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

• Dear S.O.S.: Cold comfort though it may be, you and your coworkers are part of a growing national trend.
  亲爱的S.O.S.：尽管这样的安慰有些苍白，但你与同事的情况并非个例，在美国正呈现日益增长的趋势。
• Dear survivor: cold comfort though it may be, you are not the only one wondering.
  亲爱的幸存者：如果这么说能给你一点安慰的话，我可以告诉你，你并不是唯一一个有这种困惑的职场人士。
• 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。
• 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 results show that when combined with ice thermal storage, the cold air distribution can lower the original investments and operation costs of the air conditioning system and reduced relative humidity can improve human body comfort and indoor air quality.
  结果表明，低温送风空调与冰蓄冷技术相结合，可降低整个系统的初投资和运行费；同时室内相对湿度的降低，可以提高人体舒适感，改善室内空气品质。
• At present, air-conditioning is being widely used for heating in hot summer and cold winter areas. This heating method 'heat transfer form is mainly convection, which is high energy consumption, and is being widely criticized by the users because of its bad comfort.
  目前我国夏热冬冷地区广泛采用空调方式采暖，这种以对流传热为主的采暖方式不仅能耗高，其舒适性也受到用户的广泛批评。
• 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。
• The two appliances can help rural residents against the extreme cold, but indoor thermal comfort is still poor during winter.
  这两种设施虽帮助农户抵御了极度的寒冷，但冬季室内的热舒适性仍然很差。
• I cradled my video camera nervously on my lap, but its cold contours did nothing to comfort me.
  我紧张地把摄影机架在大腿上，但是它冰冷的外形并没能给我任何安慰。
• 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。