constancy, ebb and flow.turn the tide

Lending Drops at Big U.S. Banks

Lending fell 1.4% in the fourth quarter at 10 of the 13 biggest beneficiaries of the Treasury's TARP. Banks argue prudent lending takes time and demand is ebbing.

Inside Europe | 15.11.2008 | 07:05

The Polish exodus from the UK

Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Britain will miss the skills of Polish tradesmen

Up to one million Poles flooded the British Isles when the UK and Ireland decided to allow in migrant workers from the new EU member states back in 2004. But four years on and the Poles are heading home.

Britain is facing a financial crisis fuelled by the global credit crunch while the Polish economy has gathered pace, partly owing to the money sent home by migrant workers. These two factors have helped turn the tide of Polish job migration. It’s estimated that around 50 per cent of Poles working in the UK and Ireland have now left.

Reporter Rafal Kiepuszewski

Confidence Ebbs for Bank Sector and Stocks Fall
By LOUISE STORY and ERIC DASH
Even as the Bush administration moved to rescue the two largest mortgage finance companies, confidence in the banking sector sank.

Making Jack’s my base of operations, I started with both the 99-cent and gourmet offerings.

I quickly met with my first surprise. Though there’s a constancy to the food items for which 99-cent stores are famous — pasta, rice, nuts, cookies and candy — other items sometimes ebb and flow.


constant (STAYING SAME) Show phonetics
adjective
staying the same, or not getting less or more:
We've kept up a fairly constant speed.
The fridge keeps food at a constant temperature.

constant Show phonetics
noun [C] SPECIALIZED
a particular number or amount that never changes

constancy Show phonetics
noun [U] FORMAL

ebb
━━ n. （the ～） 干潮; 衰退（期）.
at a low ebb　衰退して.
ebb and flow　干満; 盛衰.
on the ebb　次第に減って［衰えて］.
━━ vi. （潮が）引く ((away)); 衰える.
ebb tide　干潮（期）; 衰退.

ebb and flow
the way in which the level of something regularly becomes higher or lower in a situation:
You have to accept the ebb and flow of love in a relationship.


tide (CHANGE) Show phonetics
noun [S] LITERARY
a noticeable change in a situation or increase in a particular type of behaviour:
We must look for ways of stemming (= stopping) the rising tide of protest.