extinguishing

/ɪkˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪʃ/ (bre, ipa) · [ɪkstˈɪŋɡwɪʃɪŋ] /ɪkˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪʃ/ (ame, ipa) · [ɪkstˈɪŋɡwɪʃɪŋ] /ik-ˈstiŋ-(g)wish/ (ame, mw)

extinguishing — verb

  • extinguishingpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • extinguishings3rd person singular
  • extinguishinging-ing form
  • extinguishingedpast simple

1. to cause a fire, flame, or something that gives off light to stop burning or shi

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

to cause a fire, flame, or something that gives off light to stop burning or shining

例句

A firefighter took two hours to extinguish the blaze in the factory basement.

extinguish + fire / blaze — literal

Yasmin grabbed the fire blanket and quickly extinguished the burning oil on the stove.

extinguish + burning [object] — specific context

同義詞
  • put out

    much more common in everyday speech; fully interchangeable in meaning

  • douse

    specifically means to pour water or other liquid over a fire to stop it

  • quench

    formal; often used for thirst metaphorically, but can describe stopping flames with water

反義詞
  • light

    to cause something to start burning

  • ignite

    to cause something to catch fire

  • kindle

    to start a fire, especially using small pieces of wood or paper

文法句型

extinguish + fire / flame / candle / cigarette

用法筆記

In everyday spoken English, 'put out' is far more common than 'extinguish' for fires, candles, and cigarettes. 'Extinguish' is preferred in formal writing, safety instructions, and news reports.

常見錯誤

❌I extinguished the electric light before bed.
✅I turned off the electric light before bed.
💡'extinguish' is used for flames and candles, not electric lights; use 'turn off' or 'switch off' for bulbs and lamps.
❌The rain extinguished the barbecue.
✅The rain put out the barbecue.
💡'put out' is the natural everyday choice; 'extinguish' sounds overly formal in casual situations.

2. to bring a thought, emotion, or aspiration to an end so that it no longer exists

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to bring a thought, emotion, or aspiration to an end so that it no longer exists or affects someone

例句

Nikos's cruel remark extinguished any hope that Valentina had of rebuilding their friendship.

extinguish hope — figurative use

The government's sudden decision to cut funding extinguished the dreams of hundreds of young athletes.

extinguish + abstract noun (dreams)

同義詞
  • quell

    suggests suppressing something that is active or rising, like unrest or anger

  • eradicate

    stronger — implies total removal, as if pulling out by the roots

  • suppress

    suggests holding something down or keeping it from being expressed, not necessarily destroying it

反義詞
  • ignite

    to cause a feeling or idea to start; the figurative counterpart of lighting a fire

  • spark

    to cause something exciting or interesting to begin

  • fuel

    to make a feeling or situation stronger or more intense

文法句型

extinguish + hope / passion / anger / dream / guilt

用法筆記

This sense only takes abstract objects — emotions, ideas, hopes, aspirations. The literal sense (sense 1) only takes concrete fire-producing objects. If the object is a person or a concrete plan, use 'destroy,' 'ruin,' or 'cancel' instead.

常見錯誤

❌The bad weather extinguished our trip to the beach.
✅The bad weather ruined our trip to the beach.
💡'extinguish' works for feelings and hopes, not for concrete events or plans.
❌The head teacher extinguished the student's idea.
✅The head teacher rejected the student's idea.
💡'extinguish' for an idea means to destroy it completely (as if burning it); for simply saying no, use 'reject' or 'dismiss.'