by all means，by no means

這一組詞并非同義詞，而是具有鮮明對(duì)立意義的反義語。它們帶有強(qiáng)烈的感情色彩，在文句中起加強(qiáng)語勢(shì)的作用。

By all means的意思是“一定”、“無論如何”、“用一切手段”。例：

You must bring him here by all means.

你們一定要設(shè)法把他帶到這里來。

This project must be realized by all means.

這個(gè)規(guī)劃必須要實(shí)現(xiàn)。

You should by all means warn him before he leaves for Singapore.

你務(wù)必在他去新加坡之前提醒他。

By all means亦可用于回答，表示有禮貌的同意，作“好的”、“當(dāng)然可以”解。例：

May I have one?—Yes，by all means.

我可以拿一個(gè)嗎?——當(dāng)然可以。

By no means的意思是“決不”，相當(dāng)于not at all.例：

She is by no means bright.

她一點(diǎn)兒也不聰明。

I will by no means consent.

我決不同意。

The first step will take quite a long time and can by no means be accomplished overnight.

第一步的時(shí)間是相當(dāng)?shù)亻L(zhǎng)，決不是一朝一夕所能完成的。

請(qǐng)注意下列三點(diǎn)：

(一)by all means和by no means的 means永遠(yuǎn)用復(fù)數(shù)形式，“s”不能丟掉。

(二)by all means與by all manner of means通用;by no means 可與 by no manner of means換用，但后者只作特別強(qiáng)調(diào)，遠(yuǎn)不如前者用得普遍。

(三)by any means的意思是“總之”;by some means (or other)的意思是“用某種方式(或方法)”;不要把它們與by all means或by no means混淆。