a particular time or instance of an event (特定的)时刻;场合 on one occasion I stayed up until two in the morning. 有一次我直到凌晨2点才去睡觉。 ■a special or noteworthy event, ceremony, or celebration (仪式、庆典等)重大场合 she was presented with a gold watch to mark the occasion. 为了纪念那个重大场合她被赠与一块金表。 [mass noun]Sunday lunch has a suitable sense of occasion about it. 周日午餐给人一种重大场合才有的感觉。 ■a suitable or opportune time for doing something 适当时机 by-elections are traditionally an occasion for registering protest votes. 补缺选举向来都是记反对票的适当时机。
[mass noun](formal)reason; cause 理由;原因 [with infinitive]it's the first time that I've had occasion to complain. 这是我第一次有理由抱怨。
verb
[with obj.](formal)cause (something) 造成,导致,引起 something vital must have occasioned this visit. 肯定有什么重大的事导致了这次访问。 [with two objs]his death occasioned her much grief. 他的死使她十分悲痛。
常用词组 on occasion (或 occasions)
occasionally; from time to time 有时;偶尔 on occasion, the state was asked to intervene. 有时政府会被要求进行干预。
rise to the occasion
perform better than usual in response to a special situation or event 在特殊场合超常发挥,在特殊场合应付裕如
take occasion
(archaic)make use of an opportunity to do something (古)抓住时机
语源
late Middle English: from Latin occasio(n-) 'juncture, reason', from occidere 'go down, set', from ob- 'towards' + cadere 'to fall'