stilled, sparkle, sparkler, sparkling clarity, re-gifted, flat Champagne

No Sparklers for These Folks

Whether because of crowds, politics or a loss of patriotism, some Americans are conflicted about celebrating the Fourth of July.

WSJ “發掘被次貸危機掩蓋的閃光點” --原標題Sparkles Behind Subprime Hits

這” 閃光點” 意義不明 我差點誤解為 flash point

sparkle 指”(經營表現)令人振奮或感興趣的公司”:

Sparkling Clarity
知名詩人余光中的夫人范我存，長年鑽研古玉飾品及器物，2008年新春開始，在新思惟人文空間首度舉辦「一斛晶瑩」Sparkling Clarity串珠首飾發表會，將變形珍珠與古玉結合，呈現另一種與眾不同的美感。范我存在創作過程中發現「變形珍珠」具有豐富的色彩及多元的形狀，因此構想以變形珍珠為主要配件進行首飾創作，再搭配其長期蒐藏的古老飾件，呈現出穿梭古今、融會傳統與時尚的品牌。余光中特別為此展命名為「一斛晶瑩」Sparkling Clarity，斛與壺同音，「晶瑩」則是融合各種美石之意。......

Mr Watanabe’s departure set off speculation about whether civil war within the LDP was about to break out into the open, with defections to a new political force. If only in this respect, the scale of Japan’s slump benefits Mr Aso for now, since it has stilled such a rebellion. 2009




So here’s a bit of information to help put you at ease: Unless it is cold hard cash, it’s going to be re-gifted. The most beautiful glassware, those color-coordinated throw pillows, a Ming Dynasty vase — nobody keeps anything these days, even a crowd-pleaser like a bottle of Champagne. Especially, as it turns out, Champagne. Put a trace tag on a bottle of a Champagne you give someone, in the manner of the scientists that study the migration patterns of birds, and you’re likely to see it make a half-dozen stops, so that by the time someone finally opens it, it will very likely be flat. Blair Gordon, an interior designer who once re-gifted an expensive bottle of Champagne at a dinner party only to find the woman who had given it to him sitting opposite him, glaring, calls Champagne “the new fruitcake.”

flat (NOT ACTIVE) Show phonetics
adjective flatter, flattest
1 not active; not interesting or lacking emotion:
After the excitement of the party, life seems rather flat now.
I thought her performance a little flat.
I think the colours in this painting are rather flat (= not varied or bright).
UK I left my car lights on all night and now the battery is flat (US dead) (= has no electrical power left in it).

2 describes a drink which has stopped being fizzy:
If you don't put the top back on that bottle of beer, it will go flat.
Compare still (NOT MOVING).

flatly Show phonetics
adverb
in a way that lacks emotion or interest:
The witness responded flatly to the judge's questions.

flatness Show phonetics
noun [U]
when someone or something lacks emotion or interest:
All the critics remarked on the flatness of the performance.

still (NOT MOVING)
adjective
1 staying in the same position; not moving:
Children find it difficult to sit/stand/stay still for very long.
I can't brush your hair if you don't keep/hold still.
She sat perfectly still while I took her photograph.
The air was so still (= There was so little wind) that not even the leaves on the trees were moving.
She dived into the still (= calm and not flowing) water of the lake.

2 MAINLY UK A still drink is one that is not fizzy:
Would you like still or sparkling water?

still
verb [T]
to make something stop moving or become more calm:
He tried to still the swaying of the hammock.
LITERARY She cuddled her baby to still its cries.

still
noun
1 [C] SPECIALIZED a photograph of a piece of action in a film

2 [U] LITERARY when it is quiet and calm:
In the still of the night, nothing moved.

stillness PhoneticPhoneticPhoneticPhoneticPhoneticPhoneticPhoneticPhoneticPhoneticPhoneticPhonetic Hide phonetics
noun [U]

clar・i・ty

  

━━ n. 透明; 明快さ.

spar・kle

  

━━ n., v. 火花（を出す，出させる）; 泡立ち［つ］; ひらめき; きらめき［く］; 光輝（を放つ）, 光る ((with)); 生気（がある）.
 spar・kler　━━ n. きらめく物; 美人, 才子; 花火; 〔話〕 光る宝石; ダイヤモンド.
 spar・kling　━━ a. 発泡性の.
sparkling water　ソーダ水.
sparkling wine　スパークリングワイン.


sparkle Show phonetics
verb [I]
1 to shine brightly with a lot of small points of light:
The snow/sea sparkled in the sunlight.

2 If a person or performance sparkles, they are energetic, interesting and exciting:
Alice is shy and quiet at parties, but her sister really sparkles!

sparkle Show phonetics
noun [U]
1 bright shine:
The radiant smile and the sparkle in her blue eyes were the clear signs of a woman still deeply in love.

2 energy and interest:
Their latest performance of My Fair Lady really lacked sparkle.
The sparkle went out of/left her (= She became unhappy) after her husband died.

sparkling Show phonetics
adjective
1 shining brightly:
sparkling white teeth

2 energetic and interesting:
a sparkling performance
sparkling conversation/wit

3 A sparkling drink is one which is fizzy:
Champagne is a sparkling wine.

Compare still (NOT MOVING).

sparkle Show phonetics
verb [I]
1 to shine brightly with a lot of small points of light:
The snow/sea sparkled in the sunlight.

2 If a person or performance sparkles, they are energetic, interesting and exciting:
Alice is shy and quiet at parties, but her sister really sparkles!

sparkle Show phonetics
noun [U]
1 bright shine:
The radiant smile and the sparkle in her blue eyes were the clear signs of a woman still deeply in love.

2 energy and interest:
Their latest performance of My Fair Lady really lacked sparkle.
The sparkle went out of/left her (= She became unhappy) after her husband died.

sparkling Show phonetics
adjective
1 shining brightly:
sparkling white teeth

2 energetic and interesting:
a sparkling performance
sparkling conversation/wit

3 A sparkling drink is one which is fizzy:
sparkle Show phonetics
verb [I]
1 to shine brightly with a lot of small points of light:
The snow/sea sparkled in the sunlight.

2 If a person or performance sparkles, they are energetic, interesting and exciting:
Alice is shy and quiet at parties, but her sister really sparkles!

sparkle Show phonetics
noun [U]
1 bright shine:
The radiant smile and the sparkle in her blue eyes were the clear signs of a woman still deeply in love.

2 energy and interest:
Their latest performance of My Fair Lady really lacked sparkle.
The sparkle went out of/left her (= She became unhappy) after her husband died.

sparkling Show phonetics
adjective
1 shining brightly:
sparkling white teeth

2 energetic and interesting:
a sparkling performance
sparkling conversation/wit

3 A sparkling drink is one which is fizzy:
Champagne is a sparkling wine.
Compare still (NOT MOVING).