liaison n. [LEE-uh-zahn]
Definition
1: a binding or thickening agent used in cooking
1：烹饪中使用的黏稠剂
2: a: a close bond or connect: interrelationship
b: an illicit sexual relationship: affair
2：a：亲近的纽带或联系：亲近的相互关系
b：非法的性关系：奸情
3 a: communication for establishing and maintaining mutual understanding and cooperation (as between parts of an armed force)
b: a person who establishes and maintains communication for mutual understanding and cooperation
3 a：（指事）用于建立/保持相互理解/合作的沟通交流行动（例如军方的各部门）
b：（指人）联系人，接头人，中间人
4: the pronunciation of an otherwise absent consonant sound at the end of the first of two consectuvie words the second of which begins with a vowel sound and follows without pause
4：发音中的连读现象。连个连续的单词，前一个单词以辅音音素结尾，后一个单词以元音音素开始，可以发生连读现象。
注：这个单词的本质含义是“两个事物之间的联系”，可以用于连接食物，人，部门，单词等。
agent：【化】剂；illicit：非法的，违规的；mutual：相互的；consonant sound：辅音；vowel sound：元音；consecutive：连续的；pause：暂停，停顿
Did You Know?
If you took French in school, you might remember that liaison is the term for the phenomenon that causes a silent consonant at the end of one word to sound like it begins the next word when that word begins with a vowel, so that a phrase like beaux arts sounds like \boh zahr\. we can thank French for the origin fo the term, as well. Liaison derives from the Middle French, lier, meaning "to bind or tie," and is related to our word liable. Our various English senses of liaison apply it to all kinds of bonds - from people who work to connect different groups to the kind of relationship sometimes entered into by two people who are attracted to one anther.
如果你在学校上过法语课，你可能会记得liaison这个术语用于描述法语的发音现象。在法语中，位于词尾的辅音字母通常不发音，但是当其后跟着一个元音开头的单词时，辅音字母发音且产生连读现象。例如短语beaux arts听起来就是\boh zahr\。我们也会感谢法语是这个术语的起源。liaison从中古法语lier（v. 绑，系）继承而来，与英语单词liable也有关系。在英语中liaison的含义包括各种的“联系”，从工作中联系各个组的人，到各种关系，有时候还指相互吸引的两性关系。
Examples
- "Brennan and Alejandro Castro agreed on a series of steps to build confidence. One called for the Cubans to post an officer in Washington to act as a formal liaison between the two countries' intelligence agencies."
--- Adam Entous, The New Yorker, 19 Nov. 2018
Brennan与Alejandro Castro同意通过一系列的步骤来建立互信关系。其中一个请求古巴在华盛顿设置一个官员，用于担任两个国家情报部门的联系人。
注：build confidence：建立互信；post an officer：设置一个官员；act as：担任，扮演；intelligence agency：情报部门 - "... the book offers vignettes that desribe Smith's childhood as the youngest of seven Irish-American kids in Chicago; his sister's short liaison with a married British man who shared the surname Smith; and a panicked hashish trip in Amsterdam."
--- Kirkus Reviews, 1 Dec. 2018
书中简述Smith作为7个芝加哥的爱尔兰-美国裔孩子中最小的孩子的故事；他的姐姐与一个已婚的且姓氏也正好是Smith的英国男人的短暂恋情；在阿姆斯特丹令人惊骇的吸食大麻的旅行。
注：vignette：小插图，简介，简述，小场景；hashish：印度大麻麻醉剂