| 释义 |
Definition of fortune in English: fortunenoun ˈfɔːtʃuːnˈfɔːtʃ(ə)nˈfɔrtʃən 1mass noun Chance or luck as an arbitrary force affecting human affairs. 命运，运气 some malicious act of fortune keeps them separate 某种厄运使他们分离。 Example sentencesExamples - The veterinarian says fortune has smiled on his life.
- There are few things I dislike more than feeling that my fate and fortune is in the hands of professional back-protectors.
- However, fortune smiled upon them, as they had arrived in Nathaal a few hours earlier than expected.
- The idea of restoring the aircraft in the desert became more remote but good fortune smiled upon the museum.
- Even his eventual transfer was an accident of fortune.
- Peter's exercised the discipline and fitness that we have come to expect from them, but were also forced to rely on fortune.
- I should have known that such good luck was not my fortune though.
- Some are not so lucky, but I believe that fortune has smiled on him.
- But the pair suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune with smiles and embraced each other warmly at the end of an epic contest.
- And just as the serpent had promised, good fortune smiled upon the woodcutter and his wife.
- Aries, the cosmic lamb/ram, thus was seen to control time and space and human fortune.
- We are trying that all the time and on Sunday fortune smiled little bit on us.
- As a result she had been kicked around by fortune as it pleased, painfully aware of its brute force.
- At its core, Le Cercle Rouge is all about fortune, about how it cannot be forced nor can it be avoided.
- Good fortune smiled however, when they added organic dairy products to their mix.
- He weighed up the opportunities which fortune provided.
- Notwithstanding those difficulties the biggest problem facing any publisher is chance and fickle fortune.
- I knew I wouldn't get a chance to slip in before class but fortune smiled on me in the form of an open window.
Synonyms chance, accident, coincidence, serendipity, twist of fate, destiny, fortuity, providence, freak, hazard fate, Lady Luck, Dame Fortune North American happenstance - 1.1 Luck, especially good luck.
运气；好运 only good fortune has prevented British casualties Example sentencesExamples - Desperate times call for desperate measures and he, too, has found a way to overcome his recent ill fortune.
- Astronomers tend to resist explanations that depend on human good fortune.
- They usually employed various psychological techniques to cope with and often even thrive upon any ill fortune that came their way.
- Maguire missed four of the last Cheltenham Festivals due to ill fortune.
- The rest of the party was stunned at their good fortune, slowly moving back into a group - all save one.
- That piece of good fortune heralded something of a turnaround, as the Scots put together their best period to date.
- His eyes lingered on some points more than the rest and he smiled at his fortune.
- Sponsorship in a recession is not easy to come by, but he appears to be managing and this piece of good fortune will undoubtedly help.
- Every misfortune, like any piece of good fortune, involves two questions: The first is how it happened, and the second is why.
- Some Vietnamese believe that spirits have the ability to bring good fortune and misfortune to human life.
- This is supposed to prevent good fortune from being swept out of the family.
- This is an astounding piece of good fortune for our sport, as we know that all publicity is good publicity.
- They have not reached this predicament simply through ill fortune.
- The men in the famous zebra stripes could scarcely believe their ill fortune when they were denied two penalties in the first ten minutes.
- It is clear that only good fortune prevented loss of life on the night of the fire.
- I have had the good fortune to see the piece several times a day for several weeks, as it was placed outside my office before the sale.
- Perhaps the biggest factors in maintaining the team's good fortune are work ethic and determination.
- All failure, however undeserved, however excused or dogged by ill fortune, is treated the same.
- Sure enough, both fortune and luck being with me, I won the piece for the starting price.
- All these problems were set against a backdrop of war and accentuated by ill fortune.
Synonyms luck, fate, destiny, predestination, the stars, fortuity, serendipity, karma, kismet, lot, what is written in the stars - 1.2fortunes The success or failure of a person or enterprise over a period of time.
