late 14c., "advantageous, fit, proper to a purpose," from Old French expedient "useful, beneficial" (14c.) or directly from Latin expedientem (nominative expediens) "beneficial," present participle of expedire "make fit or ready, prepare" (see expedite). The noun meaning "a device adopted in an exigency, that which serves to advance a desired result" is from 1650s. Related: Expediential; expedientially (both 19c.).
Expedient, contrivance, and device indicate artificial means of escape from difficulty or embarrassment; resource indicates natural means or something possessed; resort and shift may indicate either. [Century Dictionary]
实用例句
1. The disease was controlled by the simple expedient of not allowing anyone to leave the city.
通过禁止任何人出城的简单应急办法使疾病得到了控制。
来自《权威词典》
2. The government found it expedient to relax censorship a little.
政府发现略微放宽审查是可取的.
来自《简明英汉词典》
3. It was expedient to retire gracefully.
体面的让步可算是权宜之计.
来自《简明英汉词典》
4. Do whatever is expedient.
权宜处置,怎么方便就怎么办.
来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
5. I cut my purchases dramatically by the simple expedient of destroying my credit cards.
