prime

adjective

/praɪm/

[only before noun]

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main; most important; basic主要的；首要的；基本的
- My prime concern is to protect my property.我最关心的是保护自己的财产。
- Winning is not the prime objective in this sport.获胜不是这项体育运动的主要目的。
- The care of the environment is of prime importance.保护环境是最重要的。
- He's the police's prime suspect in this case.他是该案中警方的主要怀疑对象。
Synonyms main
main
- major
- key
- central
- principal
- chief
- prime
These words all describe somebody/something that is the largest or most important of its kind.
- main [only before noun] largest or most important:
  Be careful crossing the main road.过大马路时小心点。
  The main thing is to remain calm.最重要的是要保持冷静。
- major [usually before noun] very large or important:
  He played a major role in setting up the system.他在建立这个系统的过程中起了主要的作用。
  When major is used with the or my/your/his/her/our/their it means ‘the largest or most important’: Our major concern here is combating poverty. In this meaning it is only used to talk about ideas or worries that people have, not physical things, and it is also more formal than main: Be careful crossing the major road. • The major thing is to remain calm.
- key [usually before noun] most important; essential:
  He was a key figure in the campaign.他是这场运动的关键人物。
  Key is used most frequently in business and political contexts. It can be used to talk about ideas, or the part that somebody plays in a situation, but not physical things. It is slightly more informal than major, especially when used after a noun and linking verb: Speed is key at this point.
- central (rather formal) most important:指最重要的、首要的、主要的：
  The central issue is that of widespread racism.最重要的问题是种族主义到处泛滥。
  Central is used in a similar way to key, but is more formal. It is most frequently used in the phrase something is central to something else.
- principal [only before noun] (rather formal) most important:指最重要的、首要的、主要的：
  The principal reason for this omission is lack of time.跳过它的主要原因是时间不足。
  Principal is mostly used for statements of fact about which there can be no argument. To state an opinion, or to try to persuade somebody of the facts as you see them, it is more usual to use key or central: The key/central issue here is…
- chief [only before noun] (rather formal) most important:指最重要的、首要的、主要的：
  Unemployment was the chief cause of poverty.失业是贫穷的主要原因。
- prime [only before noun] (rather formal) most important; to be considered first:
  My prime concern is to protect my property.我最关心的是保护自己的财产。
Patterns
- a/the main/major/key/central/principal/chief/prime aim/concern
- a/the main/major/principal road/town/city
- the main/key thing is to…
- to be of major/key/central/prime importance
of the best quality; excellent优质的；上乘的；优异的
- prime (cuts of) beef上等的牛肉（块）
- The store has a prime position in the mall.这家商店位于购物广场一个非常理想的位置。
Extra Examples
- Over £100 000 worth of prime lamb was destroyed in the fire.价值超过10万英镑的上等羊肉在大火中被毁。
- a prime location in the centre of town位于市中心的黄金地段
a prime example of something is one that is typical of it典型的；有代表性的
- The building is a prime example of 1960s architecture.这座大楼是 20 世纪 60 年代的典型建筑。
most likely to be chosen for something; most suitable最可能的；首选的；最适宜的
- The house is isolated and a prime target for burglars.这座孤零零的房子是盗贼的首选目标。
- He's a prime candidate for promotion.他是最有望获得晋升的人选。

Word Originadjective Old English prīm (referring to a service of the Divine Office of the Western Church, said at the first hour of the day), from Latin prima (hora) ‘first (hour)’, reinforced in Middle English by Old French prime; the adjective dates from late Middle English, via Old French from Latin primus ‘first’.

prime

noun

/praɪm/

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[singular] the time in your life when you are strongest or most successful盛年；年富力强的时期；鼎盛时期
- a young woman in her prime正当妙龄的女郎
- He was barely 30 and in the prime of (his) life.他才 30 岁，正是英姿勃发的年华。
- These flowers are long past their prime.这些花的鼎盛花期早过了。
Extra Examples
- She was cut off in her prime, and never lived to see the poems published.她在壮年时被切断了联系，再也没有活着看到这些诗出版。
- You're still in the prime of life.你还正当盛年。
Topics Successc2
(also prime number)
[countable] a number that can be divided exactly only by itself and 1, for example 7, 17 and 41素数，质数（只能被 1 和其自身整除）

Word Originnoun Old English prīm (referring to a service of the Divine Office of the Western Church, said at the first hour of the day), from Latin prima (hora) ‘first (hour)’, reinforced in Middle English by Old French prime; the adjective dates from late Middle English, via Old French from Latin primus ‘first’.

prime

verb

/praɪm/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they prime	/praɪm/ /praɪm/
he / she / it primes	/praɪmz/ /praɪmz/
past simple primed	/praɪmd/ /praɪmd/
past participle primed	/praɪmd/ /praɪmd/
-ing form priming	/ˈpraɪmɪŋ/ /ˈpraɪmɪŋ/

Idioms

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to prepare somebody for a situation so that they know what to do, especially by giving them special information事先指点；使（某人）做好准备 synonym brief
- prime somebody (with something) They had been primed with good advice.他们事先得到了高人指点。
- prime somebody (for something) She was ready and primed for action.她已胸有成竹、跃跃欲试了。
- prime somebody to do something He had primed his friends to give the journalists as little information as possible.他已经知会他的朋友，尽量少向记者透露消息。
prime something to make something ready for use or action把（事物）准备好
- The bomb was primed, ready to explode.炸弹已准备好，可随时引爆。
prime something to prepare wood, metal, etc. for painting by covering it with a special paint that helps the next layer of paint to stay on在（金属、木材等上）打底漆

Word Originverb early 16th cent. (in the sense ‘fill, load’): origin uncertain; probably based on Latin primus ‘first’, since the sense expressed is a “first” operation prior to something else.

Idioms

prime the pump