- [countable]
the middle point or part of something 中心点;中心;正中;中央 He walked to the centre of the circle. 他走到圆圈的中心。 - in the centre of something
There was a long table in the centre of the room. 房间中央有一张长桌。 The statue is in the very centre of the temple. 这座雕像就在寺庙的正中央。 - in the centre
The brownie should be firm on the outside but soft in the centre. 核仁巧克力饼应该外表坚硬,但中间柔软。 - at the centre of something
Aristotle believed that the Earth was at the centre of the universe. 亚里士多德认为地球是宇宙的中心。 - (figurative)
The executive at the centre of the bribery scandal was convicted last week. 处于贿赂丑闻中心的高管上周被判有罪。 chocolates with soft centres 软心巧克力糖
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- dead
- exact
- true
- …
- at the centre (of)
- in the centre (of)
- the centre of the city
- the centre of (the) town
- [countable] (especially British English) (North American English usually downtown [usually singular])
the main part of a town or city where there are a lot of shops and offices (市镇的)中心区 - in the centre
We both work in the city centre. 我们都在市中心工作。 I got a lift into the centre of town. 我搭便车到了市中心。 a town-centre car park 市中心停车场
Extra ExamplesTopics Shoppinga1, Buildingsa1We've bought a flat in the very centre of Cambridge. 我们在剑桥正中心的地方买了一套公寓。 We've bought an apartment in the very centre of São Paulo. 我们在圣保罗正中心的地方买了一套公寓。 a museum in the centre of Birmingham 位于伯明翰中心的博物馆
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- dead
- exact
- true
- …
- at the centre (of)
- in the centre (of)
- the centre of the city
- the centre of (the) town
- in the centre
- [countable]
a place or an area where a lot of people live; a place where a lot of business or cultural activity takes place 人口集中的地区;商业中心区;文化中心区 major urban/industrial centres 主要城市/工业中心 - centre of something
At that time Winchester was still a major centre of population. 当时温彻斯特仍然是一个主要的人口中心。 - centre for something
The university is a leading centre for scientific research. 该大学是领先的科学研究中心。 Small towns in South India serve as economic and cultural centres for the surrounding villages. 印度南部的小城镇是周围村庄的经济文化中心。
Extra ExamplesTokyo is one of the main financial centres of the world. 东京是世界主要金融中心之一。 the economic nerve centre of Germany 德国的经济命脉
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- important
- leading
- main
- …
- centre for
- a centre of excellence
- a centre of government
- a centre of population
- …
- [countable]
a building or place used for a particular purpose or activity 中心;活动中心 a shopping/community/health/fitness centre 购物/社区/健康/健身中心 The company has recently opened a new training centre. 该公司最近新开了一个培训中心。 - centre for something
the Centre for Policy Studies 政策研究中心
Extra ExamplesYou can send fax or emails from our fully equipped business centre. 您可以从我们设备齐全的商务中心发送传真或电子邮件。 They've set up a local centre for people with epilepsy. 他们在本地设立了一个癫痫病人活动中心。 The classes are run by the Centre for Languages and Literature. 这些课程由语言与文学中心开设。 I had to get a taxi from the hotel to the conference centre. 我不得不从酒店叫了辆出租车去会议中心。
- [countable] centre of excellence
a place where a particular kind of work is done extremely well 居领先地位的中心;(某领域中成绩突出的)中心 Darlington could become a regional centre of excellence for nursery nurse training. 达林顿可以成为一个区域性的优秀护士培训中心。 The university is recognized as an international centre of excellence for training dentists. 这所大学是公认的优秀的国际牙医培训中心。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- important
- leading
- main
- …
- centre for
- a centre of excellence
- a centre of government
- a centre of population
- …
- [countable, usually singular]
the point towards which people direct their attention 中心;聚集点 Children like to be the centre of attention. 小孩子喜欢受到大家的关注。 - at the centre of something
The prime minister is at the centre of a political row over leaked Cabinet documents. 首相成了内阁文件泄密而引起的一场政治风波的中心人物。
Extra ExamplesShe always liked to feel that she was at the centre of things. 她总是喜欢觉得自己是事情的中心。 He could never doubt that he was the centre of her world. 她的整个世界围着他转,对此他确信无疑。 The captain was at the centre of the action right through the game. 在整个比赛过程中,队长一直处于行动的中心。
- (usually the centre)[singular]
a moderate (= middle) political position or party, between the extremes of left-wing and right-wing parties 中间派;中间党 a party of the centre 中间党派 Are her views to the left or right of centre? 她的观点是中间偏左还是偏右? a centre party 中立的党。
Extra ExamplesTopics Politicsb2Politically, she is considered to be slightly left of centre. 在政治上,她有点儿中间偏左。 a party that occupies the centre ground of British politics 在英国政治中持中间立场的政党
Oxford Collocations Dictionarycentre/center + noun- party
- ground
- left of centre
- right of centre
- [countable]
(in some team sports )用于某些团体运动 a player or position in the middle of the pitch, court, etc. 中锋;中锋位置
middle中间
town/city城镇;城市
building建筑物
of excellence优秀
of attention注意
in politics政治
in sport体育运动
Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin centrum, from Greek kentron ‘sharp point, stationary point of a pair of compasses’, related to kentein ‘to prick’.
Idioms
front and centre
(US English front and center)
in or into the most important position 在(或进入)最重要位置 The issue has moved front and center in his presidential campaign. 在他的总统竞选中,这个问题已经成为焦点。
left, right and centre
(also right, left and centre, right and left)