时运 he is credited with turning round the company's fortunes 人们将公司时运的扭转归功于他。 Example sentencesExamples - The party's electoral fortunes also revived in the state elections and by-elections.
- She helped to change the image and fortunes of the estate by improving facilities, particularly for the young.
- She wants to turn the team's fortunes around quickly, whatever it takes.
- Residents have also been urged to gather information on troublemakers in a bid to turn the estate's fortunes around.
- Despite the turn in his public fortunes, privately it's been a difficult year.
- He hoped that a successful outcome in the Special Election would reverse his sagging political fortunes.
- The club's fortunes have risen and declined again.
- Both men have seen their fortunes rise and fall with the opinion poll results.
- Workers at a famous Bolton factory have helped turn around their company's fortunes.
- His reaction amounts to an acknowledgement that the fortunes of the national side inform everything.
- But it was a trip to Ireland that really transformed the company's fortunes.
Synonyms circumstances, state of affairs, condition, financial/material position, financial/material situation, financial/material status resources, means, finances, income plight, predicament station in life, lot, lifestyle future, prospects
2A large amount of money or assets. 大笔的钱；大量财产 he inherited a substantial fortune 他最终继承了一大笔财产。 Example sentencesExamples - Bill Cosby may have gained his fame and fortune telling jokes and funny stories.
- This metal, dug from the earth of California, provided my fortune.
- In fact, only a handful of the wealthy allow their entire fortunes to be taxed.
- Before the war he had been left a substantial fortune by his father.
- Great scientific achievements are in prospect, and vast fortunes are to be made.
- Not only does he smoke heavily, but he has made a substantial fortune out of selling and marketing tobacco, to the detriment of the health of many people.
- Despite humble origins, her father amassed a small fortune buying, cultivating and reselling land.
- The president himself made a small fortune selling his failed oil company to business friends of his father.
- The five won their chance of fame and fortune after a series of open auditions as viewers watched their highs and lows.
- Quite how much of a personal fortune he had inherited is uncertain.
- But it still amounts to a substantial fortune for him not to have a share of.
- The wealth brought by his marriage and his canny eye for business between them enabled him to amass a substantial fortune.
- The young would be lured in with promises of amassing great fortunes in private accounts.
- It would also give him a chance to spend that fortune.
- A pensioner who wins the lottery or inherits an unexpected fortune could continue to claim the government's new flagship benefit.
- A young man who inherited a large fortune spent all of his time jetting around the world playing new and exotic golf courses.
- On paper, this bodes well for trust fund children set to inherit the family fortunes.
- He eventually grows a conscience, to the point of sacrificing his fortune for every last human life he can save.
- It was in the interests of those who have made vast and largely illicit fortunes at the expense of society that this war was fought.
- Since 1987 Forbes has scoured the globe tracking the fortunes of the world's wealthiest people and uncovering new faces.
Synonyms wealth, riches, substance, property, assets, resources, means, deep pockets, possessions, treasure, estate affluence, prosperity - 2.1a fortuneinformal A surprisingly high price or amount of money.
〈非正式〉惊人高价；出格巨款 I spent a fortune on drink 我在酒和毒品上花了大笔钱。 Example sentencesExamples - The second Megan stepped inside, she knew that it must have cost Chris a fortune to get the reservations.
- Even though these items cost a fortune, they're bought because their owners don't want to be looked down on.
- For example, it cost a small fortune just for the extension cords.
- I wouldn't have accepted if mum hadn't forked out a fortune to buy me this dress.
- Like I didn't spend a fortune having the Times sent to me every day.
- We then spent a fortune buying all sorts of goodies from some of the shops in Glastonbury High Street.
- Well the rumourmongers claim a jealous belief that the playhouse costs a fortune to run and cannot be making any money.
- Items such as modern hi-tech lamps can cost a fortune to buy but you haven't begun to count the real cost until you work out what you pay to travel with them.
