cold comfort

英 [ˌkəʊld ˈkʌmfət]

美 [ˌkoʊld ˈkʌmfərt]

n.  于事无补的安慰; 不起作用的慰藉

牛津词典

noun

• 于事无补的安慰；不起作用的慰藉
  the fact that sth that would normally be good does not make you happy because the whole situation is bad
  1. A small drop in the inflation rate was cold comfort for the millions without a job.
     对数百万失业者来说，通货膨胀率的微降是不起作用的安慰。

柯林斯词典

• N-UNCOUNT 不起作用的安慰
  If you say that a slightly encouraging fact or event iscold comfort tosomeone, you mean that it gives them little or no comfort because their situation is so difficult or unpleasant.
  1. These figures may look good on paper but are cold comfort to the islanders themselves.
     这些数字理论上看来可能不错，不过对岛民们起不到安慰的作用。

英英释义

noun

• very limited consolation or empathy
  1. he told me that time heals all wounds but that was cold comfort to me

双语例句

• Now, many people find it cold comfort to join such an abstract group, especially when they have not yet met any noble ones in person.
  诚然，不少人觉得加入这么一个抽象的团体，得到的慰勉温暖不足，特别是当他们还没有亲自遇到一位圣者时。
• It is cold comfort to know that others are ill too.
  即使知道人家也在患病，也不成为安慰。
• The loss could have been heavier, but that was cold comfort.
  这次损失不算太重，但那并不值得高兴。
• In the age when America's space shuttles are all mothballed in museums while other nations boast of plans to head to the Moon or to Mars, Cameron's ocean deal provides cold comfort.
  如今，美国的航天飞机全部都被封存到博物馆里，而其他国家也都在大张旗鼓地宣传自己奔向月球、奔向火星的计划。因此，卡梅伦在海洋探索事业上的捐赠并不能带来太多安慰。
• John failed the exam, it was cold comfort to him to be told that he could take a make-up exam next semester.
  约翰考试不及格，告诉他下学期可以补考只是徒增他的烦恼而已。
• Since the end of the Cold War, Asian countries have gradually come up with an Asian way of cooperation in the course of advancing regional cooperation, which features mutual respect, consensus-building and accommodation of each other's comfort levels.
  冷战结束后，亚洲国家在推进区域合作实践中逐步形成相互尊重、协商一致、照顾各方舒适度的亚洲方式。
• These figures may look good on paper but are cold comfort to the islanders themselves.
  这些数字理论上看来可能不错，不过对岛民们起不到安慰的作用。
• Cold comfort for change?
  将淡泊的舒适换作改变？
• But a resume is a cold comfort on a winter night, or when you're sad, or broke, or lonely, or when you've gotten back the test results and they're not so good.
  但是一张履历不过是冬夜里一个冰冷的慰藉，不过是在你悲伤、身无分文、孤独一人时，或在你拿回考试成绩而它们不太令人满意时的一个冰冷的慰藉。
• For the many Americans anxious about their jobs or their future prospects, the fact that the economy is already recovering from recession is cold comfort ①.
  对于很多为工作或是为前途忧虑的美国人来说，经济已经从萧条中复苏这一事实也难以令人感到宽慰。