Living off the land was hard enough at the best of times.

即使是在最好的时期靠种地生活也是很艰难的。

《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

American football's a rough game at the best of times.

在最好的情况下足球也是一项粗野的运动。

《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

He's never very happy at the best of times—he'll be much worse now!

他即使在情绪最好的时候也从未很高兴过，现在就更糟了！

《牛津词典》

The fledgling stock markets in the Gulf are volatile at the best of times and, of course, they have continued to track their more established forerunners throughout this rollercoaster of a month.

BBC: Financial crisis: Global round-up

The Republican Party, a coalition of interest groups at the best of times, has a majority in the House of Representatives of merely six seats, the narrowest since 1955.

ECONOMIST: Dennis Hastert��s trouble

Death is an evil business at the best of times, but the circumstances and the timing of Phil's passing were just horrific.

BBC: Chick Young's view