①assign sth to sb / assign sb sthv.分配，分派（任务、工作等）

Synonymsallocate, allot, delegate

• Never assign to malice what can be adequately explained by incompetence.决不要把能用无能充分解释的事情归咎于恶意。— Robert J. Hanlon

②assign sb to sth / do sthv.委派，指派（人员担任职务或执行任务）

Synonymsappoint, designate, commission

• God never assigns us to do anything that is beyond our strength.上帝绝不会委派我们去做任何超出我们力量范围的事。

③assign sth to sthv.归因于；确定，赋予（价值、意义等）

Synonymsattribute, ascribe, attach

• The value we assign to things reflects the value we assign to ourselves.我们赋予事物的价值，折射出我们赋予自己的价值。

①an assignment to do sth / on sthn.（学业）作业，研究课题

Synonymshomework, coursework, project, task

• The most important assignment a student has is to learn how to think, not what to think.学生最重要的课业任务是学会如何思考，而不是思考什么。

②on an assignmentn.（工作）分派的任务，外派差事

Synonymsmission, task, commission, undertaking

• Every challenge in life is a divine assignment to reveal your true strength.生命中的每一次挑战，都是上天分派给你的任务，旨在显发你真正的力量。

③assignment of sth (to sb)n.分配，指派，分发

Synonymsallocation, distribution, allotment

• Justice is the assignment of each person to their rightful place and each thing to its rightful owner.正义就是让每个人各得其所，让每样事物各归其主。

In this sentence

①plead the Fifthv.援引美国宪法第五修正案（保持沉默以防自证其罪）

Synonymsremain silent, take the Fifth

本句中 plead the Fifth 为固定法律与日常习惯表达，指证人行使宪法第五修正案赋予的权利，拒绝回答可能让自己获罪的问题。

• When truth is dangerous to speak, silence is pleaded not out of guilt, but out of necessity.当真相难以言说时，选择保持沉默并非出于有罪，而是出于无奈。

②plead guilty / not guiltyv.（在法庭上）认罪 / 不认罪

Synonymsanswer charges

• Conscience pleaded guilty long before the verdict of the world was read.早在世俗的判决宣读之前，良知便已先行认罪。

③plead with sb (to do sth)v.恳求；乞求

Synonymsbeg, implore, beseech, entreat

• The soul pleaded with time to pause, but wisdom knew that growth belongs only to the moving river.灵魂曾恳求时光驻足，然而智慧深知，唯有奔流不息方能孕育成长。

④plead sthv.以……为由（辩解或推脱）

Synonymsclaim, allege, excuse

• He who pleaded ignorance to justify inaction merely confessed that he preferred the shadow to the light.凡是以无知为由推脱行动的人，无异于承认了自己宁愿沉溺于阴影而不愿追寻光明。

①a sign of sthn.迹象；征兆

Synonymsindication, symbol, mark, evidence

• A sign of a good life is when you feel yourself growing, learning, and becoming more of who you are.美好生活的征兆，是你能感受到自己在成长、学习，并愈发成为真实的自己。

②sign sthv.签署；在……上签名

Synonymsendorse, autograph, subscribe

• Never sign a contract with your heart when your mind is telling you to walk away.当理智告诉你该离开时，绝不要凭感情去签署契约。

③road / street signn.指示牌；标志

Synonymsnotice, placard, board

• There are no road signs on the journey to finding yourself; you must follow your own compass.寻找自我的旅途中没有路标，你必须追随内心的罗盘。

④sign to sb (to do sth)v.做手势；示意

Synonymsgesture, signal, motion

• When words fail, wisdom signs to us to be silent and listen.当言语匮乏时，智慧会示意我们保持沉默、倾听内心。

①a signal to do sth / a signal that ...n.信号；暗号；迹象

Synonymssign, indication, cue, gesture

• Pain is not a signal that something is wrong; it is a signal to do something about it.痛苦不是事情出了差错的信号，而是督促你采取行动的号角。

