poverty
noun
ˈpɒvəti
noun
1
the
situation
or
experience
of
being
poor
贫穷，贫困;
U
2
the poverty line the poverty level
also
又作
the
income
below
which
a
person
or
a
family
is
officially
considered
to
be
very
poor
and
in
need
of
help
贫困线，贫穷线
AmE
20%
of
the
population
now
live
below
the
poverty
line
.
现在有 20% 的人口生活在贫困线以下。
3
the poverty trap
a
situation
in
which
a
poor
person
without
a
job
cannot
afford
to
take
a
low
paying
job
because
they
would
lose
the
money
they
receive
from
the
government
贫困陷阱〔贫困者干低收入工作会得不偿失的困境，因为会失去政府补贴〕
4
a
lack
of
a
particular
quality
[正式] 缺少，贫乏
singular 单数, U | formal
[+
of
]
The
novel
shows
a
surprising
poverty
of
imagination.
这部小说惊人地缺乏想象力。