“smooth away”是一个及物动词短语,核心含义是“消除;解决;抚平”,可用于抽象事物(问题、困难、担忧等)或具体事物(皱纹、褶皱等),强调“使原本存在的障碍、不平整或负面状态消失”。
1、 抽象意义(最常用):消除(障碍、困难、分歧、担忧等);解决(问题)
例:smooth away difficulties(解决困难)、smooth away misunderstandings(消除误解)
2、 具体意义:抚平(皱纹、褶皱、粗糙面等)
例:smooth away wrinkles(抚平皱纹)、smooth away folds in cloth(抚平布料的褶皱)
“smooth away”是及物短语,后面需接名词/代词作宾语,不可单独使用。常见搭配如下:
问题/困难:smooth away problems/troubles/difficulties
例:The team worked together to smooth away the technical issues.(团队合作解决了技术问题。)
分歧/矛盾:smooth away differences/conflicts
例:The mediator helped smooth away the differences between the two companies.(调解员帮助消除了两家公司的分歧。)
担忧/紧张:smooth away concerns/anxiety/tension
例:A cup of tea can smooth away your stress after a long day.(一杯茶能缓解你一天后的压力。)
皱纹/细纹:smooth away wrinkles/fine lines
例:This serum claims to smooth away wrinkles in four weeks.(这款精华声称四周内能抚平皱纹。)
褶皱/折痕:smooth away folds/creases
例:She used an iron to smooth away the creases in her dress.(她用熨斗抚平了连衣裙上的折痕。)
与“smooth over”的区别:
“smooth over”更侧重“缓和、平息(情绪/矛盾)”(如smooth over a quarrel“平息争吵”),而“smooth away”更强调“彻底消除(根源/障碍)”(如smooth away the cause of the quarrel“消除争吵的原因”)。
被动语态:可用于被动,结构为“sth. be smoothed away”
例:All the obstacles were smoothed away before the event.(活动前所有障碍都被消除了。)
We need to smooth away any doubts our clients might have.(我们需要消除客户可能有的疑虑。)
A good night’s sleep can smooth away the tiredness in your eyes.(一夜好眠能消除你眼中的疲惫。)
The government is taking steps to smooth away unemployment problems.(政府正在采取措施解决失业问题。)
简言之,“smooth away”的核心是“让不顺利/不平整的事物消失”,无论是抽象的问题还是具体的褶皱,都可以用它来表达“消除/抚平”的动作。