propensity n. 倾向,嗜好,脾性,癖 (to; for)。 a propensity to extravagance [for gambling] 奢华[赌博]的癖好。
spend vt. (spent ) 1.用(钱),花费。 2.乱花;浪费;过(日子)。 3.消磨(时间),度过,过日子;用光,用尽(子弹、气力、财产等);消耗;使筋疲力尽,使极度衰弱;费(很多心血等)。 4.献出(生命等);【航海】失去(桅)。 How much have you spent on books this term 这学期你在买书上用了多少钱? Father is going to spend the winter in New York.父亲将要在纽约过冬。 a life honestly spent in the service of one's country 忠心耿耿地为国家作奉献的一生。 vi. 1.用钱,花钱;浪费。 2.耗尽,用尽,用完;筋疲力尽,极度衰弱。 3.(鱼等)产卵,下子。 Don't spend without the thought of the next day. 不要只顾眼前不想明天地花钱。 spend and be spent 出钱又出力,尽全力。 spend itself [oneself] 耗尽;筋疲力尽,衰弱 (The storm has spent itself. 暴风雨已过去了)。 spend one's blood 费尽心血。 spend one's breath [words] (in vain) 白费唇舌,说也无用。 spend one's last 动用最后存品[存款]。 adj. -able 可花费的。 n. -er 挥霍者,浪费者。
This is understandable in one sense ( they pay most of the taxes ) but not in terms of stimulating the economy in the short term , since poorer people have a higher propensity to spend 从某种意义上说这是可以理解的(他们承担大部分税赋) ,但从促进经济短期增长的角度出发却难以理解,因为越贫困才越需要支出。