possibility

noun

OPAL WOPAL S

/ˌpɒsəˈbɪləti/

/ˌpɑːsəˈbɪləti/

(plural possibilities)

Idioms

[countable, uncountable] a thing that may happen or be true; the fact that something might happen or be true, but is not certain可能；可能性
- Bankruptcy is a real possibility if sales don't improve.如果销售情况得不到改善，真有破产的可能。
- What had seemed impossible now seemed a distinct possibility.过去看似不可能的事，现在显然有可能了。
- Reaching the final seems a remote possibility.进入决赛的可能性似乎很小。
- possibility that… There's a strong possibility that it will rain.很有可能会下雨。
- There is now no possibility that she will make a full recovery.她现在已不可能完全康复。
- We cannot exclude the possibility that another person may have been involved.我们不能排除另一个人可能参与其中的可能性。
- I have considered the possibility that she is dead.我考虑过她可能已经死了。
- possibility of something He refused to rule out the possibility of a tax increase.他拒绝排除增税的可能性。
- There is a real possibility of war.战争的可能性确实存在。
- The company has raised the possibility of legal action.公司提出了法律诉讼的可能性。
- possibility of doing something I am excited about the possibility of going to the Olympics.我对去参加奥运会的可能性感到兴奋。
- with the possibility of something This is a one-year appointment, with the possibility of renewal for an additional year.这是一个为期一年的任命，有可能再延长一年。
opposite impossibilityTopics Doubt, guessing and certaintya2
Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- exciting
- interesting
- intriguing
- …
verb + possibility
- allow somebody
- create
- offer somebody
- …
possibility + verb
- exist
- remain
preposition
- possibility for
- possibility of
phrases
- not beyond the bounds of possibility
- within the realm of possibility
- a number of possibilities
- …
[countable] one of the different things that you can do in a particular situation可选择的方法
- The possibilities are endless.可想的办法是无穷的。
- Selling the house is just one possibility that is open to us.卖掉房子只是我们可以选择的其中一种做法。
- We have to investigate every possibility.我们必须调查每一种可能性。
- Police are considering a wide range of possibilities.警方正在考虑各种可能性。
- to exhaust all the possibilities 用尽一切可能的手段
- possibility of doing something She explored the possibility of studying in the US.她探索了在美国学习的可能性。
Synonyms option
option
- choice
- alternative
- possibility
These are all words for something that you choose to do in a particular situation.
- option something that you can choose to have or do; the freedom to choose what you do:
  As I see it, we have two options…据我看，我们有两种选择…
  Students have the option of studying abroad in their second year.学生在二年级时可以选择出国学习。
  Option is also the word used in computing for one of the choices you can make when using a computer program: Choose the ‘Cut’ option from the Edit menu.
- choice the freedom to choose what you do; something that you can choose to have or do:
  If I had the choice, I would stop working tomorrow.如果让我选择，我明天就停止工作。
  There is a wide range of choices open to you.你有很多选择。
- alternative something that you can choose to have or do out of two or more possibilities:
  You can be paid in cash weekly or by cheque monthly: those are the two alternatives.你的工资可以按周以现金支取，或按月以支票支取。二者可选其一。
option, choice or alternative?用 option、choice 还是 alternative？Choice is slightly less formal than option and alternative is slightly more formal. Choice is most often used for ‘the freedom to choose’, although you can sometimes also use option (but not usually alternative): If I had the choice/option, I would… • If I had the alternative, I would… • parental choice in education • parental option/alternative in education. Things that you can choose are options, choices or alternatives. However, alternative is more frequently used to talk about choosing between two things rather than several.
- possibility one of the different things that you can do in a particular situation:
  We need to explore a wide range of possibilities.我们需要探究各种可能的情况。
  The possibilities are endless.可想的办法是无穷的。
  Possibility can be used in a similar way to option, choice and alternative, but the emphasis here is less on the need to make a choice, and more on what is available.
Patterns
- with/without the option/choice/possibility of something
- a(n) good/acceptable/reasonable/possible option/choice/alternative
- the only option/choice/alternative/possibility open to somebody
- to have a/an/the option/choice of doing something
- to have no option/choice/alternative but to do something
- a number/range of options/choices/alternatives/possibilities
Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- exciting
- interesting
- intriguing
- …
verb + possibility
- allow somebody
- create
- offer somebody
- …
possibility + verb
- exist
- remain
preposition
- possibility for
- possibility of
phrases
- not beyond the bounds of possibility
- within the realm of possibility
- a number of possibilities
- …
[countable, usually plural] something that gives you a chance to achieve something机会；契机 synonym opportunity
- possibilities for something There are countless possibilities for future research.未来研究的可能性数不胜数。
- possibilities for doing something The course offers a range of exciting possibilities for developing your skills.这门课程可提供一整套新鲜活泼的技能训练。
- In a bookshop, the possibilities for browsing are endless.在书店里，浏览的可能性是无穷无尽的。
- possibility for somebody Career possibilities for women are much greater than they were fifty years ago.女性的职业发展机会比五十年前多很多。
possibilities
[plural] if something has possibilities, it can be improved or made successful潜力；改进的余地 synonym potential
- The house is in a bad state of repair but it has possibilities.这房子虽亟待修缮，但仍有可资利用的价值。
- He was the first to see the possibilities of the plan.他是第一个看到该计划可能性的人。

词源late Middle English: from Old French possibilite, from late Latin possibilitas, from possibilis ‘able to be done’, from posse ‘be able’.

