Use the 'Ocean' to Express Big Thoughts

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And now, Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning¹ English.

On this program, we explore words and expressions in the English language. Today we talk about the ocean.

Oceans are amazingly large, deep bodies of water. When talking about some of the deepest parts of the world's oceans, much is still not known. With something so big and full of wonder, it is not surprising that English has several expressions that use the word "ocean."

For starters, we can simply say "oceans of" something to mean "a lot" something. For example, Timothy will have oceans of problems if he does not find a job soon. He is racking² up oceans of debt.

Naturally, it is very common to use the word "ocean" in expressions that describe very large, seemingly³ limitless, things. For example, my love of my reading is as big as the ocean! I really love to read.

You can also say "as deep as the ocean" to describe something very vast and intense⁴. For example, if you love someone deeply, you can say your love for them is as deep as the ocean. It seems as if it has no end.

Saying that something is as deep, big, or wide as the ocean is a simile⁵. A simile compares things using "like" or "as."

An ocean can also help describe something that is very far away from something else. The expression "to be oceans apart" can be used for more than just physical distance. If you are oceans apart from something, you are far from reaching a point of agreement or having common ground.

Consider these examples:

During an important business deal, the two parties found that they were oceans apart. It was impossible to make a deal that was good for both sides.

Even though their political and religious views were oceans apart, the two people shared a love of music and became close friends.

Finally, the ocean is so big that it would not make a difference if you added a drop of water to it. So, if I say something is just a drop in the ocean, it is a small amount compared to the amount that is needed. For example, some might say investing⁶ $1 million dollars in a country's educational system is just a drop in the ocean. Millions more dollars will be needed to make real change.

Words in This Story

racking up – phrasal verb achieve; gain

vast – adj. very great in size, amount, degree, intensity⁷, or especially in extent⁸ or range

intense – adj. existing in an extreme degree

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 racking   

拷问的，痛苦的

参考例句：

• All night I have been tossing and turning racking my brains to think what could have possessed the young man to kill himself. 整整一晚我辗转反侧，绞尽脑汁，想弄明白是什么原因竟能促成这个年轻人自杀。
• He was racking his brains for a course of action. 他在脑子里拼命寻找一条行动的道路。

3 seemingly   

adv.从表面上看起来，似乎是

参考例句：

• Seemingly,we can do nothing to prevent this from happening.我们似乎没有什么办法阻止这件事发生。
• For several seemingly interminable seconds no one spoke.有几秒钟没有人讲话，这几秒钟似乎十分漫长。

4 intense   

adj.认真的，专注的；强烈的；紧张的；热情的

参考例句：

• Susan was an intense young lady.苏珊是一个热情的年轻姑娘。
• The quarrel caused her intense unhappiness.争吵令她极其不快。

5 simile   

n.直喻，明喻

参考例句：

• I believe this simile largely speaks the truth.我相信这种比拟在很大程度上道出了真实。
• It is a trite simile to compare her teeth to pearls.把她的牙齿比做珍珠是陈腐的比喻。

6 investing   

v.投资，花费( invest的现在分词 )；授予；（把资金）投入；投入（时间、精力等）

参考例句：

• He was timid about investing money. 他不敢投资。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Europe also caught the excitement of investing in American railroads. 欧洲人对投资美国铁路也极感兴趣。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

7 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

8 extent   

n.程度，范围，限度；广度，宽度，大小

参考例句：

• The new race track is nearly six miles in extent. 这条新跑道将近六英里长。
• What's the extent of the damage? 损坏的程度如何?