:a very serious quality or condition:the condition of being grave or serious严重;庄严;严肃
They didn't seem to understand the gravity [=seriousness] of the situation.他们似乎没有认识到事态的严重性。
He uttered the oath with proper gravity. [=solemnity]他庄严地宣了誓。
2
technical:the natural force that tends to cause physical things to move towards each other:the force that causes things to fall towards the Earth引力;地心引力;重力
: the gravitational attraction of the mass of the earth, the moon, or a planet for bodies at or near its surface
(2)
: a fundamental physical force that is responsible for interactions which occur because of mass between particles, between aggregations of matter (such as stars and planets), and between particles (such as photons) and aggregations of matter, that is 10-39 times the strength of the strong force, and that extends over infinite distances but is dominant over macroscopic distances especially between aggregations of matter
the hospital waiting room was filled with the kind of gravity that inevitably accompanies worry
Recent Examples on the WebThere’s zero posturing or pretending with this character, and Davis’ gravity feeds the film’s. Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2022 Throughout most of the cosmos, gravity tracks with curves in space and time as described by Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity. Thomas Lewton, Quanta Magazine, 8 Sep. 2022 In the universe, there is no greater catastrophe than a black hole, whose gravity is so intense that not even light can escape.WIRED, 8 Sep. 2022 Hump yards have artificial hills which long trains are pushed over so that gravity helps send individual or coupled cars down different tracks to where they are then reassembled and sent to their next destination. Esther Fung, WSJ, 6 Sep. 2022 With triple the loops — a Hot Wheels first — kids can build all different kinds of stunts, from gravity drops to daredevil jumps. Rachel Rothman, Good Housekeeping, 1 Sep. 2022 This was certainly a fear of mine, and post-birth, gravity has done its thing. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 31 Aug. 2022 Lie on one side and let gravity pull the water out. Create a vacuum to suck the water out of your ear. Evan Hecht, USA TODAY, 24 Aug. 2022 If gravity had its way, lake water would someday make it into the creek. Ned Rozell, Anchorage Daily News, 20 Aug. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle French or Latin; Middle French gravité, from Latin gravitat-, gravitas, from gravis — see graveentry 2
1natural force重力ADJECTIVE | VERB + GRAVITY | GRAVITY + VERB | PREPOSITION | PHRASESADJECTIVE➤low, weak, zero低引力;弱引力;零引力◇the weak gravity on the moon月球上的微弱引力➤strong強引力VERB + GRAVITY➤defy挑戰引力◇The building leans so much that it seems to defy gravity.這幢大樓傾斜得很厲害,似乎在挑戰地球引力的存在。GRAVITY + VERB➤pull sth引力拉⋯◇Gravity pulls objects together.引力的作用使物體聚在一起。➤bend sth引力使⋯彎曲◇Gravity bends light like a lens.引力像透鏡一樣使光線彎曲。PREPOSITION➤by gravity憑藉引力◇The water flows from the tank by gravity to the houses below.水箱裏的水由於引力的作用流到下面的房子裏。PHRASES➤centre/center of gravity (oftenfigurative) 引力的中心;重心◇a low centre / center of gravity低重心◇The world's economic centre / center of gravity is shifting east.世界的經濟重心向東轉移。➤the force of gravity引力作用➤the law of gravity, the laws of gravity萬有引力定律gravity
noun²
2seriousness嚴重性ADJECTIVE | VERB + GRAVITY | PREPOSITIONADJECTIVE➤extreme極其嚴重◇I don't think you realize the extreme gravity of the situation.我認為你沒有認識到局勢的極端嚴重性。VERB + GRAVITY➤appreciate, realize, understand理解/意識到/明白嚴重性PREPOSITION➤with gravity嚴重地◇The threat is not being treated with the gravity it deserves.恐嚇沒有得到應有的重視。