英语短语"put sb. at one's ease"的核心含义是“使某人感到轻松自在;消除某人的紧张/不安;让某人安心”。不过更常见、更简洁的表达是"put sb. at ease"(省略所有格"one's",因为"ease"已隐含“某人的放松状态”),二者含义一致。
"put sb. at ease" 强调通过行为、语言或环境的调整,主动缓解他人的紧张、拘束或焦虑,使其恢复放松、自然的状态。
该短语是“动词+宾语+补语”结构:
put:使处于(某种状态);
sb.:宾语(被安抚的人,如me, him, the guests等);
at ease:介词短语作补语,描述“轻松、安心”的状态。
可添加修饰语(如completely, immediately等)强化程度:put sb. completely at ease(使某人完全放松);
用所有格指代宾语(更正式):put sb. at their ease(their对应前面的sb.,如put the children at their ease“让孩子们放松”)。
通过具体语境理解用法:
1、 社交场合:
Her warm handshake and friendly greeting put me at ease right away.
(她温暖的握手和友好的问候立刻让我放松下来。)
2、 新环境/陌生场景:
The teacher told a joke to put the new students at ease.
(老师讲了个笑话,让新生放松下来。)
3、 安抚情绪:
He noticed I was nervous about the interview and tried to put me at ease.
(他注意到我对面试很紧张,试图让我安心。)
4、 服务场景:
The waiter’s attentive but unobtrusive service put the diners at ease.
(服务员周到但不打扰的服务让用餐者感到轻松。)
feel at ease:(主语自己)“感到轻松”(状态),如I finally felt at ease after the exam.(考试后我终于放松了。);
put sb. at ease:(主语使他人)“感到轻松”(动作),如She put me at ease with her kind words.(她的亲切话语让我放松。)。
"put sb. at ease" 是主动安抚他人情绪的常用表达,适用于社交、职场、教育等场景,核心是通过行动消除对方的紧张感,让其回归自然状态。日常交流中更常用省略"one's"的版本("put sb. at ease"),但"put sb. at one's ease"(如"put her at my ease"*较少见,需注意逻辑合理性)。