extreme用作名词时意为“极端”,是可数名词,常用复数形式。既可指感情、状况等的极端,也可指人能忍受某环境达到的最大限度。

go to extremes
走极端 act or be forced to act in a way that is far from moderate or normal
They of ten go to extremes in their views.他们在看法上经常走极端。

in the extreme
to the highest degree; extremely 极其
He has been generous in the extreme.他极其慷慨。

Joy and grief are extremes.喜与悲都是极端。
I could not tolerate the extremes of cold in this country.我无法忍受这个国家的严寒。

［同义词］ adj. excessive, supreme, terrific, utmost n. utmost
［反义词］ adj. moderate, temperate n. initial
［词源］＜拉丁语extremus(极端)

1.extreme用作形容词的基本意思是距离中心或起点“尽可能远的”,引申可指“极度的,极端的”; 也可指人或意见等“过激的”“偏激的”。
2.extreme一般不修饰improvement,development等表示动作的名词,而修饰表示状态的名词。

用作定语
▲～+n.
 She lived on the extreme edge of the forest.她住在森林的最边缘。
He sat on my extreme right.他坐在我的最右端。
The extreme penalty of the law in England used to be punishment by death.在英国法律上死刑曾是极刑。
He was an extreme right-winger.他是一个极右分子。
用作表语
▲S+be+～
 His views are rather extreme.他的见解相当偏激。

extreme, farthest, furthest
这三个词的共同意思是“最远的”。farthest只指实义的距离,而furthest既可指实义距离,也可指抽象距离; extreme既可指实义的距离,也可指抽象的距离,往往表示一种不明智的超越或严重背离准则的极端。