88、dear,，costly与 expensive的用法辨析

(1) dear adj. 按物品的价值而定的价钱“高”。其反义词为 cheap(便宜)。例如：

It is very dear.这东西很贵。

It is too dear at that price.这东西价钱太大。

(2) costly ady. “非常贵”，“太费钱”，常指非必须品的价格。例如:

costly luxuries 昂贵的奢侈品

costly furniture 昂贵的家具

(3) expensive adj. 超过物品价值或购买力的价格“昂贵的”。其反义词为 inexpensive(低廉)。例如：

Your dress is very expensive .你的衣服太贵了

Itis expensive ;the price is too high.这东西太贵;价钱太高了。

89、die away， die down，die off 与 die out的用法辨析

(1) die away 指声音、风、光线等“渐息”、“渐弱”。如：

The sound of the car died away in the distance.汽车的声音消失在远处。

（2）die down 意为(慢慢)熄灭”、“平静下来”。如:

The fire died down.火慢慢熄了。

His anger has died down a bit.他的怒气已消了一点。

(3) die off 意为“一个一个地死去”(= die one by one)。如：

As he grew older, his relatives all died off.随着他年龄的增长,他的亲人都一个一个地死去了。

(4) die out 指家族、种族、习俗、观念等“灭绝”、“绝迹”。如:

Many old customs are dying out.许多旧习俗正在消失。

90、 day by day 与 day after day 的用法辨析

两者均可表示“一天天(地)”,但含义和用法均有区别: day by day通常用作状语,且含有逐渐(gradually)转变的意思；day after day 可用作状语，有时也可用作主语或宾语，它通常暗示时间之长久( for many many days)。day after day 日复一日(无变化)；day by day一天天地(有变化)比较：

Things are getting worse day by day.情况一天天变糟。

He is getting better day by day.他一天天地好起来。

Day after day we waited for news from Sally .

我们一天又一天地等着莎莉的消息。

Day after day went by, and still no message arrived.一天天过去了,还是一直没有消息。

注: year after year 与 year by year 的区别同上。