past
【1】过去的,以往的
①仅可用作定语。
【例】The balance sheet for this past fiscal year will be ready in a few days.
去年财政年度的资产负债表几天之内就会做好的。
②带有past时间状语时,句中要用完成时态。
【例】During the past three years, we have employed 45 college graduates.
在过去的3年间,我们已雇用了45位高等院校毕业生。
③past用作前置定语时,前面应加限定词(the,this,that等);past用作后置定语时,前面不加限定词。
【例】We have fulfiled our tasks ahead of schedule in the past three years.
在过去的3年,我们提前完成了任务。
【2】历史
可泛指过去的,一段时间的历史。
【例】Our factory has a glorious past.
我们工厂有过光荣的历史。
【3】过去
指目前已过去的时间时,前面加the。
【例】In the past, our firm only exported raw materials, agricultural products and labour-intensive products.
过去,我们公司仅出口原材料、农产品和劳动密集型产品。
past-due
(账款)过期的
①【例】We have written you four times in our efforts to collect US$1 300 that is now six months past-due.
有1300美元的账款已过期6个月,我们为收取此款已函达贵方4次。
②有人将past-due用作表语时,写作past due。
【例】The small amount of US$100 is now over three months past due.
100美元这一小数额,现在已有3个多月过期未付了。
patent
【1】专利,专利权
【例】We are applying for a patent for this new instrument.
我们正在为这项新仪器申请专利。
【2】专利的,特许的
【例】They do business as importers of and dealers in laboratory and pharmaceutical equipment and patent medicines.
他们是进口商和贸易商,经营实验室设备、制药设备和成药。
【3】给予[获取]专利权
①【例】I asked the patent agents to see if our new design can be patented.
我问过专利代理,看看我们的新设计能否获得专利权。
②过去分词用作定语。
【例】Any small business with a patented highly technical process has something saleable.
任何小企业,只要有取得专利的、技术高超的生产工艺,就有可供销售的东西。