mutilation

IPA/ˌmjuːtɪˈleɪʃn/
KK[mjˌutəlˈeʃən]IPA/ˌmjuːtɪˈleɪʃn/

mutilation — noun

  • mutilationsingular
  • mutilationsplural

1. the deliberate infliction of serious bodily injury on someone or an animal, freq

1.名詞B2
釋義

the deliberate infliction of serious bodily injury on someone or an animal, frequently involving the cutting or tearing away of a body part

例句

International law strictly prohibits the mutilation of prisoners during armed conflict.

mutilation + of + noun phrase

The vet treated the dog for mutilation from a sharp wire trap in the forest.

caused by [agent]

同義詞
  • disfigurement

    focuses on spoiling appearance rather than removing body parts

  • maiming

    emphasizes the loss of normal bodily function, less formal than mutilation

  • amputation

    specifically the surgical or traumatic removal of a limb, neutral in tone

反義詞
  • healing

    the process of recovering from injury, opposite in outcome

  • preservation

    keeping something whole and unharmed

文法句型

mutilation + of + noun phrase

acts of mutilation

用法筆記

Often used in legal, medical, or news contexts to describe violent injury. Frequently appears in passive constructions or as part of noun phrases (e.g., 'acts of mutilation', 'deliberate mutilation').

常見錯誤

❌The surgery caused mutilation to his leg.
✅The accident caused mutilation to his leg.
💡'mutilation' describes violent or accidental injury, not planned medical procedures like surgery.
❌She suffered a small mutilation on her finger.
✅She suffered a deep cut on her finger.
💡'mutilation' implies severe, permanent damage, not minor cuts.

2. the act of deliberately ruining or radically altering a creative work, performan

2.名詞C1
釋義

the act of deliberately ruining or radically altering a creative work, performance, or idea so badly that its original form or meaning is lost

例句

Critics condemned the shortened film as a mutilation of the director's original vision.

a mutilation of [creative work]

The author refused to allow any mutilation of her manuscript by the publishing house.

mutilation + of + noun phrase

同義詞
  • butchery

    more informal and strongly disapproving, often used for editing

  • vandalism

    suggests deliberate destruction, often of property rather than ideas

  • corruption

    focuses on making something impure or deviating from the original

反義詞

文法句型

mutilation + of + noun phrase

a mutilation of [creative work]

用法筆記

This sense is figurative and strongly critical. Unlike sense 1, it does not refer to physical violence. The object is always an abstract entity: a text, film, song, idea, or performance.

常見錯誤

❌The storm caused a mutilation of the garden.
✅The storm caused severe damage to the garden.
💡sense 2 applies only to creative works and ideas, not to physical objects.
❌The editor's mutilation of the article was accidental.
✅The editor's changes amounted to a mutilation of the article.
💡mutilation in this sense implies deliberate or careless destruction, not a neutral edit.

3. serious physical harm done to an object or piece of property, typically leaving

3.名詞B2
釋義

serious physical harm done to an object or piece of property, typically leaving it broken beyond repair

例句

The flood caused the mutilation of priceless manuscripts stored in the library basement.

mutilation + of + noun phrase

Vandals carried out the mutilation of several public sculptures in the city park.

同義詞
  • damage

    broader and less severe; does not imply permanent destruction

  • ruination

    equally strong but less specific about physical violence

  • vandalism

    emphasizes deliberate, malicious damage to property

反義詞
  • repair

    fixing what has been broken

  • restoration

    returning an object to its original condition

文法句型

mutilation + of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense applies to objects and property, not to living beings. Unlike sense 2, it refers to physical damage rather than abstract ruination.

常見錯誤

❌The coffee stain was a mutilation of the tablecloth.
✅The coffee stain ruined the tablecloth.
💡mutilation implies serious, often violent damage, not minor stains.
❌His mutilation of the cake was terrible.
✅His mutilation of the sculpture was terrible.
💡this sense is formal and typically used for significant or valuable objects.