- It does not cost a fortune to make and is even better value for money if you buy a large sack of potatoes.
- The huge raids cost a fortune, embarrassed the police and the tide of street dealers flowed back in.
- All I know is that it costs us a fortune in cat food.
- This call is costing me a fortune, so don't waste my time and money denying this.
- It may cost a fortune but it was definitely worth it.
- But, thankfully, we've now got room to lock away the teak garden furniture that we spent a fortune buying at the start of the summer.
- The whole system looked like a proper dog's dinner and it cost a fortune to set up.
- Officials also knew that upgrading the building to meet seismic standards would cost a fortune.
- Like all Kias, the Sorento will not cost you a fortune to buy or to run.
- While you can spend a fortune on buying and decorating your ideal dolls' home, you don't have to.
- It will not cost a fortune to buy, insurance is not needed, maintenance is minimal and a driving licence is not essential.
- Let that be a lesson to you all thinking of engaging in cultural exchanges: send something that doesn't cost a fortune to post.
Synonyms a huge amount, a small fortune, a king's ransom, a vast sum, a large sum of money, a lot, millions, billions
Phrasesfortune favours the brave proverb A successful person is often one who is willing to take risks. 〈谚〉勇者事竟成 Example sentencesExamples - But if fortune favours the brave, the racecourse and its manager deserve good luck, better weather and a successful festival.
- One of the smartest pieces of advice offered by the author of The Prince was that fortune favours the brave.
- But fortune favours the brave and Wanderers have been rewarded for their bold buying policy.
- It is said that fortune favours the brave and that was certainly the case as the swimmers took to the icy waters despite the unfavourable elements, giving a teeth-chattering rendition of Jingle Bells as they did so.
- They would not compromise their belief that fortune favours the brave.
The unpredictable events of war. 战事多险变 from then on, the fortunes of war favoured the Scots Example sentencesExamples - It is the fortunes of war and I could just have easily have come out the other way.
- The missions will grow and change to reflect the fortunes of war, and your faction's standing in the war.
- This was an anomalous position in American law, and one that the fortunes of war and necessities of politics made frustrating.
- Everything depended on risking the fortunes of war.
- Don't journalists accept this as the fortunes of war?
make a (or one's) fortune Acquire great wealth by one's own efforts. 发财，发迹 he had come from Wales to make his fortune as a pop singer Example sentencesExamples - London is a honeypot for young Scots with dreams of making their fortune, but many end up living on the streets, too ashamed or demoralised to return, according to researchers.
- It proved to be tin but their dreams of making their fortune on mining tin proved illusory.
- Today's episode has a brisk rehearsal of his business career: failing quite lucratively as an oilman, and then making his fortune out of public funds as part-owner of a football team.
- He inherited his wealth from his father, who made his fortune in manufacturing and selling cigars.
- Corzine made his fortune by acquiring and maintaining the vast majority of his net worth in Goldman Sachs.
- In one of the most extraordinary ironies of history, Gutenburg's efforts to make his fortune by popularising the Bible were to play a decisive role in the undermining of the influence of the organised church.
- There were few who entered the dancehall business in the early 1900s with the intention of making their fortune from it.
- She answers an enigmatic classified ad and travels to New York City not to make her fortune, for fortunes are rare in the sixth year of the Great Depression, but to survive.
- It's almost certain that the real estate ‘expert’ encouraging you to make your fortune in real estate is making his fortune from you.
- Originally, the employees tended to be young, single men bent on making their fortune quickly and then leaving.
Synonyms make a large profit, make a fortune, make one's fortune, gain, profit, make money, be successful, be lucky
informal A large amount of money. 大笔的钱；大量财产 that dusty old painting on the wall could be worth a small fortune Example sentencesExamples - The evening must have cost a small fortune, judging by the amounts of food and entertainment and the notable size of the government entourage.
- And if that volume is still around it will be worth a small fortune.
