(1) have a word with sb. 同某人说句话或谈谈
have words with sb. 同某人争吵
May I have a word with you? 我可以同你谈谈吗？
I had words with my girlfriend last night. 昨晚我同女朋友少嘴了。
(2) in a (或one) word 一句话，总而言之
in other words 换句话说，也就是说
In a word, we must do our best to do it. 一句话，我们必须尽力去做。
You say you took the book without his permission. In other words, you stole it.
你说你未经他允话拿了那本书，也就是说，你偷了那本书。
2. 在下列习语中，word 表示“诺言”、“消息”等意义，一般只用单数：keep one’s word(守诺), break one’s word(失诺), give one’s word (许诺), leave word(留言), send word(捎信)等。如：
They failed to keep their word. 他们没能守诺。
He sent word that he would he late. 他通知说他将迟来。
Please leave word (for me) with my child if I’m not at home. 如果我不在家，请留个信叫我孩子转达。
注：word 表示“消息”，还通常用于“word came of ＋名词”或“word came that＋从句”等结构，意为“有消息说”、“据说”。注意这里的 word 只用单数，前面一般不用定冠词(但偶尔也有人用)。如：
Word came of his success abroad. 有消息说他在国外发迹了。
Word (或The word) came that he could not come. 消息传来说他不能来了。
3. eat one’s words 常被直择为“食言”，其实它的准确含义是“收回前言”、“承认错误”(= take back one’s words)。
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