survival
survival — adjective
1. connected with the act of staying alive or the effort to remain alive when condi
connected with the act of staying alive or the effort to remain alive when conditions are difficult
Hamza packed a small survival kit before his hike through the canyon.
collocation: survival kit
The lost hikers went into survival mode, rationing their food and water carefully.
collocation: survival mode
Tara took a survival course before her solo trip to the Arctic region.
Yan keeps a survival blanket and a whistle inside his car at all times.
文法句型
survival + noun
用法筆記
This adjective form is always used before a noun — you can say 'survival skills' but not 'the skills are survival'.
survival — noun
1. the condition of staying alive or remaining in existence, particularly when ther
the condition of staying alive or remaining in existence, particularly when there is danger, difficulty, or major change
The survival of the mountain village depends on the winter rains filling the reservoirs.
pattern: survival of + noun phrase
Doctors gave Henry a sixty percent chance of survival after the complicated surgery.
collocation: chance of survival
Small independent bookshops often struggle for survival when large chains dominate the market.
Gabriel sees learning English fluently as essential for survival in his global career.
- existence
more neutral, less dramatic; lacking the connotation of danger or difficulty
- continuation
more formal, used for abstract entities like traditions or institutions
- extinction
the opposite of survival for a species, language, or tradition
文法句型
survival of + noun phrase
用法筆記
Usually uncountable. Very common in fixed phrases such as 'fight for survival', 'a matter of survival', and 'chances of survival'.
常見錯誤
2. something from the past — a thing, habit, or tradition — that has lasted into th
something from the past — a thing, habit, or tradition — that has lasted into the present
This hand-woven basket is a survival from the indigenous weaving traditions of the region.
pattern: a survival from
The summer solstice festival is a survival of ancient harvest celebrations from centuries ago.
pattern: a survival of
Linguists study these rare dialects as survivals of older forms of the regional language.
The wooden plough on display is a survival of medieval farming methods in this museum.
文法句型
a survival from + time period
a survival of + old practice
用法筆記
Countable — you can say 'a survival' or 'survivals'. Often appears in academic or historical writing about traditions, objects, or language features.
3. the evolutionary idea that living things which are best suited to their surround
the evolutionary idea that living things which are best suited to their surroundings are the most likely to live long enough to reproduce
Darwin argued that survival of the fittest drives evolution over millions of years.
fixed phrase: survival of the fittest
In the competitive world of technology start-ups, it often feels like survival of the fittest.
metaphorical use outside biology
Island bird species show how survival of the fittest shapes body and beak size.
Some critics say modern capitalism has become a system of survival of the fittest.
文法句型
survival of the fittest
用法筆記
Nearly always appears in the fixed phrase 'survival of the fittest'. Can be used outside biology to describe any fiercely competitive situation.