TOEFL SAT GMAT GRE
外刊例句
- A widespread propensity to hoard money posed a problem for Say’s vision.
人们普遍喜欢囤积货币，这对萨伊的观点构成了挑战。
——《经济学人》 - He had all the classic symptoms: procrastination, forgetfulness, a propensity to lose things and, of course, the inability to pay attention consistently.
他表现出所有的典型症状：拖延、健忘、习惯性地丢三落四，当然还有不能持续保持注意力的问题。
——《纽约时报》
基本释义
[noun] an inclination or natural tendency to behave in a particular way
[名词] 以特定方式行事的倾向或自然趋势
深入解读
Propensity 一词是过时形容词 propense （偏向或倾向于……的）的名词形式，源自拉丁语 propendere （倾斜、下垂），现在主要表示性格、行为方面的“倾向、习性”，比如受自然欲望驱使而来的习性：
- 孩子们淘气的习性
the mischievous propensities of children
但一般更多的是用来表示某种不良的“倾向、嗜好、癖好”，强调源于某种天生的或固有的无法控制的渴望，比如：
- 她从她父亲那里继承了话多的毛病。
She’s inherited from her father a propensity to talk too much. - 她不曾料到他有暴力倾向。
She hasn’t reckoned on his propensity for violence.
名人用例
Woman has, in general, much stronger propensity than man to the discharge of parental duties.
一般说来妇女较之男人更倾注于尽到父母的责任。
出自英国诗人威廉·考珀 （William Cowper，亦译威廉·柯珀或威廉·古柏，1731年11月26日－1800年4月25日）。威廉·考珀是他那个时代最受欢迎的诗人之一，通过描绘日常生活和英国乡村场景，改变了18世纪自然诗的方向。
常见短语
“propensity” 通常用来表示倾向、趋势或倾向性。以下是与这个词相关的 50 个短语，附带中文解释：
- Natural propensity – 天生的倾向
- propensity for violence – 暴力倾向
- Genetic propensity – 基因倾向
- propensity for risk-taking – 冒险倾向
- propensity for innovation – 创新倾向
- propensity for procrastination – 拖延倾向
- propensity for change – 变革倾向
- propensity for aggression – 攻击倾向
- propensity for success – 成功倾向
- propensity for failure – 失败倾向
- propensity for leadership – 领导倾向
- propensity for cooperation – 合作倾向
- propensity for competition – 竞争倾向
- propensity for adaptation – 适应倾向
- propensity for learning – 学习倾向
- propensity for empathy – 同情倾向
- propensity for kindness – 善良倾向
- propensity for selfishness – 自私倾向
- propensity for altruism – 利他主义倾向
- propensity for generosity – 慷慨倾向
- propensity for introspection – 内省倾向
- propensity for introversion – 内向倾向
- propensity for extroversion – 外向倾向
- propensity for solitude – 孤独倾向
- propensity for socialization – 社交倾向
- propensity for isolation – 孤立倾向
- propensity for communication – 沟通倾向
- propensity for expression – 表达倾向
- propensity for creativity – 创造力倾向
- propensity for conformity – 从众倾向
- propensity for nonconformity – 非从众倾向
- propensity for skepticism – 怀疑倾向
- propensity for belief – 信仰倾向
- propensity for doubt – 怀疑倾向
- propensity for trust – 信任倾向
- propensity for betrayal – 背叛倾向
- propensity for loyalty – 忠诚倾向
- propensity for honesty – 诚实倾向
- propensity for deception – 欺骗倾向
- propensity for optimism – 乐观倾向
- propensity for pessimism – 悲观倾向
- propensity for hope – 希望倾向
- propensity for despair – 绝望倾向
- propensity for action – 行动倾向
- propensity for inaction – 不作为倾向
- propensity for exploration – 探索倾向
- propensity for conservatism – 保守倾向
- propensity for liberalism – 自由主义倾向
- propensity for radicalism – 激进主义倾向
- propensity for moderation – 温和主义倾向
同近义词
- tendency: an inclination toward a particular characteristic or type of behavior
- inclination: a person’s natural tendency or urge to act or feel in a particular way; a disposition or propensity
- predisposition: a liability or tendency to suffer from a particular condition, hold a particular attitude, or act in a particular way
