mortification
/ˌmɔːtɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌmɔːrtɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌmȯr-tə-fə-ˈkā-shən/ (ame, mw)
mortification — noun
1. the strong, painful sense of shame or embarrassment a person feels when their pr
the strong, painful sense of shame or embarrassment a person feels when their pride is wounded in front of others.
To Trang's mortification, her boss read the private note out loud at the team meeting.
to one's mortification: framing a shameful outcome
Tomás felt deep mortification when his old classmates laughed at his school yearbook photo.
feel + mortification: common collocation
The actor blushed with mortification after forgetting his lines in front of the audience.
Ingrid hid her face in her hands, the mortification too strong for her to speak.
Mert's mortification grew as the waiter announced loudly that his card had been declined.
- humiliation
stronger; usually caused by another person putting you down
- embarrassment
lighter, more everyday word for the same feeling
- shame
broader; can include moral guilt, not only social discomfort
- pride
the positive feeling of being pleased with oneself
文法句型
mortification at + noun
to one's mortification
用法筆記
Frequently used in the fixed phrase 'to one's mortification', introducing a clause that names the embarrassing event. Uncountable; do not use 'a mortification' for this sense.
常見錯誤
2. a specific event, situation, or fact that causes a person strong shame or loss o
a specific event, situation, or fact that causes a person strong shame or loss of pride in front of others.
Losing the final match at home was a real mortification for Takeshi.
a mortification for someone: countable use
The leaked email proved to be a public mortification for Christopher and his whole company.
Forgetting her own daughter's birthday was a quiet mortification Eve never spoke about.
For Sade, having to ask her younger sister for money was a daily mortification.
- humiliation
near-synonym; often used for the event as well as the feeling
- indignity
an event that lowers a person's dignity, often unfair treatment
- disgrace
stronger; suggests public loss of honour, not only embarrassment
文法句型
a mortification for someone
用法筆記
Countable in this sense: 'a mortification', 'small mortifications'. Distinguish from sense 1 by index: sense 1 names the feeling itself; sense 2 names the outside event that triggers that feeling.
常見錯誤
3. the religious practice of controlling the body's wants and desires through hards
the religious practice of controlling the body's wants and desires through hardship, hunger, or pain, often to grow closer to God.
The old monks practised daily mortification by sleeping on bare wooden boards.
practise + mortification: typical religious collocation
Some early Christian writers praised the mortification of the flesh as a path to holiness.
mortification of the flesh: fixed phrase
Yael read about a Spanish saint whose mortification included long fasts and silent prayer.
The convent's rules required acts of mortification during the forty days before Easter.
- asceticism
broader; covers any strict self-denial, religious or not
- penance
self-punishment done to make up for sin, often given by a priest
- self-denial
everyday word; refusing yourself pleasures, not always religious
- indulgence
freely allowing yourself food, pleasure, or comfort
文法句型
mortification of the flesh
mortification of + noun
用法筆記
Religious / spiritual register only. Almost always uncountable; the set phrase 'mortification of the flesh' is the most common form. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is a chosen religious practice, not a feeling caused by social embarrassment.