immolate

/ˈɪməleɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɪməleɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈi-mə-ˌlāt/ (ame, mw)

immolate — verb

  • immolatepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • immolateshe / she / it
  • immolatedpast simple
  • immolating-ing form

1. to take a life or destroy something, most often through fire, as part of a ritua

1.動詞及物C2
釋義

to take a life or destroy something, most often through fire, as part of a ritual, religious act, or public political protest.

例句

The monk chose to immolate himself in the city square to protest the government's policies.

reflexive: immolate oneself as political protest

Ancient priests would immolate a young goat on the temple altar each spring.

transitive with ritual object: immolate + animal

同義詞
  • sacrifice

    broader; the offering need not involve fire

  • burn

    neutral, everyday; lacks the ritual or protest framing

文法句型

immolate + oneself

immolate + somebody/something

用法筆記

Frequently reflexive (immolate oneself) when referring to self-burning as political protest. Object is almost always a person, animal, or symbolic offering destined for ritual destruction; rarely used of accidental fires.

常見錯誤

❌The fire immolated the whole forest.
✅The fire destroyed the whole forest.
💡'immolate' needs an intentional, ritual or symbolic act, not an accidental blaze.
❌She immolated the old papers in the bin.
✅She burned the old papers in the bin.
💡everyday burning is not 'immolation'; reserve the word for ceremonial or protest contexts.