②signal to sb (to do sth)v.发信号；示意

Synonymsgesture, motion, beckon, wave

• Wisdom does not shout; it signals to us to slow down and listen.智慧从不呐喊；它向我们示意，让我们放慢脚步、静心倾听。

③signal sth / signal that ...v.表明；预示

Synonymsindicate, herald, suggest, portend

• Endings are not always failures; sometimes they signal that a greater journey is about to begin.终点并不总意味着失败；有时它们预示着一段更伟大的旅程即将启程。

④a signal achievement / failureadj.重大的；显著的

Synonymsremarkable, notable, striking, conspicuous

• True greatness lies not in a signal victory over others, but in the quiet mastery over oneself.真正的伟大不在于对他人取得显著的胜利，而在于对自我平静的掌控。

In this sentence

①the significance of sthn.重要性；重大意义

Synonymsimportance, consequence, weight

原句中使用了形容词 significant（重大的、显著的），其名词形式即 significance。原句强调的是 Rockefeller 与 Dillinger 之间‘重要/显著的差异’，对应其‘重要性、重大意义’这一核心用法。

• Every action in our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity, and so has the significance of destiny.我们生命中的每一个举动都会触动某种在永恒中振动的弦，因此具有命运的重大意义。— Edwin Hubbell Chapin

②of significance (to sb/sth)n.有重要意义的；重要的

Synonymsimportant, meaningful, momentous

• Nothing of significance was ever achieved without risk and sacrifice.没有冒着风险和做出牺牲，就永远无法取得任何具有重大意义的成就。

③grasp/understand the significance of sthn.含义；意思

Synonymsmeaning, sense, implication

• To understand the significance of life, one must look beyond the surface of everyday events.要理解生命的真谛，就必须透过日常琐事的表象去体悟。

In this sentence

①a significant difference / change / impactadj.显著的；重大的

Synonymsnotable, considerable, substantial, marked

原句中修饰 difference，表示两人之间“显著的、重要的”区别，强调程度大且值得注意。

• We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them, for no significant change comes from old ways.我们不能用制造问题时的思维来解决问题，因为陈旧的方式不会带来任何重大的改变。

②significant to / for sb/sthadj.有重要意义的

Synonymsmeaningful, important, momentous

• To be significant to the world, one must first learn to be true to oneself.若想对世界具有重要意义，人必须首先学会忠于自己。

③a significant look / glanceadj.意味深长的；耐人寻味的

Synonymsmeaningful, expressive, suggestive

• Silence between two souls often speaks louder than words, carried only by a significant look.两颗心灵之间的沉默往往胜过千言万语，仅凭一个意味深长的眼神便能传情达意。

In this sentence

①significantly different / increase / improveadv.显著地；相当大地

Synonymsconsiderably, substantially, markedly, noticeably

原句使用的是形容词形式 significant difference（显著差异），学习者查询其副词 significantly。该词在句中核心含义表示程度极大、足以引起注意，常用于修饰动词或形容词以表达‘显著地’。

• If we want to significantly improve the world, we must first change how we think.如果我们想要显著改善这个世界，首先必须改变自己的思考方式。

②significantly, ...adv.意味深长地；值得注意地

Synonymsmeaningfully, tellingly, importantly

• Significantly, the greatest truths are often discovered not in loud triumphs, but in quiet moments of reflection.值得注意的是，最伟大的真理往往不是在喧嚣的胜利中被发现，而是在静谧的反思时刻中浮现。

①sth signify sthv.表示；意味着

Synonymsmean, indicate, symbolize, denote

• Words signify not only things, but also qualities, manners, and relationships.词语不仅代表事物，也代表品质、方式和关系。

②signify that ...v.表明；显示

Synonymsindicate, signal, show

• A smile does not always signify that a person is happy, but that they are strong enough to face adversity.微笑并不总表明一个人快乐，而是表明他们有足够的力量面对逆境。

③sth signifiesv.要紧；有重要性

Synonymsmatter, count

• It does not signify what you do, but how you do it.你做什么并不要紧，要紧的是你如何去做。