multitude
基本释义
[noun] a large number
[名词] 大量
深入解读
看到 multitude 一词，往往不难联想起许多与之结尾同的常见单词，诸如 attitude （态度）、 altitude （海拔高度）、 latitude （纬度），以及小站（微信公众号：田间小站）之前推送过的 fortitude 。
该词源自拉丁语 multus （许多），14世纪初期经古法语 multitude 以及拉丁语 multitudinem （大量、一大群人；人群、民众）进入英语，即用来表示“众多、大量”，常用搭配 multitude of sb/sth ，主要指人或事物的数量非常之多，常意味着处于一个足够大的空间之中，使每个人或事物都有足够的余地，比如：
这些因素可以通过无数不同的方式进行组合。
These elements can be combined in a multitude of different ways.
有很多可以骑车的宁静小路。其中一条紧挨着河，只是在遇到树丛时才偶尔偏离一下。
There are a multitude of small quiet roads to cycle along. One follows the river closely, occasionally deviating around a clump of trees.
同样， multitude 也可以表示“人群、一大群人”。而 the multitude 或 the multitudes 则特指“群众、民众、大批百姓”，即没有权力或影响力的广大普通民众，也包括一大群聚集的人，有时候作贬义，比如：
他们在串通一气向民众隐瞒骇人听闻的真相。
They were colluding to hide the hideous truth from the multitude.
此外，还可以用习语 cover/hide a multitude of sins 表示“掩藏实情、掩盖真相、掩盖缺点”，常作戏谑用语喻指掩盖种种丑恶或不雅的东西，包括问题、缺陷等，比如：
这件时髦的针织衫宽大又暖和，而且还能遮掩一大堆缺点。
This swagger sweater is large and warm and hides a multitude of sins.
好书例句
A torrential rain poured down from the floodgates of the angry heavens upon the bared heads of the assembled multitude which numbered at the lowest computation five hundred thousand persons.
瀑布般的大雨从愤怒的苍穹的水门倾泻到聚集在那里的据估计起码也不下五十万大众那未戴帽子的光头上。
出自爱尔兰现代主义作家詹姆斯·乔伊斯（James Joyce）于1922年出版的长篇小说《尤利西斯》（Ulysses）。
外刊例句
Think of them more as shadows that are, thanks to a multitude of sensors and wireless connectivity, intimately linked to their physical selves, and every day producing oceans of data.
它们更像影子，依赖众多传感器和无线连接，紧紧跟随实体自我，每天生成海量数据。
——《经济学人》
And these buyers have a multitude of choices.
并且这些买家的选择范围很广。
——《纽约时报》
详细用法
常见用法：
- A multitude of options – 众多的选择
- The store offers a multitude of options for customers to choose from. (这家商店提供了众多的选择供顾客挑选。)
- A multitude of colors – 多种颜色
- The artist used a multitude of colors to create a vibrant and dynamic painting. (艺术家使用了多种颜色创作出一幅充满活力和动感的画作。)
- A multitude of problems – 多种问题
- The project faced a multitude of problems that needed to be addressed. (这个项目面临着多种问题需要解决。)
- A multitude of opportunities – 众多机会
- The city offers a multitude of opportunities for young professionals to advance their careers. (这个城市为年轻专业人士提供了众多的职业发展机会。)
- A multitude of voices – 众多声音
- The meeting was filled with a multitude of voices expressing different opinions and ideas. (会议上充满了众多不同观点和想法的声音。)
描述大量人群或物体的用法：
- A multitude of people – 众多人群
- The park was filled with a multitude of people enjoying the sunny weather. (公园里挤满了众多人群，享受着阳光明媚的天气。)
- A multitude of cars – 大量汽车
- The highway was congested with a multitude of cars during rush hour. (高峰时段，高速公路上挤满了大量的汽车。)
- A multitude of books – 大量书籍
- The library boasts a multitude of books on various subjects. (图书馆拥有大量关于各种主题的书籍。)
- A multitude of stars – 无数的星星
- In the countryside, away from city lights, you can see a multitude of stars in the night sky. (在乡村远离城市灯光的地方，你可以在夜空中看到无数的星星。)
- A multitude of flowers – 众多花朵
- The garden was adorned with a multitude of flowers, creating a beautiful and colorful display. (花园里装点着众多的花朵，营造出美丽多彩的景观。)
描述大量事物或感受的用法：
- A multitude of tasks – 大量任务
- The project manager had to juggle a multitude of tasks to keep the project on track. (项目经理需要应对大量任务，以保持项目的顺利进行。)
- A multitude of information – 大量信息
- The internet provides a multitude of information on any topic you can think of. (互联网提供了关于你能想到的任何主题的大量信息。)
- A multitude of possibilities – 无限可能
- With creativity and innovation, there are a multitude of possibilities for solving complex problems. (凭借创造力和创新，解决复杂问题有着无限的可能性。)
- A multitude of emotions – 多种情绪
- The movie evoked a multitude of emotions in the audience, ranging from laughter to tears. (电影在观众中引发了多种情绪，从笑声到泪水不一而足。)
- A multitude of challenges – 诸多挑战
- The team faced a multitude of challenges in completing the project within the given deadline. (团队在规定的截止日期内完成项目时面临着诸多挑战。)
同近义词
myriad: a countless or extremely great number
swarm: a large number of people or things
throng: a large, densely packed crowd of people or animals
