pos·si·bil·i·ty

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.如果销售情况不改善，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.我们不能排除其他人参与其中的可能性。
- I have considered the possibility that she is dead.我考虑过她死了的可能性。
- possibility of something He refused to rule out the possibility of a tax increase.他拒绝排除加税的可能性。
- There is a real possibility of war.确实存在发生战争的可能性。
- The company has raised the possibility of legal action.该公司已提出采取法律行动的可能性。
- possibility of doing something I am excited about the possibility of going to the Olympics.我有可能会参加奥运会，我为此感到兴奋。
- 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，可以再续约一年。
opposite impossibilityTopics Doubt, guessing and certaintya2
Oxford 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.警方正在考虑多种可能性。
- 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.她研究了去美国留学的可能性。
Synonyms option
optionchoice ▪ alternative ▪ possibilityThese 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?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
Oxford 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.未来有无数的研究机会。
- possibilities for doing something The course offers a range of exciting possibilities for developing your skills.这门课程提供各种令人兴奋的训练技能的机会。
- In a bookshop, the possibilities for browsing are endless.在书店里，浏览的可能性是无限的。
- 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.他是第一个看到这个计划的可能性的人。

Word Originlate 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可能；不可能
- A successful outcome is not beyond the realms of possibility.最后并非没有可能成功。
- 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。

单词	possibility
释义	pos·si·bil·i·ty 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.如果销售情况不改善，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.我们不能排除其他人参与其中的可能性。 I have considered the possibility that she is dead.我考虑过她死了的可能性。 possibility of something He refused to rule out the possibility of a tax increase.他拒绝排除加税的可能性。 There is a real possibility of war.确实存在发生战争的可能性。 The company has raised the possibility of legal action.该公司已提出采取法律行动的可能性。 possibility of doing something I am excited about the possibility of going to the Olympics.我有可能会参加奥运会，我为此感到兴奋。 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，可以再续约一年。 opposite impossibilityTopics Doubt, guessing and certaintya2 Oxford 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.警方正在考虑多种可能性。 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.她研究了去美国留学的可能性。 Synonyms optionoptionchoice ▪ alternative ▪ possibilityThese 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?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 Oxford 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.未来有无数的研究机会。 possibilities for doing something The course offers a range of exciting possibilities for developing your skills.这门课程提供各种令人兴奋的训练技能的机会。 In a bookshop, the possibilities for browsing are endless.在书店里，浏览的可能性是无限的。 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.他是第一个看到这个计划的可能性的人。 Word Originlate 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可能；不可能 A successful outcome is not beyond the realms of possibility.最后并非没有可能成功。 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	beer-gut beergut beerier beeriest beerily beeriness beerinesses beer mat beer-mat beermat beer mats beer money beer-money beermoney beer-nutstm Beer Nuts™ beers beer tent beer-tent beery beer–bellied bees bees' bees-knees beest