ravage
/ˈrævɪdʒ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈrævɪdʒ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈra-vij/ (ame, mw)
ravage — verb
- ravagepresent simple I / you / we / they
- ravageshe / she / it
- ravagedpast simple
- ravaging-ing form
1. to seriously harm or destroy a place, a thing, or a living being, often in a sud
to seriously harm or destroy a place, a thing, or a living being, often in a sudden or violent way — for example, a hurricane ravaging a town, a disease ravaging a population, or neglect ravaging a historic building
The hurricane ravaged the coastal villages, destroying hundreds of homes.
natural disaster as subject; ravage + place noun
Years of civil war had ravaged the country's infrastructure and economy.
A rare form of cancer ravaged the young athlete's body within just weeks.
An invasive weed species ravaged the native crops across the farmlands.
Decades of neglect had ravaged the once-grand opera house beyond repair.
- devastate
very similar; 'devastate' adds emotional impact and suggests total ruin
- destroy
more general; can refer to any degree of damage from partial to complete
- wreck
suggests violent breaking apart; often used for vehicles or structures
- ruin
implies spoiling beyond repair but can be slower than 'ravage'
文法句型
ravage + noun phrase
用法筆記
Subject is typically a destructive force (disaster, disease, war, neglect) and the object is something large-scale (region, land, building, population, body).
常見錯誤
ravage — noun
1. a single act of violently destroying or damaging a place or thing — for example,
a single act of violently destroying or damaging a place or thing — for example, the ravage of a forest by illegal loggers or the ravage of a city by an invading army
The ravage of the ancient forest by illegal loggers sparked global outrage.
countable singular: the ravage of [place] by [agent]
Historians recorded the ravage of the city during the siege of 1942.
The documentary exposed the ravage of marine habitats by fishing fleets.
- destruction
broader and more common; not limited to violent or sudden acts
- devastation
similar emotional weight; emphasizes total ruin
文法句型
the ravage of [place] by [agent]
用法筆記
This countable singular use is rare; the plural form 'ravages' (noun sense 2) is much more common.
2. the serious damage or harmful effects that result from something such as time, w
the serious damage or harmful effects that result from something such as time, war, disease, or natural forces — for example, the ravages of time on a building, or the ravages of disease on a community
The old photographs had faded beyond recovery from the ravages of time.
fixed phrase: the ravages of time
Her skin showed the ravages of decades working under the tropical sun.
The library's rare collection survived the ravages of both fire and flood.
Scientists are researching ways to slow the ravages of Alzheimer's disease.
The village bore the ravages of the earthquake in every cracked wall.
- damage
more general; does not carry the dramatic tone of 'ravages'
- destruction
suggests total ruin, similar scope but less idiomatic in fixed phrases
- wear and tear
informal; only for gradual damage over time, not violent destruction
文法句型
the ravages of [cause]
用法筆記
Almost always appears as 'the ravages of + cause.' The singular 'ravage' (noun sense 1) refers to the act itself, whereas 'ravages' refers to the resulting damage.