Such phenomena as a brilliant diamond or a nesting bird are relegated to the role of data, serving as the means for formulating or testing a new theory.

诸如璀璨的钻石或筑巢的鸟等现象都被归于数据的作用，成为形成或检验新理论的手段。

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Don't underestimate the role of theory.

不要轻视理论的作用。

《新英汉大辞典》

A man who looks like that should not, in theory, be able to pull off the role of a romantically wounded pussycat.

理论上一个看上去白马王子般的男人不应该扮演这么一个浪漫却很受伤的老好人。

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After his mother died, and so one theory is the role in his life is his mother and his loss of her.

他母亲去世后，有一种理论说,他的母亲和母亲的死在他生活中起了重要作用。

麻省理工公开课 - 电影哲学课程节选

Famously visited by Charles Darwin in 1835, the archipelago played a key role in his theory of evolution.

CNN: Close encounters in the Galapagos

Putting such theory into practice was the role of the C.

NEWYORKER: Remote Control

Mr Ebner would have had only a small role in the merged group, one theory goes, which is why he was probably only too happy to see the deal fail and played his part in ensuring that it did.

ECONOMIST: Cross-border mergers