统的过程中起了主要的作用。 NOTE Major is most often used after a with a singular noun, or no article with a plural noun. When it is used with the or my/your/his/her/our/their it means 'the largest or most important'. * major 最常用于不定冠词 a 之后，与单数名词连用；或不用冠词，与复数名词连用。major 与 the 或 my/your/his/her/our/their 连用时意为最主要的、最重要的：◆Our major concern here is combatting poverty. 在这里我们最关心的是解决贫穷问题。 In this meaning it is only used to talk about ideas or worries that people have, not physical things, and it is also more formal than main. 在该含义中 major 只用以指人的想法或担忧，而非物质的东西，且较 main 正式：◆Be careful crossing the major road.◆The major thing is to remain calm.
key [usually before noun] most important; essential 指最重要的、主要的、关键的：◆He was a key figure in the campaign. 他是这场运动的关键人物。 NOTE Key is used most frequently in business and political contexts. It can be used to talk about ideas, or the part that sb plays in a situation, but not physical things. It is slightly more informal than major, especially when used after a noun and linking verb. * key 最常用于商务和政治语境，可用来形容想法或某人在某情势下起的作用，而非物质的东西。key 较 major 稍非正式，用于名词加连系动词后尤其如此：◆Speed is key at this point. 在这个时候速度是关键。
central (rather formal) most important 指最重要的、首要的、主要的：◆The central issue is that of widespread racism. 最重要的问题是种族主义泛滥。 NOTE Central is used in a similar way to key, but is more formal. It is most frequently used in the phrase sth is central to sth else. * central 与 key 用法相似，但更正式，最常用于 be central to 短语中。
principal [only before noun] (rather formal) most important 指最重要的、主要的：◆The principal reason for this omission is lack of time. 跳过它的主要原因是时间不足。 NOTE Principal is mostly used for statements of fact about which there can be no argument. To state an opinion, or to try to persuade sb of the facts as you see them, it is more usual to use key or central. * principal 主要用于陈述无可争辩的事实。表明意见或说服别人相信你所见到的事实，较常用 key 或 central：◆The key/central issue here is… 这里的关键问题是…
chief [only before noun] (rather formal) most important 指最重要的、首要的、主要的：◆Unemployment was the chief cause of poverty. 失业是贫穷的主要原因。
prime [only before noun] (rather formal) most important; to be considered first 指主要的、首要的：◆My prime concern is to protect my property. 我最关心的是保护自己的财产。