- Father had been fond of giving gifts, and Margaret knew it to be worth a small fortune, should she need it.
- Only she turned out to be working for this money lender, who reckons I owe him a small fortune in interest now.
- Should it happen that said uncle's middle initial was B, the information could be worth a small fortune.
- The sum is worth a small fortune in India, where it could feed and clothe a family for life.
- The chances are that it was in a gallery, produced by an art school graduate, and that it was worth a small fortune in the lucrative art market.
- When you mix men with guns and minerals worth a small fortune, inevitably smuggling, violence and general disorder result.
- The fishing rights must now be worth a small fortune.
- Over the months the pile of money in my account builds up and soon I have a small fortune.
Synonyms a huge amount, a small fortune, a king's ransom, a vast sum, a large sum of money, a lot, millions, billions
Make predictions about a person's future by palmistry, using a crystal ball, or similar methods. 算命 during uncertain times people flocked to have their fortunes told Example sentencesExamples - She took her daughter out to see them and they admired the little girl as they told her fortune.
- My friend Jennifer decided one day that she would tell my fortune using an ordinary pack of playing cards.
- The last time someone told my fortune they didn't say a word about living in another country so I discounted most of the things that they said.
- I know fortune cookies rarely tell your fortune, but when did they start telling you off?
- Then an older man, wearing a lab coat but still strongly reminiscent of both the tarot reader and the zodiac expert, ran his fingertips over the slides, as though they were Braille, and told her fortune.
- I was in the middle of telling someone's fortune when I heard a commotion.
- In Asia, there are people who can tell your fortune by just looking at your palm or face.
- After a session with the local witchdoctor who told our fortune, we sampled the wonderful hot springs nearby.
- You may want to save these though, since many believe that you can use them to tell your fortune.
- And after that was attended to, she drew up a chair to the rickety table, and told her fortune with an old deck of cards.
OriginMiddle English: via Old French from Latin Fortuna, the name of a goddess personifying luck or chance. The Roman goddess Fortuna, who personified luck or chance, gave us the English word fortune and fortuitous (mid 17th century). The saying fortune favours the brave, is found in English from the late 14th century, but the same idea can be traced back to classical times. The Roman poet Virgil included the line ‘audentes fortuna iuvat’ or ‘fortune favours the brave’ in his epic poem the Aeneid. See also hostage
Definition of fortune in US English: fortunenounˈfɔrtʃənˈfôrCHən 1Chance or luck as an external, arbitrary force affecting human affairs. 命运，运气 some malicious act of fortune keeps them separate 某种厄运使他们分离。 Example sentencesExamples - I should have known that such good luck was not my fortune though.
- Some are not so lucky, but I believe that fortune has smiled on him.
- There are few things I dislike more than feeling that my fate and fortune is in the hands of professional back-protectors.
- Notwithstanding those difficulties the biggest problem facing any publisher is chance and fickle fortune.
- At its core, Le Cercle Rouge is all about fortune, about how it cannot be forced nor can it be avoided.
- But the pair suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune with smiles and embraced each other warmly at the end of an epic contest.
- We are trying that all the time and on Sunday fortune smiled little bit on us.
- Good fortune smiled however, when they added organic dairy products to their mix.
- Even his eventual transfer was an accident of fortune.
- I knew I wouldn't get a chance to slip in before class but fortune smiled on me in the form of an open window.
- However, fortune smiled upon them, as they had arrived in Nathaal a few hours earlier than expected.
- The idea of restoring the aircraft in the desert became more remote but good fortune smiled upon the museum.
- Peter's exercised the discipline and fitness that we have come to expect from them, but were also forced to rely on fortune.
- As a result she had been kicked around by fortune as it pleased, painfully aware of its brute force.
- And just as the serpent had promised, good fortune smiled upon the woodcutter and his wife.
- Aries, the cosmic lamb/ram, thus was seen to control time and space and human fortune.
- He weighed up the opportunities which fortune provided.
