1

One thing is above another 前者高于后者或在后者的上方。

用在附加状语里或动词 be 之后：

• Above the town, the fire was still blazing.
• 市镇上方的大火仍在熊熊燃烧着。

用在名词之后：

• Sarah was put in the room above me.
• 莎拉被安置住在我楼上的房间里。

• ... the hills above the town.
• ······市镇上方的山岗。

也可用作副词：

• The music seemed to be coming from the floor above.
• 音乐声似乎来自楼上。

2

Be above a particular amount or level 某事物超过某一个量或高于某一水平。

用在附加状语里或动词 be 之后：

• The temperature has not risen much above zero for the past week.
• 在过去一周里，气温仅上升到零度以上一点儿。

• Otto's voice was low, just above a whisper.
• 奥托嗓音低沉，仅比耳语略高一些。

3

Be above someone else 某人的社会地位高于另一个人或其权力凌驾另一个人。

用在名词之后：

• Well, my mum's a nurse and she has to bow to the matron above her.
• 我母亲是护士，凡事得听护士长的指示。

• It did not even work all that well for the gentry above them.
• 对于他们之上的绅士们，这可不那么管用。

用在动词 be 或 marry 之后：

• Guy was above her.
• 盖伊地位比她高。

• She married above herself.
• 她嫁给了一个比她自己更有身份的人。

4

Be above a particular activity 认为自己品行好或地位重要而不屑去做某事。

用在系动词之后：

• They were supposed to be above such crude methods of communication.
• 他们被认为还不至于使用如此原始的通讯方式。

• ... even for the minority who consider themselves above such mercenary transactions.
• ······甚至对于少数自认为不屑于这种金钱交易的人来说。

5

Be above criticism or suspicion 某人因品行良好或社会地位高而不可能遭批评或惹人怀疑。

用在动词 be 之后：

• ... those whose loyalty and morals were above reproach.
• ······ 那些忠诚和品德无可指责的人。

• Martyn was merely an erudite eccentric and entirely above suspicion.
• 马丁只是个博学但古怪的人，根本无可怀疑。