wherewithal n.  [WAIR-wih-thawl]

Definition

means or resources for purchasing or doing something; specifically: financial resources: money
购买或者实施某事的方法与资源;尤其是:财政资源:金钱

Did You Know?

Wherewithal has been with us in one form or another since the 16th century. It comes from our still-familiar word where, and withal, a Middle English combination of with and all, meaning "with." Wherewithal has been used as a conjunction meaning "with or by means of which" and as a pronoun meaning "that with or by which." These days, however, it is always used as a noun referring to the means or resources – especially financial resources – one has at one's disposal. 

Wherewithal自打16实际就开始使用了。这个词由我们现在熟悉的单词wherewithal构成;withal则是由中古英语with与all合并而来,意思是with。wherewithal曾经被用作连词,意思是“with or by means which”,以及被用作代词,意思是“that with or by which”。但是,现代总是作为名词使用,用来指代方法或可以支配的资源-尤其是财政资源-。

Examples

  • If I had the wherewithal, I'd buy that empty lot next door and put in a garden. 
    如果我有钱的话,我就会把隔壁的那块空地买下来,改造成一个花园。
    注:这是个虚拟语气。lot这个词做名词有很多意思:抽签,签,命运,一块地,拍卖品等。这里指一块地。empty lot:一块空地。
     
  • "Typically, when a person makes more money and has more savings, they add credit such as signing up for a new card or taking on a car loan. That's because they're confident they have the financial wherewithal to pay back the debt."
    Janna Herron, USA Today, 5 Dec. 2018
    通常,当人们赚取更多的钱时或者拥有更多的存款时,他们会增加负债,例如用于购买新车或者贷款买车。主要是因为他们有信心拥有足够的财政资源可以偿还贷款。
    注:credit这个词做名词有很多意思:信用;荣誉;学分;赞扬;贷款;赊欠;贷方;存款;
    当用作复数credits时,指演职员名单。