prime

adj.

1. 主要的；首要的；基本的
   main; most important; basic
   1. My prime concern is to protect my property.
      我最关心的是保护自己的财产。
   2. Winning is not the prime objective in this sport.
      获胜不是这项体育运动的主要目的。
   3. The care of the environment is of prime importance.
      保护环境是最重要的。
   4. He's the police's prime suspect in this case.
      他是该案中警方的主要怀疑对象。
2. 优质的；上乘的；优异的
   of the best quality; excellent
   1. prime (cuts of) beef
      上等的牛肉（块）
   2. The store has a prime position in the mall.
      这家商店位于商业中心一个非常理想的位置。
3. 典型的；有代表性的
   a prime example of sth is one that is typical of it
   1. The building is a prime example of 1960s architecture.
      这座大楼是20世纪60年代的典型建筑。
4. 最可能的；首选的；最适宜的
   most likely to be chosen for sth; most suitable
   1. The house is isolated and a prime target for burglars.
      这座孤零零的房子是盗贼的首选目标。
   2. He's a prime candidate for promotion.
      他是最有望获得晋升的人选。

noun

1. 盛年；年富力强的时期；鼎盛时期
   the time in your life when you are strongest or most successful
   1. a young woman in her prime
      正当妙龄的女郎
   2. He was barely 30 and in the prime of (his) life .
      他还不满30岁，正是英姿勃发的年华。
   3. These flowers are long past their prime .
      这些花的鼎盛花期早过了。

verb

1. 事先指点；使（某人）做好准备
   to prepare sb for a situation so that they know what to do, especially by giving them special information
   1. They had been primed with good advice.
      他们事先得到了高人指点。
   2. She was ready and primed for action.
      她已胸有成竹、跃跃欲试了。
   3. He had primed his friends to give the journalists as little information as possible.
      他已经知会他的朋友，尽量少向记者透露消息。
2. 把（事物）准备好
   to make sth ready for use or action
   1. The bomb was primed, ready to explode.
      炸弹已准备好，可随时引爆。
3. 在（金属、木材等上）打底漆
   to prepare wood, metal, etc. for painting by covering it with a special paint that helps the next layer of paint to stay on

1. ADJ 主要的；首要的；最为重要的
   You use prime to describe something that is most important in a situation.
   1. Political stability, meanwhile, will be a prime concern...
      同时，政治稳定性将放在首位。
   2. It could be a prime target for guerrilla attack...
      这可能是游击队进攻的主要目标。
   3. The police will see me as the prime suspect!
      警方会把我当作头号嫌疑人！
   4. Prime candidate to take over his job is Margaret Ramsay.
      接替他工作的首要人选是玛格丽特·拉姆齐。
2. ADJ 优质的；一流的；上等的；最好的
   You use prime to describe something that is of the best possible quality.
   1. It was one of the City's prime sites, near the Stock Exchange.
      这是伦敦最好的地段之一，离证券交易所很近。
3. ADJ 最典型的；最有代表性的
   You use prime to describe an example of a particular kind of thing that is absolutely typical.
   1. The prime example is Macy's, once the undisputed king of California retailers.
      最典型的例子是梅西百货，它曾经是加利福尼亚无可争辩的零售巨头。
4. N-UNCOUNT 全盛时期；最活跃时期；最成功时期
   If someone or something is in their prime, they are at the stage in their existence when they are at their strongest, most active, or most successful.
   1. Maybe I'm just coming into my prime now...
      也许我现在正要步入事业辉煌期。
   2. She was in her intellectual prime...
      在智力上，她正处于壮年。
   3. We've had a series of athletes trying to come back well past their prime.
      我们有些早已过了黄金期的运动员仍然想东山再起。
   4. ...young persons in the prime of life.
      风华正茂的年轻人
5. VERB 事先指点；使做好准备
   If you prime someone to do something, you prepare them to do it, for example by giving them information about it beforehand.
   1. Claire wished she'd primed Sarah beforehand...
      克莱尔真希望她事先指点过萨拉。
   2. Arnold primed her for her duties...
      阿诺德事先让她熟悉了自己的任务。
   3. The press corps was primed to leap to the defense of the fired officials.
      记者团获知信息后，立即声援被解雇官员。
6. VERB 把（炸弹、枪支）装好
   If someone primes a bomb or a gun, they prepare it so that it is ready to explode or fire.
   1. He was priming the bomb to go off in an hour's time...
      他正在装炸弹，设定为在一个小时之内爆炸。
   2. Tom keeps a primed 10-foot shotgun in his office.
      汤姆在办公室放了一支装了子弹的10英尺长的猎枪。
7. to prime the pump → see: pump

