1. 贫困的，贫穷的　 having very little money and therefore a low standard of living
2. 低劣的，次等的　 rather far below the usual standard, low in quality
3. 贫乏的　 rather far less than is needed or expected, small in size or quantity
4. （身体）衰弱的　 (of health) rather weak, not good
5. A 可怜的，不幸的　 deserving or causing pity, unlucky

　～ chance　机会不大
　desperately ～　穷得走投无路
　incredibly ～　穷得令人难以置信
　～ in　在…方面贫乏
　～ in minerals　矿藏贫乏
　～ in natural resources　自然资源贫乏

　Many poor people gathered at the gate.　许多穷苦人聚集在门口。
　A poor man came to the house this morning, begging for food.　今天上午有个穷人到这户人家来讨东西吃。
　If a poor man inherits a large fortune and dies a month later, one might call it one of life's ironies.　要是一个穷人继承了一大笔财产，一个月后就死了，人们倒可以把这称为生活的嘲弄。
　The boy comes of a poor family.　这小孩出身于贫穷人家。
　It is one of the poorest countries in the world.　这是世界上最贫穷的国家之一。
　The farm is a very poor one.　这个农场贫瘠得很。
　An actor who mouths his words is a poor actor.　装腔作势背台词的演员不是好演员。
　The creature is physically feeble, with poor vision and dull senses.　这种动物体质虚弱，视力差，感觉迟钝。
　The poor man always wants to have a really comfortable home.　这个可怜的男人一直想拥有一个真正舒适的家。
　The poor child burst into tears when he found himself lost.　这可怜的孩子发觉自己迷路时突然放声大哭。
　Your poor father and I have suffered very much of late.　你可怜的父亲和我近来都受了不少苦。
　The poor old man had lost both his sons in the war.　这位不幸的老人在战争中失去了两个儿子。
　It was wicked of you to torment the poor cat.　你折磨那只可怜的猫真缺德。
　The poor cat was kicked downstairs by the children.　那可怜的猫被孩子们踢下了楼。
　Other things being equal, Alice would marry Jim, not Tom, but Jim is poor, and Tom is rich.　如果其他条件都一样，艾丽丝就会嫁给吉姆而不是汤姆，但是吉姆贫穷，汤姆富有。
　The village used to be poor.　这个村庄过去很穷。
　The light in this room is poor.　这房间里的光线不充足。
　It's cheap, but on the other hand the quality is poor.　它是便宜，但另一方面质量差。
　The food at this inn is very poor.　这家旅店的饭食很糟。
　My German is rather poor, and I couldn't make myself understood.　我的德语很蹩脚，我无法使人听懂我的话。
　He is poor in money, but rich in knowledge.　他贫于金钱，但富于学问。
　We were very poor in our family.　我们的家境很贫寒。
　She is too poor to satisfy her family's material needs.　她太穷了，无法满足家人的物质需要。
　He was too poor to buy shoes for his family.　他穷得无法替家人买鞋子。
　The rich ought to help the poor.　富人应该帮助穷人。
　The poor were looked down upon in the old days.　旧社会穷人受歧视。
　The poor are always with us.　每个社会总有穷人。
　They distributed food and clothing to the poor.　他们把食物和衣服分发给穷人。

 ♣ poor, hard up, lower classes
　这三个词（组）都用于描写一些人，这些人不能获得足够的钱物以保证像样的生活水平。其区别是：poor是其中最广义的词，可指长期或临时的物质或精神的匮乏；hard up是poor的口头用语，常指短期物质的匮乏，例如发工资前借钱买午餐或庄稼歉收时的农民，都可用hard up; lower classes习惯上用于指在任何社会中社会地位和经济地位最低的一些人，那些所谓lower classes的人通常是穷的，然而如今该词常用作带贬义的势利语，指那些胸无大志，缺少教养的人，这些人经济上也许贫也许富。例如：
　If prices continue to advance, poor people will find it hard to live.　如果物价继续上涨，穷人的日子就更不好过了。
　I am hard up for money this month.　我这个月手头拮据。
　He is a member of lower classes.　他是下层社会的一员。
 ♣ 下面两个句子意思不同：
　
 ♣ 下面两个短语意思不同：
　

1. 汤姆的汉语水平不高。
　［误］ Tom's Chinese level is low.
　［正］ Tom's Chinese level is poor.
　［正］ Tom is poor in Chinese
　［析］ 误句是汉式英语。
2. He is a poor liar.
　［误］ 他是个可怜的说谎者。
　［正］ 他是个不高明的说谎者。
　［析］ 本句中poor实际上是修饰与施事名词有关的动作，而不是修饰施事名词本身的固有特征。

　［同义词］ hopeless, luckless, pathetic, unfortunate, unhappy, unlucky, wretched
　［反义词］ luck
　［词源］　古法语pauper （贫乏，贫穷）