a thing that somebody does, or something that somebody says at the beginning of a situation or conversation, that is intended to give them some advantage 开头一招;开局;开场白 an opening gambit (= the first thing you say) 开场白 The opposition have dismissed promises of tax cuts as a pre-election gambit. 反对派否认减税承诺是大选前的策略。 His idea of a brilliant conversational gambit is ‘What’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?’ 他的对话技巧很聪明,他的想法是“像你这样的好女孩在这样的地方干什么?”
Extra ExamplesIt looks as if their gambit has paid off. 看来他们的能力已得到回报。 It was a clever publicity gambit that ended in tragedy. 这是一个聪明的宣传手段,以悲剧告终。 The long silences were a gambit to make him talk. 长时间的沉默让他说话。
a move or moves made at the beginning of a game of chess in order to gain an advantage later (国际象棋中为获得优势而采取的)开局让棋法
Word Originmid 17th cent.: originally gambett, from Italian gambetto, literally ‘tripping up’, from gamba ‘leg’.