laggard n.
释义：a person who makes slow progress and falls behind others
“laggard”是可数名词，意思是“落后者”，从动词 lag（落后）衍生而来。这个词是《经济学人》的常客，可以指一个人、一家公司、一支球队、一个国家。
例①这项比赛竞争激烈，不适合失败者和落后者。
This cut-throat contest is not for losers and laggards.
例②中国男足一直落后，让很多国人觉得非常尴尬。
The Chinese national football team has long been a laggard, an embarrassment to many Chinese.
例③ 来看看《经济学人》文章中用到的几处 laggard：
a) Britain’s economy has gone from a leader to a laggard internationally, as GDP growth has slowed sharply.
想表达“从领头羊变成了落后者”就可以直接用“go from a leader to a laggard”这一表达。
b) Indeed, half a millennium ago Europe might justly have been considered a laggard.
c) On its current path, the country will remain a growth laggard.
这句中，注意 growth 虽然是名词，但也可以用来修饰 laggard。在阅读中可以多注意积累类似的名词作修饰语的用法。
翻译：这个国家的经济一度落后，不过现在已经开始迎头赶上了。
Having long been a laggard, the economy of this country is starting to catch up.
（参考翻译：Once a laggard, the economy of this country is starting to catch up. 或 Long a laggard, this country's economy is beginning to pick up.）
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