1. 可能（性）
2. 可能的事，可能的情况
3. 可能获胜的人，可能被选中的人
4. 发展前途，潜在价值
5. 合适的人（或事物）
6. 最大的权力（或能力）

1. [U]可能性 state of being possible; likelihood
2. [C]可能的事 event that may happen; prospect
3. [P]可以利用和改善的余地; 潜力 capability of being used or improved; potential

1. a future prospect or potential;

   "this room has great possibilities"
   

2. capability of existing or happening or being true;

   "there is a possibility that his sense of smell has been impaired"
   

3. a tentative insight into the natural world; a concept that is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain facts or phenomena;

   "a scientific hypothesis that survives experimental testing becomes a scientific theory"
   "he proposed a fresh theory of alkalis that later was accepted in chemical practices"
   

4. a possible alternative;

   "bankruptcy is always a possibility"
   

1.可能性；可能
If you say there is apossibility that something is the case orthat something will happen, you mean that it might be the case or it might happen.

e.g. We were not in the least worried about thepossibility that sweets could rot the teeth...
我们以前完全不担心吃糖果有可能会蛀牙。
e.g. Tax on food has become a very realpossibility.
极有可能征收食物税。

2.（一种）可能；可能的事
Apossibility is one of several different things that could be done.

possibility是什么意思

e.g. The government now owns a lot of our land — onepossibility would be to compensate us with other property...
政府现在占了我们的大量土地，一种可能是用其他地产来对我们作出补偿。
e.g. There were several possibilities open to each manufacturer.
每个制造商都可以有几种不同的选择。

3.可能的事；能做到的事
You can say 'It is not beyond the realms of possibility' or 'It is not beyond the bounds of possibility' when you are stating something that you believe is possibly true, but which other people might consider unlikely or impossible.

e.g. It's not beyond the realms ofpossibility that the security services do bug important public figures.
安全部门完全有可能窃听重要公众人物的谈话。

1. 的可能：因为微软公司在操作系统市场上存在垄断力,其商业行为方式是反竞争的;撤消企图垄断违法,因为认定的垄断浏览器市场是不正确的,对于浏览器竞争者的进入阻碍也是推测性的,而非现实的可能(possibility发回重审搭售行为,

2. 概率：不确定性可以被认为是一个或几个事件(结果)发生的概率(possibility)分布. 因此,每一个事件的发生都应该对应着一定的概率. 为了研究风险,对未来结果及其发生的概率就应该有一个精确的描述. 但是从风险管理的实践角度来讲,

1. Is there any possibility that you'll be back by the weekend?
   周末以前你有可能回来吗?
2. There is one possibility of changing jobs.
   换工作是有可能的事。
3. Jane is a possibility as a wife for Richard.
   简可能成为理查德的妻子。
4. The plan has great possibilities.
   这计划很可能成功。

• Science and Revelation come into..collision on the possibility of miracles.

  出自：F. Temple

• We often discuss the possibility of his buying a new jacket.

  出自：J. Diski

做生意

A：We’re looking for a manager to run the new branch office.
我们正在找一位经理来管理新的分公司。

B：Where is the branch office?
分公司在哪里？

A：It happens to be very close to your home. We were actually hoping that you might want to fill the position.
真巧，它离你家特别近。我们真的希望你能担任这个职务。

B：I’d have to think about it. How many people would I be managing?
我得考虑一下，我将会管理几名员工呢？

A：It will start off small, with only about 10 employees.
公司刚开始运营时规模比较小，大概有10 名员工。

B：That is quite small.
那确实很小。

A：Are you interested?
你感兴趣吗？

possibility的反义词

B：I guess. I do like the office I’m working in now, but it would be nice to work closer to my home.
我想是的。我很喜欢现在工作的地方，但如果能离家近些也不错。

A：Your salary would remain the same, but if you do a good job, I think there’s apossibility of a promotion down the road.
你的薪水保持不变，如果工作业绩好，还有升职的可能。

possibility是什么意思

B：Really?
真的吗？

A：Yes. The reason we chose you is because you’re the best manager we have. We need someone who can organize the new office and make it run well.
是的，我们之所以选择你，就因为你是现在的最好的经理。我们需要一位有很好的组织能力并且能使公司良好运营的人。

B：So this isn’t a demotion?
这不是降职吧？

A：Oh, no, it’s quite the opposite!
不是，恰恰相反。

B：Well then, when should I start?
那好吧，什么时候开始上班？

A：So you’ll do it?
你决定做了吗？

B：Sure.
当然。

A：Great! We’ll send some people over to move your things tomorrow. You can have a long weekend and then start at your new office on Monday.
太好了！我们明天就派人给你搬东西。你可以休息一个长周末然后周一就在新的地方上班了。

表达思想和观点

A：Have you made a decision about your job yet?
关于你的工作，你做了决定了吗？

B：Not yet. I’m still considering my options.
没有，我还在考虑我的选择。

A：What are they?
什么选择啊？

B：I can stay at my current job and hope that they give me a promotion soon.
我可以还做现在的工作，但希望他们很快给我升职。

A：Or?
或者呢？

possibility

B：Or I can take the new job for less money and more responsibilities and hope that they give me a raise soon.
或者我选择少挣点钱但责任更大的工作，而且希望他们能很快给我加薪。

A：So what is more important to you, money or a challenge?
那什么对你更重要呢，钱还是挑战？

B：I’d rather find my work challenging than make a lot of money. But there is thepossibility that I could be challenged at work and make more money.
与挣很多钱相比，我更希望工作具有挑战性。但是既有挑战又能挣很多钱的工作也是有可能的。

possibility的翻译

A：I think I know what you’re going to decide.
我觉得我知道你会怎么决定了。

B：What?
什么？

A：Well, I don’t think you’re a risk-taker. That’s all I’m going to say.
嗯，我不觉得你是是个敢于冒险的人，这就是我想说的。

B：Do you think I should be?
你觉得我应该冒险吗？

A：I’m not going to tell you what to decide. You have to make the decision for yourself.
我不会告诉你做什么决定。你应该自己决定。

B：Do you think I should take more risks?
你觉得我应该更加冒险吗？

A：I’m not saying anything else. If give you advice and it doesn’t turn out well, then you’ll blame it all on me!
我不会说其他的了。如果我给了你建议，但如果并不好， 你会全怪我的！

B：No, I won’t.
不，我不会的。

A：Yes, you will.
你会的。

B：No, I promise that I won’t blame you.
不，我保证不会责怪你的。

A：I’d like to see that in writing!
我希望你能把这些话写下来！

1. possibility后不能接动词不定式,可接“of sth/ v -ing”结构或that同位语从句。

• ☆ 14世纪晚期进入英语，直接源自古法语的possibilite；最初源自拉丁语的possibilitatem，意为可能性。