第289期：godsend

今天我们要学的这个词很简单，一讲就会，而且不容易忘记。佛老今天希望通过比较几个主流字典对这个词的解释来跟大家分享一下平时学习时查英英字典的心得。

godsend的字面就是两个词god和send组合而成的一个词，一般来说是名词，意思是“意外的好运、及时雨、天赐之物、天赐良机”。

我们来看几个主流字典对这个词的解释。

韦伯斯特：a desirable or needed thing or event that comes unexpectedly

剑桥词典：something good that happens unexpectedly, especially at a time when it is needed

Urban Dictionary: When a situation is tense and unexpectantly something or someone arrives that completely eases the situation. In other words, a life-saver.

柯林斯：anything unexpected and needed or desired that comes at the opportune moment, as if sent by God.

柯林斯的这个解释最好。而且柯林斯继续解释说：If you describe something as a godsend, you are emphasizing that it helps you very much.

Vocabulary.com： a sudden happening that brings good fortune (as a sudden opportunity to make money)

通过上面五个英文释义，想必大家都已经理解godsend这个词的意思了。 平时学习时，要养成多查英英字典的习惯。佛老的个人经验和喜好是：柯林斯字典上的解释往往最简洁，也最容易理解。

下面我们来看vocabulary.com网站上对godsend的一段细致的解释说明，大家看了马上就掌握这个词了。

A godsend is something very lucky or helpful —
some event or item for which you’re incredibly thankful.

If you don’t
have time for breakfast and forget to bring your lunch to school, your
friend’s extra slice of pizza is a godsend. 这个场景例子很形象。类似汉语中说的雪中送炭。godsend其实就是这个意思。

If you’re grateful for something, you can call it a godsend.
A school snow day is a godsend if you’re not quite ready for your
chemistry midterm, and your homeowner’s insurance is a godsend when a
huge tree falls on your roof. In both of these examples, you are
relieved and happy, and if you’re a believer, you might say, “Thank
God.” In Middle English, it’s Godes sonde, “gift from God.”

如果明天要考试，你还没复习好，而今晚突然下大雪，老师说明天的考试推迟到下周，回忆一下你学生时代的这种心情。这时你就可以把这场大雪称为a godsend. 是不是来得正好？就像老天开眼，上天恩赐的一样？这就是godsend的意思了。

今天讲的这个词就这么简单，但非常精巧。你记住了吗？试着在你平日的英文写作中用一下吧。