ravages
ravages — noun
1. the gradual destruction or serious harm that happens to something over a period
the gradual destruction or serious harm that happens to something over a period of time, often caused by natural forces, conflict, illness, or old age
The old temple showed the ravages of time, with cracked pillars and faded murals.
pattern: 'the ravages of + cause'
Apinya's garden survived the ravages of winter and bloomed again in spring.
collocation: 'ravages of winter'
After the earthquake, the town bore the ravages of the disaster in every street.
The forest is slowly recovering from the ravages of a huge wildfire.
- destruction
broader term, not limited to gradual process
- devastation
stronger emotional tone, suggests complete ruin
- ruin
can be countable (the ruins of a building) or uncountable (the ruin of a plan)
- preservation
the act of keeping something in good condition
- restoration
the process of repairing and returning something to its original state
文法句型
the ravages of [time/war/disease/drought/poverty]
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural form 'ravages' in the fixed pattern 'the ravages of + [cause]'. The singular 'ravage' in this sense is vanishingly rare in modern English. Common causes include time, war, disease, drought, poverty, and age.
常見錯誤
ravages — verb
- ravagespresent simple I / you / we / they
- ravageses3rd person singular
- ravagesing-ing form
- ravagesedpast simple
1. to cause very serious damage or destruction to a place or thing, whether through
to cause very serious damage or destruction to a place or thing, whether through natural forces (a storm, disease, war) or through violent, uncontrolled action by a group (an invading army, gangs, armed raiders)
The hurricane ravaged the coastal villages, tearing roofs off homes and flooding roads.
transitive: ravage + place
Luca's home town was ravaged by the floods that followed weeks of heavy rain.
passive: 'be ravaged by [cause]'
A deadly virus ravaged the island's population, leaving thousands sick.
Decades of war ravaged the region's economy and destroyed its roads and bridges.
The invading army ravaged the countryside, burning villages and stealing crops as they advanced.
Gangs ravaged the abandoned district, smashing windows and setting fire to empty buildings.
- devastate
very similar in strength, equally common
- destroy
broader meaning, can be used for both physical and abstract things
- lay waste to
more literary and old-fashioned
- wreak havoc on
less formal, common in news reports
- pillage
specifically of human perpetrators; implies stealing as well as destroying
- sack
about capturing and looting a town or city in war
文法句型
ravage + [place/thing]
be ravaged by [cause or perpetrator]
用法筆記
Almost always transitive — 'ravage' needs a direct object (the thing being destroyed). The passive construction 'be ravaged by [cause/perpetrator]' is very common. This sense covers two subtypes: (a) damage by natural forces, disease, or war, where the focus is on the resulting destruction; and (b) violent rampage by a group of perpetrators (army, gangs, raiders), where the focus is on the uncontrolled, destructive movement through a place. More intense than 'damage' or 'harm'; comparable to 'devastate'.