generation
n
1 [U]
(a) production 产生; 发生
the generation of electricity by steam or water-power 蒸汽或水力发电
the generation of heat by friction 摩擦生热.
(b) (biology 生) production of living beings, esp offspring; procreation 繁殖; (尤指)生育後代.
2 [C] single stage in a family history (家史中的)一代
a family party at which all three generations were present, ie children, parents and grandparents 三代同堂的家庭聚会
experience handed down from generation to generation 世代相传的经验.
3 [C, Gp] all people born at about the same time 代(大致在同一时期内出生的所有人)
My generation behaves differently from my father's and grandfather's. 我这一代人和我父辈及祖辈表现不同.
[attrib 作定语]
a first-, second-, third-, etc generation American, ie sb who himself or whose parents or grandparents, etc emigrated to America 第一、 第二、 第三等代美国人(本人或其父母或其祖父母等移居美国者).
4 [C] average period, usu considered to be 25-30 years, in which children grow up to become full adults 一代人的期间, 代(通常认为是从儿童长到成年人的25-30年间)
a generation ago 一代人之前
within one generation 在一代人的期间内.
5 [C] single stage in the development of a type of product (产品类型的)代
the new generation of supersonic airliners 新一代的超音速客机
[attrib 作定语]
third-generation robots 第三代机器人.
Though people have often laughed at stories told by seamen, it is now known that many of these 'monsters' which have at times been sighted are simply strange fish.