“work off”是一个及物动词短语,核心逻辑是“通过某种活动/劳动消除、排解或处理掉某事物”。以下是其常见含义、搭配及用法的详细解析:
最常用的义项,指用运动、劳作等方式“消耗多余能量”或“释放负面情绪”。
词典定义(牛津):To get rid of something (especially energy, anger, or stress) by doing physical activity. 例:I ate a whole pizza—time to hit the gym and work off the extra calories.(我吃了一整个披萨——得去健身房消耗多余热量了。)
When she’s stressed, she works off her anxiety by gardening.(她压力大时会用园艺排解焦虑。)
The kids were bouncing off the walls, so we took them to the park to work off some steam(发泄精力).(孩子们太闹了,我们带他们去公园发泄一下。)
注:work off steam是固定搭配,意为“发泄过剩的精力/情绪”(尤指通过运动)。指用“劳动服务”代替现金偿还债务,而非直接付钱。
词典定义(朗文):To pay back money you owe by working instead of using cash. 例:He worked off his rent debt by fixing the landlord’s broken fence.(他通过修房东的破 fence 还清了房租欠款。)
She worked off her student loan by tutoring kids after school.(她通过课后辅导孩子还清了学生贷款。)
指用摩擦、清洗等方式消除物品上的污渍或痕迹。
例:Can you help me work off this ketchup stain on my shirt?(你能帮我去掉衬衫上的番茄酱渍吗?)
The cleaner worked off the mud from the carpet with a brush.(清洁工用刷子刷掉了地毯上的泥渍。)
1、 及物要求:必须带宾语(抽象如“calories/stress”,具体如“debt/stain”)。
2、 宾语位置:
若宾语是代词(it/them),需放在“work”和“off”中间:
I overate—let’s walk to work it off.(我吃多了——我们散步消耗一下。)
若宾语是名词,可放中间或后面(两种都对):
She worked her debt off / worked off her debt by waitressing.(她当服务员还清了债务。)
work off steam(发泄精力/情绪)
work off calories(消耗热量)
work off stress/anxiety(排解压力/焦虑)
work off a debt(还清债务)
总结:“work off”的核心是“用行动解决问题”——无论是消耗热量、释放情绪,还是用劳动还债,都强调“通过具体活动消除某样东西”。掌握这些含义和搭配,就能轻松应对日常场景啦!