ratchet up
逐漸升高
講解:
ratchet是一種特殊齒輪,上面的齒斜向一邊,所以只能單方向轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng),一旦轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng)一格就會(huì)卡住而不能退回。動(dòng)詞詞組 ratchet up原意是指這種齒輪一格一格轉(zhuǎn)緊;例如:ratchet up a notch就是“轉(zhuǎn)上一格”。ratchet up也引申為逐步升局。
例句:
Once the furnace lid is sealed,the temperature will slowly ratchet up over a period of several days,at times rising no more than 2°C in an hour.(出自:TIME, Apr. 27,1992,p. 56 )
爐蓋封起來(lái)之后,溫度在幾天之內(nèi)會(huì)逐漸升高,有時(shí)候一小時(shí)只升高攝氏兩度而已。