- The veterinarian says fortune has smiled on his life.
Synonyms chance, accident, coincidence, serendipity, twist of fate, destiny, fortuity, providence, freak, hazard - 1.1 Luck, especially good luck.
运气；好运 this astounding piece of good fortune that has befallen me 降临在我身上的这种惊人好运。 Example sentencesExamples - Sponsorship in a recession is not easy to come by, but he appears to be managing and this piece of good fortune will undoubtedly help.
- This is supposed to prevent good fortune from being swept out of the family.
- The rest of the party was stunned at their good fortune, slowly moving back into a group - all save one.
- The men in the famous zebra stripes could scarcely believe their ill fortune when they were denied two penalties in the first ten minutes.
- Every misfortune, like any piece of good fortune, involves two questions: The first is how it happened, and the second is why.
- Perhaps the biggest factors in maintaining the team's good fortune are work ethic and determination.
- Some Vietnamese believe that spirits have the ability to bring good fortune and misfortune to human life.
- That piece of good fortune heralded something of a turnaround, as the Scots put together their best period to date.
- They have not reached this predicament simply through ill fortune.
- I have had the good fortune to see the piece several times a day for several weeks, as it was placed outside my office before the sale.
- Sure enough, both fortune and luck being with me, I won the piece for the starting price.
- Maguire missed four of the last Cheltenham Festivals due to ill fortune.
- It is clear that only good fortune prevented loss of life on the night of the fire.
- All these problems were set against a backdrop of war and accentuated by ill fortune.
- They usually employed various psychological techniques to cope with and often even thrive upon any ill fortune that came their way.
- Astronomers tend to resist explanations that depend on human good fortune.
- Desperate times call for desperate measures and he, too, has found a way to overcome his recent ill fortune.
- This is an astounding piece of good fortune for our sport, as we know that all publicity is good publicity.
- His eyes lingered on some points more than the rest and he smiled at his fortune.
- All failure, however undeserved, however excused or dogged by ill fortune, is treated the same.
Synonyms luck, fate, destiny, predestination, the stars, fortuity, serendipity, karma, kismet, lot, what is written in the stars - 1.2fortunes The success or failure of a person or enterprise over a period of time or in the course of a particular activity.
时运 he is credited with turning around the company's fortunes 人们将公司时运的扭转归功于他。 Example sentencesExamples - She helped to change the image and fortunes of the estate by improving facilities, particularly for the young.
- Despite the turn in his public fortunes, privately it's been a difficult year.
- His reaction amounts to an acknowledgement that the fortunes of the national side inform everything.
- She wants to turn the team's fortunes around quickly, whatever it takes.
- Residents have also been urged to gather information on troublemakers in a bid to turn the estate's fortunes around.
- But it was a trip to Ireland that really transformed the company's fortunes.
- He hoped that a successful outcome in the Special Election would reverse his sagging political fortunes.
- Both men have seen their fortunes rise and fall with the opinion poll results.
- The club's fortunes have risen and declined again.
- Workers at a famous Bolton factory have helped turn around their company's fortunes.
- The party's electoral fortunes also revived in the state elections and by-elections.
Synonyms circumstances, state of affairs, condition, financial position, material position, financial situation, material situation, financial status, material status
2A large amount of money or assets. 大笔的钱；大量财产 he eventually inherited a substantial fortune 他最终继承了一大笔财产。 Example sentencesExamples - Despite humble origins, her father amassed a small fortune buying, cultivating and reselling land.
- Quite how much of a personal fortune he had inherited is uncertain.
- Before the war he had been left a substantial fortune by his father.
- It was in the interests of those who have made vast and largely illicit fortunes at the expense of society that this war was fought.
- The young would be lured in with promises of amassing great fortunes in private accounts.
- Great scientific achievements are in prospect, and vast fortunes are to be made.
- Since 1987 Forbes has scoured the globe tracking the fortunes of the world's wealthiest people and uncovering new faces.
