昨天談到我們的外教Lawrence最近的日子一直過得很緊，有同事就問他離婚後日子過得這麼苦值得嗎？這哥們兒慎重地點了點頭: " I've weighed up my options before I decide to divorce." 這會兒會計小劉又好奇地問了: "他這裡所用的 weigh up不是稱重的意思嗎？前兩天Lawrence 去超市買蘋果時還說過'Weigh up these apples for me please! (請幫我稱一下這些蘋果的重量）'呢，難道說選擇(options)也可以稱量嗎？"
呵呵，這個問題問得好！"weigh up"的確有稱重的意思，但你想啊，既然要稱量一個東西，就說明你在心裡得盤算一下這個東西值不值得買吧，這就引申出"weigh up"的另一層含義~“估量、掂量、衡量或權衡利弊”，所以剛才Lawrence那句話的意思是: "在我決定離婚之前，我已經權衡了（離婚）選擇的利弊。"
weigh somebody/something upna. 稱量；稱出；估量；掂量；衡量；就…仔細考慮（利弊）；就…權衡
【En】To think carefully about the advantages or disadvantages of a situation before making a decision. 在做決定之前仔細考慮一種情況的優點或缺點。If you weigh someone up, you try and find out what they are like and form an opinion of them, especially when you are suspicious of them. 如果你衡量某人，你試著找出他們是什麼樣的人，並形成對他們的看法，特別是當你懷疑他們的時候。To make an assessment of (a person, situation, etc); judge. 對（某人、情況等）作出評估、判斷。To consider something carefully so that you can make a decision about it. 仔細考慮某事以便作出決定。To watch someone and listen to them carefully so that you can form an opinion about what they are like. 觀察某人並仔細傾聽他們的意見，以便你對他們形成看法。 To measure the weight of something. 測量某物的重量。To attempt to determine someone's strength, intelligence, skill, integrity, etc. 試圖確定某人的力量、智力、技能、誠信等。
搞懂了詞義，那就接著來練練聽力吧~
• I could see that he was weighing me up.
我能看出他在打量我。
• I'm weighing up my options before I decide to apply for the job.
在決定申請這份工作之前，我正在權衡各種選擇。
• Before buying weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of each type.
在購買之前，先衡量每種型號的優點和缺點。
• She knew there wasn't time to weigh up the situation.
她知道沒有時間來權衡形勢。
• The boss weighed me up when I first walked into his office.
我第一次走進老闆辦公室時，他打量了我半天。
• She was watching him closely as he spoke, weighing him up.
他說話的時候，她仔細地打量著他。
• He weighed up his chances of success.
他估量了一下成功的機會。
• We're still weighing up the pros and cons (=the advantages and disadvantages) of the two options.
我們仍在權衡這兩種選擇的利弊。
• We weighed each other up for a few moments without speaking.
我們互相掂量了一會兒，沒有說話。
• It was obvious that she was cautiously weighing me up.
很明顯，她在謹慎地估量我。
【活學活用 give an example】• I could tell everyone was weighing me up when I walked into the office for the first time.
當我第一次走進辦公室的時候，我能感覺到每個人都在打量我。
• I'm trying to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of working from home.
我正在努力權衡在家工作的利弊。
• We really need to weigh up our options here.
我們真的需要權衡一下我們的選擇。
• I've weighed up all the pros and cons, and I think this is still the best phone for what I need.
我權衡了所有的利弊，我認為這仍然是我所需要的最好的手機。
• You are not conscious of them weighing you up, but they do.
你不知道他們在掂量你，但他們確實如此。
• I can not weigh them up and judge them.
我無法衡量和評判他們。
• Let me weigh up that produce for you.
讓我給你稱一下那些產品的重量。
• The explorers weighed up the treasure they had found.
探險家們稱了稱他們發現的財寶。
• I can't tell you how much this will cost until I weigh it up.
在我稱過重量之前，我無法告訴你這要花多少錢。
• Liz weighed up the meat and jotted down the price.
利茲稱了稱肉，然後草草記下了價格。