1. The Prime Minister was speaking ahead of today's meeting.
   首相在今天的会议开始之前作了发言。
2. The Prime Minister has been briefed by her parliamentary aides.
   首相已听取了她议会助手的简要汇报。
3. The Prime Minister resigned today, clearing the way for the formation of a new government
   首相今天的辞职为新政府的组建扫清了道路。
4. He also handed over a letter of apology from the Prime Minister
   他还递交了一封首相写的道歉信。
5. There's no evidence that the Prime Minister himself cancelled the visit.
   没有证据表明是首相本人取消了访问。
6. The prime minister and the moderates are not yet home and dry.
   首相和温和派还未大功告成。
7. The Prime Minister played host to French Premier Jacques Chirac.
   首相接待了法国总理雅克·希拉克。
8. This is his last chance as prime minister.
   这是他作为首相的最后机会。
9. He told the Prime Minister that he felt he must now leave.
   他告诉首相，他感觉自己现在必须要离开了。
10. He was at odds with his Prime Minister
    他与首相不和。
11. Today the British press is full of articles on India's new prime minister
    今天英国的报纸上登满了关于印度新任总理的文章。
12. Political stability, meanwhile, will be a prime concern
    同时，政治稳定性将放在首位。
13. It could be a prime target for guerrilla attack
    这可能是游击队进攻的主要目标。
14. The police will see me as the prime suspect!
    警方会把我当作头号嫌疑人！
15. Prime candidate to take over his job is Margaret Ramsay.
    接替他工作的首要人选是玛格丽特·拉姆齐。
16. It was one of the City's prime sites, near the Stock Exchange.
    这是伦敦最好的地段之一，离证券交易所很近。
17. The prime example is Macy's, once the undisputed king of California retailers.
    最典型的例子是梅西百货，它曾经是加利福尼亚无可争辩的零售巨头。
18. Maybe I'm just coming into my prime now
    也许我现在正要步入事业辉煌期。
19. She was in her intellectual prime
    在智力上，她正处于壮年。
20. We've had a series of athletes trying to come back well past their prime.
    我们有些早已过了黄金期的运动员仍然想东山再起。
21. Claire wished she'd primed Sarah beforehand
    克莱尔真希望她事先指点过萨拉。
22. Arnold primed her for her duties
    阿诺德事先让她熟悉了自己的任务。
23. The press corps was primed to leap to the defense of the fired officials.
    记者团获知信息后，立即声援被解雇官员。
24. He was priming the bomb to go off in an hour's time
    他正在装炸弹，设定为在一个小时之内爆炸。
25. Tom keeps a primed 10-foot shotgun in his office.
    汤姆在办公室放了一支装了子弹的10英尺长的猎枪。
26. He was given a letter purportedly signed by the Prime Minister.
    他得到了一封据称有首相签名的信。
27. The Prime Minister reviewed the situation with his Cabinet yesterday
    昨天，首相和他的内阁对局势进行了审度。
28. The Prime Minister is preparing for a showdown with Ministers.
    首相正准备和部长们摊牌。
29. If the economy turned round the Prime Minister's authority would quickly increase.
    如果经济复苏了，首相的威信会迅速提高。
30. He met with the Prime Minister of Japan for an hour and a half.
    他和日本首相会晤了一个半小时。

v.

prime the pump

• 投资以振兴（新的或不景气的企业或行业）
  to encourage the growth of a new or weak business or industry by putting money into it