poverty /ˈpɔvəti/ n.［u］1. 贫穷：live in poverty 过穷苦的生活；fall into poverty 变穷; suffer poverty受穷困的煎熬； fight against poverty 与贫困作斗争 He does not mind poverty.他对贫穷毫不在乎。 2. 缺乏：poverty in vitamins维生素的缺乏；poverty of thought思想的贫乏Because of his poverty of ideas (imagination) Tom’s later stories are not interesting.汤姆由于缺乏思想(想象力)，他后来写的故事枯燥乏味。