Idioms

within/beyond the bounds/realms of possibility

possible/not possible潜力；改进的余地
- A successful outcome is not beyond the realms of possibility.最后取得成功并非没有可能。
- It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that we'll all meet again one day.我们大家将来有一天再度聚在一起，并非绝不可能。

词汇	possibility
释义	possibility noun OPAL WOPAL S /ˌpɒsəˈbɪləti/ /ˌpɑːsəˈbɪləti/ (plural possibilities) Idioms [countable, uncountable] a thing that may happen or be true; the fact that something might happen or be true, but is not certain可能；可能性 Bankruptcy is a real possibility if sales don't improve.如果销售情况得不到改善，真有破产的可能。 What had seemed impossible now seemed a distinct possibility.过去看似不可能的事，现在显然有可能了。 Reaching the final seems a remote possibility.进入决赛的可能性似乎很小。 possibility that… There's a strong possibility that it will rain.很有可能会下雨。 There is now no possibility that she will make a full recovery.她现在已不可能完全康复。 We cannot exclude the possibility that another person may have been involved.我们不能排除另一个人可能参与其中的可能性。 I have considered the possibility that she is dead.我考虑过她可能已经死了。 possibility of something He refused to rule out the possibility of a tax increase.他拒绝排除增税的可能性。 There is a real possibility of war.战争的可能性确实存在。 The company has raised the possibility of legal action.公司提出了法律诉讼的可能性。 possibility of doing something I am excited about the possibility of going to the Olympics.我对去参加奥运会的可能性感到兴奋。 with the possibility of something This is a one-year appointment, with the possibility of renewal for an additional year.这是一个为期一年的任命，有可能再延长一年。 opposite impossibilityTopics Doubt, guessing and certaintya2 Collocations Dictionaryadjective exciting interesting intriguing … verb + possibility allow somebody create offer somebody … possibility + verb exist remain preposition possibility for possibility of phrases not beyond the bounds of possibility within the realm of possibility a number of possibilities … [countable] one of the different things that you can do in a particular situation可选择的方法 The possibilities are endless.可想的办法是无穷的。 Selling the house is just one possibility that is open to us.卖掉房子只是我们可以选择的其中一种做法。 We have to investigate every possibility.我们必须调查每一种可能性。 Police are considering a wide range of possibilities.警方正在考虑各种可能性。 to exhaust all the possibilities 用尽一切可能的手段 possibility of doing something She explored the possibility of studying in the US.她探索了在美国学习的可能性。 Synonyms optionoption choice alternative possibility These are all words for something that you choose to do in a particular situation. option something that you can choose to have or do; the freedom to choose what you do: As I see it, we have two options…据我看，我们有两种选择… Students have the option of studying abroad in their second year.学生在二年级时可以选择出国学习。 Option is also the word used in computing for one of the choices you can make when using a computer program: Choose the ‘Cut’ option from the Edit menu. choice the freedom to choose what you do; something that you can choose to have or do: If I had the choice, I would stop working tomorrow.如果让我选择，我明天就停止工作。 There is a wide range of choices open to you.你有很多选择。 alternative something that you can choose to have or do out of two or more possibilities: You can be paid in cash weekly or by cheque monthly: those are the two alternatives.你的工资可以按周以现金支取，或按月以支票支取。二者可选其一。 option, choice or alternative?用 option、choice 还是 alternative？Choice is slightly less formal than option and alternative is slightly more formal. Choice is most often used for ‘the freedom to choose’, although you can sometimes also use option (but not usually alternative): If I had the choice/option, I would… • If I had the alternative, I would… • parental choice in education • parental option/alternative in education. Things that you can choose are options, choices or alternatives. However, alternative is more frequently used to talk about choosing between two things rather than several. possibility one of the different things that you can do in a particular situation: We need to explore a wide range of possibilities.我们需要探究各种可能的情况。 The possibilities are endless.可想的办法是无穷的。 Possibility can be used in a similar way to option, choice and alternative, but the emphasis here is less on the need to make a choice, and more on what is available. Patterns with/without the option/choice/possibility of something a(n) good/acceptable/reasonable/possible option/choice/alternative the only option/choice/alternative/possibility open to somebody to have a/an/the option/choice of doing something to have no option/choice/alternative but to do something a number/range of options/choices/alternatives/possibilities Collocations Dictionaryadjective exciting interesting intriguing … verb + possibility allow somebody create offer somebody … possibility + verb exist remain preposition possibility for possibility of phrases not beyond the bounds of possibility within the realm of possibility a number of possibilities … [countable, usually plural] something that gives you a chance to achieve something机会；契机 synonym opportunity possibilities for something There are countless possibilities for future research.未来研究的可能性数不胜数。 possibilities for doing something The course offers a range of exciting possibilities for developing your skills.这门课程可提供一整套新鲜活泼的技能训练。 In a bookshop, the possibilities for browsing are endless.在书店里，浏览的可能性是无穷无尽的。 possibility for somebody Career possibilities for women are much greater than they were fifty years ago.女性的职业发展机会比五十年前多很多。 possibilities [plural] if something has possibilities, it can be improved or made successful潜力；改进的余地 synonym potential The house is in a bad state of repair but it has possibilities.这房子虽亟待修缮，但仍有可资利用的价值。 He was the first to see the possibilities of the plan.他是第一个看到该计划可能性的人。词源late Middle English: from Old French possibilite, from late Latin possibilitas, from possibilis ‘able to be done’, from posse ‘be able’. Idioms within/beyond the bounds/realms of possibility possible/not possible潜力；改进的余地 A successful outcome is not beyond the realms of possibility.最后取得成功并非没有可能。 It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that we'll all meet again one day.我们大家将来有一天再度聚在一起，并非绝不可能。
随便看	Test match test-match testmatch test matches Test Match Special test-match-special testosterone testosterones testosteronic test pilot test-pilot testpilot test pilots test run test-run testrun test runs tests test the waters test tube test-tube testtube test-tube babies test-tube baby test-tube-baby