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The next best thing to flying is gliding.

仅次于飞行的事就是滑翔。

《牛津词典》

The one thing he didn't have was a son. I think he's felt that a grandson is the next best thing.

有一样东西他没有，就是儿子。我觉得他有个外孙感觉也不错。

《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

Combinations of drugs are able to suppress the deadly virus in the body -- if not a cure, in the traditional sense but the next best thing.

VOA: special.2010.07.14

Before refrigerators were invented, the next best thing was an ice box.

VOA: special.2009.11.30

'It may have seen itself as the leader but it was basically the next best thing in its own Revolutionary discourse on the market.

VOA: standard.2010.07.26

The American version makes business success the next best thing to fraternalism and solidarity.

FORBES: Magazine Article

They can't pay players, so they choose the next best thing: shiny facilities to lure them.

WSJ: College Sports and the Giant Albatross��Rachel Bachman

We'd love to be winning the Heineken Cup, but this certainly is the next best thing.

BBC: Boss Dai Young says Blues won Cup 'the hard way'