關鍵字彙：
abandon/ abdicate/ abjure/derelict/ desert/ desolate/ forgo/ forsake/ persevere/ persist/ relinquish/ renounce/ resolute/ stick to/ tenacious/ unfaltering/ vacillate/ waive/ waver/ yield
1. 指不該放棄而放棄，主要可用abandon。這個意思的abandon可以用desert或forsake替換。desert的語氣比abandon要重些，這點從它一般被中譯成「拋棄」可以看出。forsake除了是abandon比較正式的同義字之外，也可以指對於好習慣或好作法的放棄。另外，abandon也可以指對於危險建築或交通工具的放棄。如果是建築物等「被廢棄不用的」，用形容詞derelict；若是地方等「像被遺棄般的」用形容詞desolate：
•The remiss mother abandoned her young child and remarried soon after his first husband's death.
•Many of his friends deserted him when he was terribly pinched.
•I would never forsake my old and dementia husband.
•Don't forsake your regimen of morning stretching exercises.
•The captain ordered the crew to abandon the sinking ship.
•The derelict ship was a menace to navigation.
•The island was desolate.
2. 指公開宣示地放棄理念、政治信仰或要求等，可用abjure，它是個頗正式的用字。有關正式放棄要求(claim)這一項也可以用renounce，它同時也指放棄壞習慣或不好的事情：
•A number of Japanese communists abjured their allegiance to the Communist Party and informed on their former comrades.
•She renounced her claim to the land.
•My father renounced smoking completely.
•It is heartily hoped that all countries in the world can renounce the manufacture of nuclear weapons in the future.
•He swore to his wife that he would renounce gambling forever.
3. 「放棄王位」，用abdicate；對日常生活中某種樂子或享受的一時放棄，forgo更好：
•Emperor Akihito abdicated in April, 2019.
•Since Queen Elizabeth II does not want to abdicate (from) the throne, Prince Charles finds it difficult to become the king of UK in the near future.
•I was so busy yesterday and had to forgo the pleasure of seeing a movie.
•The manager forwent her afternoon tea and hurried to her next meeting.
4. 強調自動地、自願地放棄，用relinquish；但如果是因為多少有些被迫而放棄，用yield：
•Despite his parents' opposition, the young man relinquished his well-paid job in the city and went back to his hometown to become a farmer of organic vegetables.
•At the age of 50, the steel tycoon relinquished all his wealth with little hesitation and began to immerse himself in the contemplation and practice of Buddhism.
•Few leaders willingly relinquish power.
•The Republican senator yielded his argument on homosexual marriage under the criticism of public opinion.
•Well, I agree to yield this point but insist on others.
5. 指放棄對規則、費用等的堅持或原本享有的特權，用waive：
•Teachers should not waive the principle of student attendance unless under some justifiable circumstances.
•I am willing to waive my privilege to promote the harmony of the company.
6. 如果要說某人雖沒有放棄立場或原則，但已經「動搖」，可用vacillate或waver。這兩個字後面都可接between，強調猶疑在兩種想法或作法之間難以抉擇：
•When asked by the teacher whether he was really sure of the answer, the boy was beginning to vacillate.
•She wavered/ vacillated between studying law and becoming a nurse.
•The official never wavers in his refusal to take bribes.
7. 指不怕困難或失敗地「堅持」或「堅守」，可用stick to或persevere。 同時，注意persist這個字雖也被中譯成「堅持」，但它有時可能暗示這種堅持是固執己見的：
•He stuck to his literary career and finally became the greatest playwright of his age.
•The leader exhorted his followers not to vacillate but persevere instead with the struggle for the sovereignty of their country.
•If you persist with such a radical opinion (persist in behaving so radically), you will be alienated from most of your friends.
•Despite all my attempts to convince her that Henry was not faithful in love, Jane still persisted with her decision to marry him.
8. 形容人「堅決的」，可用resolute或tenacious。另有unfaltering一字， 它是形容不會被動搖的事情或行動等，也可以翻譯成「穩健的」：
•The optimist remained resolute in his belief that good would in the end prevail over evil.
•She was resolute in her aim at becoming a distinguished diplomat.
•He was resolute in the promotion of the enactment of the gun-control law.
•Definitely, John will fulfill his dreams because he is tenacious.
•Christopher Columbus was a tenacious explorer.
•Our soldiers' unfaltering courage enabled us to win the war.
•The old couple was revered for their unfaltering love.
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