- Not only does he smoke heavily, but he has made a substantial fortune out of selling and marketing tobacco, to the detriment of the health of many people.
- A pensioner who wins the lottery or inherits an unexpected fortune could continue to claim the government's new flagship benefit.
- On paper, this bodes well for trust fund children set to inherit the family fortunes.
- A young man who inherited a large fortune spent all of his time jetting around the world playing new and exotic golf courses.
- The president himself made a small fortune selling his failed oil company to business friends of his father.
- But it still amounts to a substantial fortune for him not to have a share of.
- In fact, only a handful of the wealthy allow their entire fortunes to be taxed.
- The five won their chance of fame and fortune after a series of open auditions as viewers watched their highs and lows.
- Bill Cosby may have gained his fame and fortune telling jokes and funny stories.
- The wealth brought by his marriage and his canny eye for business between them enabled him to amass a substantial fortune.
- He eventually grows a conscience, to the point of sacrificing his fortune for every last human life he can save.
- It would also give him a chance to spend that fortune.
- This metal, dug from the earth of California, provided my fortune.
Synonyms wealth, riches, substance, property, assets, resources, means, deep pockets, possessions, treasure, estate - 2.1a fortuneinformal A surprisingly high price or amount of money.
〈非正式〉惊人高价；出格巨款 I spent a fortune on drink and drugs 我在酒和毒品上花了大笔钱。 Example sentencesExamples - It may cost a fortune but it was definitely worth it.
- Well the rumourmongers claim a jealous belief that the playhouse costs a fortune to run and cannot be making any money.
- All I know is that it costs us a fortune in cat food.
- The second Megan stepped inside, she knew that it must have cost Chris a fortune to get the reservations.
- This call is costing me a fortune, so don't waste my time and money denying this.
- For example, it cost a small fortune just for the extension cords.
- Items such as modern hi-tech lamps can cost a fortune to buy but you haven't begun to count the real cost until you work out what you pay to travel with them.
- The huge raids cost a fortune, embarrassed the police and the tide of street dealers flowed back in.
- The whole system looked like a proper dog's dinner and it cost a fortune to set up.
- Like I didn't spend a fortune having the Times sent to me every day.
- It will not cost a fortune to buy, insurance is not needed, maintenance is minimal and a driving licence is not essential.
- It does not cost a fortune to make and is even better value for money if you buy a large sack of potatoes.
- We then spent a fortune buying all sorts of goodies from some of the shops in Glastonbury High Street.
- Like all Kias, the Sorento will not cost you a fortune to buy or to run.
- Officials also knew that upgrading the building to meet seismic standards would cost a fortune.
- While you can spend a fortune on buying and decorating your ideal dolls' home, you don't have to.
- But, thankfully, we've now got room to lock away the teak garden furniture that we spent a fortune buying at the start of the summer.
- I wouldn't have accepted if mum hadn't forked out a fortune to buy me this dress.
- Let that be a lesson to you all thinking of engaging in cultural exchanges: send something that doesn't cost a fortune to post.
- Even though these items cost a fortune, they're bought because their owners don't want to be looked down on.
Synonyms a huge amount, a small fortune, a king's ransom, a vast sum, a large sum of money, a lot, millions, billions
Phrasesproverb A successful person is often one who is willing to take risks. 〈谚〉勇者事竟成 Example sentencesExamples - But fortune favours the brave and Wanderers have been rewarded for their bold buying policy.
- It is said that fortune favours the brave and that was certainly the case as the swimmers took to the icy waters despite the unfavourable elements, giving a teeth-chattering rendition of Jingle Bells as they did so.
- But if fortune favours the brave, the racecourse and its manager deserve good luck, better weather and a successful festival.
- One of the smartest pieces of advice offered by the author of The Prince was that fortune favours the brave.
- They would not compromise their belief that fortune favours the brave.
