at worst, at best, for the best, less and less, mock social situations, worst-off, derision, sucks, laughingstock

France is at best a junior partner to Germany—at worse, a mere spectator

France has less and less influence in the EU, and fears to use what it still has

Back in September, as Germany struggled to cope with the politics and…

ECON.ST

The history of American English has been presented in more detailed and precise fashion elsewhere — by J. L. Dillard, and even, for the 19th century, by Bailey himself, in his under­read ­“Nineteenth-Century English.” Still, his handy tour is useful in imprinting a lesson sadly obscure to too many: as Bailey puts it, “Those who seek stability in English seldom find it; those who wish for uniformity become laughingstocks.”

Governor’s Office Goes After Teen for Tweet
18-year-old lands in principal’s office after saying Kansas Governor “sucks.”

中英對照讀新聞》Childhood stress leads to adult ill health, studies say 研究：兒時壓人員觀察200名健康青少年生活在貧窮與心臟病早期跡象之間的關係。他們發現，來自非常貧困家庭的力導致成年後健康不佳

◎國際新聞中心
Adversity and stress early in life leads to long-term ill health and early death, a group of psychologists warn. A series of studies suggest that childhood stress caused by poverty or abuse can lead to heart disease, inflammation, and speed up cell ageing.
心理學家們警告，年少時經歷的逆境與壓力，會導致長期健康狀況不佳與早逝。一系列研究顯示，孩童時期因貧窮或虐待所造成的壓力，會導致心臟病、發炎，並加速細胞老化。
The American Psychological Association meeting heard that early experiences "cast a long shadow" on health. One UK expert said more and more evidence was suggesting a physical impact of stress in childhood.
專家在美國心理學會的會議上指出，年少時的經歷，會讓健康蒙上長期陰影。一名英國專家表示，越來越多證據顯示，孩童時期的壓力會衝擊身體。
In one study, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh looked at the relationship between living in poverty and early signs of heart disease in 200 healthy teenagers. They found that those from the worst-off families had stiffer arteries and higher blood pressure. A second piece of research by the same team showed children from poorer homes were more likely to interpret a series of mock social situations as threatening.
在一份研究中，匹茲堡大學的研究青少年，動脈較僵硬，血壓也較高；同一團隊的第2份研究顯示，來自較貧窮家庭的孩子，更可能將一連串模擬的社會狀況解釋成有威脅。
They also had higher blood pressure and heart rates and higher hostility and anger scores during three laboratory stress tasks.
他們血壓也較高、心跳較快，在3份實驗室壓力任務中，敵意與憤怒的得分也較高。
新聞辭典
speed up：片語，加快。例句：This drug may have the effect of speeding up your heart rate.（這種藥可能會加速你的心跳。）
worst-off ：形容詞，非常貧窮的，是badly-off的最高級，badly-off的比較級為worse-off。例句：They’re not badly-off but they don’t have much money to spare.（他們並不算窮，但是沒有太多錢可以花。）
cast a shadow over/on sth：片語，為……蒙上陰影。例句：The event cast a shadow on our friendship. （這件事讓我們的友誼蒙上了陰影。）

less and less - Oxford Dictionaries

www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/less-and-less

At a continually decreasing rate: she ate less and less they became less and lesswilling to spend money. 

at worst (or the worst)

phrase of worst

1. 1.

   in the most serious case.

   "at worst the injury could mean months in hospital"

mock
v., mocked, mock·ing, mocks.
v.tr.

1. To treat with ridicule or contempt; deride.
2. 1. To mimic, as in sport or derision. See synonyms at ridicule.
   2. To imitate; counterfeit.
3. To frustrate the hopes of; disappoint.

v.intr.
To express scorn or ridicule; jeer: They mocked at the idea.

n.

1. 1. The act of mocking.
   2. Mockery; derision: said it merely in mock.
2. An object of scorn or derision.
3. An imitation or a counterfeit.

adj.
Simulated; false; sham: a mock battle.

adv.
In an insincere or pretending manner: mock sorrowful.

[Middle English mokken, from Old French mocquer.]

mocker mock'er n.
mockingly mock'ing·ly adv.


sucksint
int

An expression of derision, used esp. by children; often in phrs. sucks to you; yah, boo, sucks. (1913 —) .
Listener The council treated the urbane Mr Cook to the politician's equivalent of 'Yah, boo, sucks' (1983).

derision

(dĭ-rĭzh'ən)
n.

1. 1. Contemptuous or jeering laughter; ridicule.
   2. A state of being derided: The proposal was held in derision by members of the board.
2. An object of ridicule; a laughingstock.

[Middle English derisioun, from Anglo-Norman, from Late Latin dērīsiō, dērīsiōn-, from Latin dērīsus, past participle of dērīdēre, to deride. See deride.]

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for the best

 
Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

(all) for the best

good in spite of the way it seems; better than you think or than it appears to be. (Often said when someone dies after a painful illness.)I'm very sorry to hear of the death of your aunt. Perhaps it's for the best. I didn't get into the college I wanted, but I couldn't afford it anyway. It's probably all for the best.

for the best
If an action is for the best, it is done to improve a situation or produce a good result, although it might seem unpleasant at the time:
Ending a relationship is always hard but in this case it's definitely for the best.

(from Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)