an illegal
“illegal”在此是可数名词，指以非官方身份在他国从事间谍活动的人，不是形容词“违法的”。
The embassy driver was identified as an illegal working under non-official cover.
大使馆司机被认定是一名在非官方掩护下活动的非法特工。
在国外非法活动且无官方掩护的间谍
在国外非法活动且无官方掩护的间谍
A spy operating abroad illegally and under non-official cover, without visible ties to his or her country’s authorities.
The embassy had no record of the man, so the security team assumed he was an illegal.
大使馆没有那个人的记录，因此安保小组认为他是非法间谍。
用法提示：此处 illegal 作名词，表示无官方掩护的间谍。
The novel tells the story of an illegal who posed as a businessman for years.
这部小说讲述了一个非法间谍伪装成商人多年的故事。
用法提示：illegal 作可数名词，指无官方掩护的间谍。
Customs officers questioned the traveler, unaware that she was one of the illegals working in the region.
海关官员盘问了那位旅客，却不知道她是该地区活动的非法间谍之一。
用法提示：illegals 是 illegal 的复数形式，仍作名词表示非法间谍。
“illegal”在此是可数名词，指以非官方身份在他国从事间谍活动的人，不是形容词“违法的”。
The embassy driver was identified as an illegal working under non-official cover.
大使馆司机被认定是一名在非官方掩护下活动的非法特工。
复数形式直接加-s，作“多名非法特工”。
Counterintelligence officers tracked several illegals operating in the capital.
反间谍官员追踪了几名在首都活动的非法特工。
定冠词“the”用于特指前文已提及或语境中明确的那批“illegals”。
The illegals were quietly removed from the country before they could recruit anyone.
这些非法特工在招募到任何人之前就被悄悄逐出了该国。
“work as an illegal”强调以这种身份从事活动；也可用“operate as an illegal”。
She spent ten years working as an illegal in a hostile country.
她在一个敌对国以非法特工身份工作了十年。
grammar · medium
易错句子The agency suspected three illegal were operating in the city.
正确表达The agency suspected three illegals were operating in the city.
illegal 作名词时是可数名词，指“非法活动的间谍”，复数形式为 illegals，须加 -s；不能把它当形容词原形直接作复数名词。
grammar · medium
易错句子The consulate did not know he was illegal, not an ordinary visitor.
正确表达The consulate did not know he was an illegal, not an ordinary visitor.
illegal 作名词时是单数可数名词，表示“非法活动的间谍”，前面必须用不定冠词 an；用形容词 illegal 会变成“他是不合法的”，改变了句子想表达的意思。
grammar · medium
易错句子Many illegals entered the country last year.
正确表达Many illegal immigrants entered the country last year.
illegal 作名词只指“非法活动的间谍”，不能泛指“非法移民”；要表达“非法移民”须用形容词 illegal 修饰名词 immigrants，避免词义泛化。
illegal（名词）指“在国外以非官方身份活动的间谍”；illegible 形容字迹、印刷“模糊难认”。两者拼写相近，但意义完全不同。
illegal（名词）指“非法间谍”这类人；illicit 是形容词，形容行为、交易或物品“违法、不正当”。注意词性和搭配对象不同。
俄罗斯非法间谍（指无官方掩护在境外活动的间谍）
The Russian illegal had used several false passports over the years.
这名俄罗斯非法间谍多年来使用过好几本假护照。
非法间谍计划
The Illegals Program was uncovered in 2010 after a decade of FBI surveillance.
这项非法间谍计划在联邦调查局监视十年后，于2010年被揭露。
被驱逐的非法间谍
The expelled illegals boarded a plane to Moscow.
被驱逐的非法间谍们登上了飞往莫斯科的飞机。
il- (not) + legal (lawful); legal = leg- (law) + -al (adjective suffix). Related: legal, legality, legalize, illegally, illogical.
描述间谍活动通常具有的隐蔽性质，与“无官方掩护”的语境相关。
间谍活动的核心领域，指通过秘密行动收集的信息。
形容在目标国秘密行动的身份，与“illegal”一词的非官方掩护特征关联。
负责与海外间谍联系、传递指令的情报人员，常出现在此类语境中。
作为官方掩护的典型机构，与“无官方掩护”的非法活动形成对比。
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Includes Synonyms & Antonyms
Expand your vocabulary with synonyms and antonyms.
Dictionary facts from DICTIONARY_API_DEV, ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.