The unpredictable, haphazard events of war. 战事多险变 Example sentencesExamples - It is the fortunes of war and I could just have easily have come out the other way.
- The missions will grow and change to reflect the fortunes of war, and your faction's standing in the war.
- Don't journalists accept this as the fortunes of war?
- This was an anomalous position in American law, and one that the fortunes of war and necessities of politics made frustrating.
- Everything depended on risking the fortunes of war.
make a (or one's) fortune Acquire great wealth by one's own efforts. 发财，发迹 Example sentencesExamples - Originally, the employees tended to be young, single men bent on making their fortune quickly and then leaving.
- In one of the most extraordinary ironies of history, Gutenburg's efforts to make his fortune by popularising the Bible were to play a decisive role in the undermining of the influence of the organised church.
- London is a honeypot for young Scots with dreams of making their fortune, but many end up living on the streets, too ashamed or demoralised to return, according to researchers.
- He inherited his wealth from his father, who made his fortune in manufacturing and selling cigars.
- It's almost certain that the real estate ‘expert’ encouraging you to make your fortune in real estate is making his fortune from you.
- She answers an enigmatic classified ad and travels to New York City not to make her fortune, for fortunes are rare in the sixth year of the Great Depression, but to survive.
- Corzine made his fortune by acquiring and maintaining the vast majority of his net worth in Goldman Sachs.
- Today's episode has a brisk rehearsal of his business career: failing quite lucratively as an oilman, and then making his fortune out of public funds as part-owner of a football team.
- There were few who entered the dancehall business in the early 1900s with the intention of making their fortune from it.
- It proved to be tin but their dreams of making their fortune on mining tin proved illusory.
Synonyms make a large profit, make a fortune, make one's fortune, gain, profit, make money, be successful, be lucky
informal A large amount of money. 大笔的钱；大量财产 Example sentencesExamples - The chances are that it was in a gallery, produced by an art school graduate, and that it was worth a small fortune in the lucrative art market.
- When you mix men with guns and minerals worth a small fortune, inevitably smuggling, violence and general disorder result.
- Over the months the pile of money in my account builds up and soon I have a small fortune.
- And if that volume is still around it will be worth a small fortune.
- Should it happen that said uncle's middle initial was B, the information could be worth a small fortune.
- Father had been fond of giving gifts, and Margaret knew it to be worth a small fortune, should she need it.
- The sum is worth a small fortune in India, where it could feed and clothe a family for life.
- The fishing rights must now be worth a small fortune.
- Only she turned out to be working for this money lender, who reckons I owe him a small fortune in interest now.
- The evening must have cost a small fortune, judging by the amounts of food and entertainment and the notable size of the government entourage.
Synonyms a huge amount, a small fortune, a king's ransom, a vast sum, a large sum of money, a lot, millions, billions
Make predictions about a person's future by palmistry, using a crystal ball, reading tarot cards, or similar divining methods. 算命 Example sentencesExamples - After a session with the local witchdoctor who told our fortune, we sampled the wonderful hot springs nearby.
- Then an older man, wearing a lab coat but still strongly reminiscent of both the tarot reader and the zodiac expert, ran his fingertips over the slides, as though they were Braille, and told her fortune.
- My friend Jennifer decided one day that she would tell my fortune using an ordinary pack of playing cards.
- And after that was attended to, she drew up a chair to the rickety table, and told her fortune with an old deck of cards.
- I was in the middle of telling someone's fortune when I heard a commotion.
- You may want to save these though, since many believe that you can use them to tell your fortune.
- She took her daughter out to see them and they admired the little girl as they told her fortune.
- In Asia, there are people who can tell your fortune by just looking at your palm or face.
- I know fortune cookies rarely tell your fortune, but when did they start telling you off?
- The last time someone told my fortune they didn't say a word about living in another country so I discounted most of the things that they said.
OriginMiddle English: via Old French from Latin Fortuna, the name of a goddess personifying luck or chance. |