- [countable]
something that you think is more important than other things and should be dealt with first 优先事项；最重要的事；首要事情 a high/low priority 重点／非重点项目 Education is a top priority. 教育是当务之急。 Our first priority is to improve standards. 我们的头等大事是提高标准。 National security is our main priority. 国家安全是我们的首要任务。 Public sector reform is a key priority. 公共部门改革是一个关键的优先事项。 Financial security was high on his list of priorities. 在他的心目中，金融安全是十分重要的一环。 You need to get your priorities right (= decide what is important to you). 你需要把自己的事情分出轻重缓急。 - (North American English)
You need to get your priorities straight. 你需要把个人事情的轻重缓急分清楚。 The department must start setting priorities. 该部门必须开始设定优先级。
Extra ExamplesMaterial possessions have always been a low priority for Mike. 对迈克来说，物质的追求一直都是次要的。 To reduce stress you may have to rethink your priorities in life. 要减轻压力，你可能得重新考虑生活中的轻重缓急。 Using the internet is one of the company's top strategic priorities. 使用因特网是该公司顶级的优先战略之一。 We assign a high priority to research and development. 我们高度重视研究和开发。 We need to place a higher priority on family and social issues. 我们需要优先考虑家庭和社会问题。 You need to sort out your priorities before making a decision about the future. 对未来作出决定之前，你有必要分出主次。 The development of a nuclear arsenal became a priority for Stalin. 发展核武库成为斯大林的首要任务。 Each candidate repeatedly promised to make education a national priority. 每个候选人都一再承诺将教育作为国家的优先事项。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- high
- main
- major
- …
- choose
- decide on
- determine
- …
- priority over
- a list of priorities
- order of priority
- place a high priority on something
- …
- [uncountable]
the most important place among various things that have to be done or among a group of people 优先；优先权；重点 Club members will be given priority. 俱乐部成员享有优先权。 The search for a new vaccine will take priority over all other medical research. 研制新的疫苗将排在其他一切医学研究之前。 A clean ocean must have priority over the profits of polluting industries. 清洁的海洋必须优先于污染行业的利润。 Priority cases, such as homeless families, get dealt with first. 优先事项，比如无住房家庭的问题，得到优先处理。
Extra ExamplesThe bank seems to give priority to new customers. 这家银行似乎优先考虑新客户。 The government is giving priority to school leavers in its job-creation programme. 在制订创造就业机会的计划时，政府优先考虑离校学生。 Her family takes priority over her work. 她把家庭排在工作的前面。 When hospital funds are being allocated children take priority. 分配医院经费的时候优先考虑儿童。 List the tasks in order of priority. 按照轻重缓急的顺序把任务都列出来。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- high
- main
- major
- …
- choose
- decide on
- determine
- …
- priority over
- a list of priorities
- order of priority
- place a high priority on something
- …
- [uncountable] (British English)
the right of a vehicle to go before other traffic at a particular place on a road （车辆的）优先通行权
Word Originlate Middle English (denoting precedence in time or rank): from Old French priorite, from medieval Latin prioritas, from Latin prior ‘former’, related to prae ‘before’.