"for lack of" 是一个介词短语,表示“因为缺乏/缺少……”“由于没有……”,用来引出某件事失败、无法进行或产生负面结果的原因(通常是“缺少必要的东西/条件”)。
"for lack of" 作为介词短语,后面必须接名词性成分(名词、动名词、名词性从句等),不能直接接动词或从句。
The project was abandoned for lack of funding.(项目因缺乏资金而被放弃。)
She couldn’t attend college for lack of financial support.(她因缺少经济支持无法上大学。)
He failed the exam for lack of studying.(他因缺乏学习(动名词)而考试不及格。)
若“缺乏的内容”需要用句子表达,可接名词性从句(如 what/which 引导的从句):
He couldn’t finish the task for lack of what he needed.(他因缺少所需的东西而无法完成任务。)
句末(最常用):The meeting was canceled for lack of interest.(会议因缺乏兴趣而取消。)
句中(用逗号分隔):The team, for lack of experience, lost the game.(这支队伍因缺乏经验输掉了比赛。)
句首(后接逗号):For lack of evidence, the case was dismissed.(由于缺乏证据,案件被驳回。)
这是口语和写作中很常用的表达,意为“因为没有更好的词/术语”(用来引出一个不太准确但暂时能用的说法):
For lack of a better word, I’d describe her as “quirky”.(因为没有更好的词,我会说她“有点怪”。)
Let’s call this process “streamlining” for lack of a better term.(因为没有更好的术语,我们就把这个过程叫“精简”吧。)
不能接动词原形:不能说 for lack of study hard,要改为 for lack of hard study(名词短语)或 for lack of studying hard(动名词短语)。
与 "due to lack of" 的区别:两者含义几乎相同,但 "due to" 更正式(常用于书面语),"for lack of" 更口语化(更常用)。例如:
The concert was canceled due to lack of tickets sold.(更正式)
The concert was canceled for lack of tickets sold.(更口语)
"for lack of" 是表达“因缺乏某事物导致结果”的实用短语,核心是后接名词性成分,位置灵活,适用于日常交流和写作。记住常见搭配(如 "for lack of a better word")能让表达更自然~