cloud

Compared meaning: to make something unclear (verb).

比较义项：使某事物变得模糊不清（动词）。

• cloud 本词

  Cloud is used mainly in the figurative sense, describing emotions, bias or worry that make someone's mind, judgment or memory less clear; it rarely describes literal fog or water droplets.

  cloud主要用于比喻义，形容情绪、偏见或忧虑使人的头脑、判断力或记忆变得不清晰；很少用来描述真实的雾气或水珠。

  Personal bias can cloud a scientist's judgment when analyzing controversial data.

  个人偏见可能会使科学家在分析有争议的数据时判断变得不清晰。

• fog

  Fog usually describes glass, mirrors or windows becoming covered with a hazy layer of condensation, often used with 'up'; it can also describe the mind feeling slow or unclear, but less formally than cloud.

  fog通常形容玻璃、镜子或车窗蒙上一层朦胧的水汽，常构成“fog up”的用法；也可以形容头脑变得迟钝不清醒，但正式程度不如cloud。

  His breath fogged up the cold window as he pressed his face against it.

  他把脸贴在车窗上时，呼出的气使冰冷的玻璃蒙上了一层雾气。

• obscure

  Obscure is more formal and stronger, meaning to block something from view or understanding almost completely, whether physically (a building blocking a view) or through complexity (jargon hiding meaning).

  obscure语气更正式、程度更强，指几乎完全挡住视线或理解，无论是物理上遮挡视野（如建筑物挡住风景），还是因复杂难懂而掩盖含义。

  The tall building obscures the view of the harbor from our balcony.

  那栋高楼挡住了我们从阳台看向港口的视线。

• mist

  Mist describes a light, delicate layer of fine moisture forming over eyes or glass, often from tears, breath or steam; it suggests a gentler, less complete blurring than the other words.

  mist形容眼睛或玻璃上蒙上一层轻薄细腻的水汽，常因泪水、呼吸或蒸汽而起；比其他几个词所表达的模糊程度更轻、更不完全。

  Tears misted her eyes as she read the old letter again.

  当她再次读那封旧信时，泪水使她的双眼蒙上了一层雾气。

All four mean to make something unclear. Cloud is figurative, for emotions or judgment. Fog describes glass or mirrors covered in condensation. Mist is a light, delicate layer of moisture. Obscure is most formal, blocking completely. Not compared: noun senses (weather), or obscure as 'little-known'.

这几个词在“使变得模糊不清”这一动词义上意思相近，但正式程度、常用搭配和模糊的程度各不相同：cloud多用于比喻情绪或判断，fog多指玻璃、镜子起雾，mist指轻薄细腻的水汽，obscure语气最正式、遮挡或掩盖的程度也最强。这里不比较cloud、fog、mist的名词义（云、雾、薄雾），也不比较obscure作形容词表示“鲜为人知的”这一用法（如例句中的an obscure village）。