sacrificed
sacrificed — noun
1. the deliberate choice to let go of something important in order to gain or prote
the deliberate choice to let go of something important in order to gain or protect something that matters more
Michael's sacrifice of weekends and holidays helped his daughter become a doctor.
The soldiers' sacrifice on the battlefield saved hundreds of civilian lives.
Nila made the sacrifice of leaving her family to study abroad in Canada.
For three years, Karim missed every family dinner — a sacrifice that earned him an engineering degree.
Fatima and Amir's sacrifice of their retirement savings sent their daughter to medical school.
- renunciation
more formal; implies officially giving up a right, title, or claim
- forfeiture
implies losing something as a penalty, not by deliberate choice
- gain
acquiring something of value rather than giving it up
2. a valued item, opportunity, or benefit that a person willingly loses or hands ov
a valued item, opportunity, or benefit that a person willingly loses or hands over for a larger goal
Giving up Friday nights was a small sacrifice for Camila's promotion.
sacrifice + for + noun phrase
For Omar, missing the party felt like a huge sacrifice at the time.
Losing the corner office was the biggest sacrifice in the merger deal.
Ryo viewed the lost income as a necessary sacrifice for starting his business.
The long commute was a daily sacrifice Adaeze accepted for the good school.
- reward
something gained rather than given up
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun sense 1: this sense names the thing itself that is given up, not the act of giving it up.
常見錯誤
3. a ceremony in which a living creature is killed and presented to a deity or spir
a ceremony in which a living creature is killed and presented to a deity or spiritual power
The ancient temple performed a sacrifice of a lamb every spring.
collocation: perform a sacrifice
Archaeologists found evidence of human sacrifice at the burial site.
The priest prepared the sacrifice according to the old religious customs.
In the story, the king ordered a sacrifice to please the angry gods.
The Inca people offered sacrifices of llamas and cloth to the mountain spirits.
- offering
broader; can include non-lethal gifts such as food, flowers, or incense
- ritual killing
emphasises the act of killing without the religious framing
4. in baseball, a hit in which the batter deliberately taps the ball lightly so tha
in baseball, a hit in which the batter deliberately taps the ball lightly so that a teammate on base can move forward, even though the batter will be called out
The batter laid down a perfect sacrifice to move the runner to third base.
collocation: lay down a sacrifice
With one out, Esme executed a sacrifice that advanced both teammates.
The coach called for a sacrifice to tie the game in the final inning.
Pim's sacrifice bunt surprised the defence and let the runner score easily.
A well-placed sacrifice in the seventh inning turned the whole game around.
- sacrifice bunt
the most common specific term for this play in baseball
- sacrifice hit
broader baseball term; includes sacrifice flies as well as bunts
sacrificed — verb
- sacrificedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- sacrificeds3rd person singular
- sacrificeding-ing form
- sacrificededpast simple
1. to voluntarily let go of something you value — time, money, comfort, or an oppor
to voluntarily let go of something you value — time, money, comfort, or an opportunity — so that you can help another person or reach a more important goal
Michael sacrificed his weekends to help his daughter train for the competition.
sacrifice + time/leisure for someone's benefit
Amihan sacrificed a high salary to work for a charity she believed in.
The family sacrificed their holiday plans to care for an elderly neighbour.
Ishaan sacrificed sleep for months while finishing his university degree.
The Watanabe family sacrificed their own comfort so the refugees could have a warm place to stay.
文法句型
sacrifice + noun phrase
sacrifice + noun phrase + for + noun phrase
用法筆記
Often followed by 'for' to show the purpose or person benefited. Common objects include time, comfort, career, and personal plans. This is the most frequent sense of the word.
常見錯誤
2. in baseball, to deliberately tap the ball softly, giving up your own chance to r
in baseball, to deliberately tap the ball softly, giving up your own chance to reach base so that another runner can advance or score
Mira sacrificed her turn at bat to move the runner into scoring position.
sacrifice + turn at bat
The veteran player sacrificed twice during the tense playoff game.
The rookie sacrificed in the ninth inning and the winning run came home.
The manager asked Eliska to sacrifice so the faster runner could reach second.
Omar sacrificed to bring the runner home in the championship game.
- bunt
the general baseball term; 'sacrifice' specifies the bunt was done to advance a runner
文法句型
sacrifice + (runner) + to + base
3. to kill a living being as part of a religious ceremony, presenting it to a deity
to kill a living being as part of a religious ceremony, presenting it to a deity or spiritual force
The ancient Greeks sacrificed goats to honour Zeus at the temple.
sacrifice + animal + to + honour/deity
According to the legend, the people sacrificed a white bull each year.
The priest sacrificed the lamb on the stone altar before the crowd gathered.
In the Old Testament story, Abraham was ready to sacrifice his son Isaac.
The villagers sacrificed a rooster as part of the harvest festival ritual.
文法句型
sacrifice + animal/person + to + deity
4. to sell an item or asset for a price far below what it is worth, usually because
to sell an item or asset for a price far below what it is worth, usually because you need money quickly
The store sacrificed last season's clothes at half the original price.
sacrifice + goods + at + price
Nila sacrificed her car for far less than it was worth after the accident.
The warehouse manager sacrificed the old stock to clear space for new products.
The company sacrificed its overseas division in a rushed sale to investors.
Adaeze sacrificed the family shop when she needed money for the hospital bills.
文法句型
sacrifice + asset + for + price
用法筆記
Used mostly in business contexts. The subject is usually a seller or company that needs quick cash and accepts a lower price than the item is worth.