He had a chequered political career spanning nearly forty years.是什么意思？

He had a chequered political career spanning nearly forty years.

他的政治生涯将近40年，其间起起伏伏。

he

pron. 他，它，一个人；n. 雄性动物；

例句
Logic had prevailed and he had abandoned the idea.
最终理智占了上风，他打消了那个念头。

had

v. 有（ have的过去式和过去分词 ），（亲属关系中）接受，拿，买到；

例句
He claimed that his parents had abandoned him...
他声称父母遗弃了他。

political

adj. 政治的，政党的，对政治有兴趣的；

例句
He has also called for an acceleration of political reforms.
他同时呼吁加快政治改革的步伐。

career

n. 生涯，职业，事业；vi. 全速前进，猛冲；

例句
...a second career which absorbed her more completely than her acting ever had.
比演艺生涯更让她投入的又一职业

spanning

adj. （尤指树形子图）生成的；

例句
...a fortified arched bridge spanning the River Severn.
横跨塞文河的加固拱桥

nearly

adv. 几乎，差不多，险乎；

例句
His increasing alignment with the Reagan administration nearly cost him re-election.
与里根政府日益紧密的关系差点让他失去了连任的机会。

forty

n. 四十，四十几；adj. 四十的；

例句
In my local health centre there's about forty parking spaces...
我们本地的保健中心约有40个停车位。

years

n. 年( year的名词复数 )，年纪，一年的期间，某年级的学生；

例句
His wife was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for aiding and abetting him...
他的妻子作为他的从犯被判入狱7年。