transfix

/trænsˈfɪks/ (bre, ipa) · [trænsfˈɪks] /trænsˈfɪks/ (ame, ipa) · [trænsfˈɪks] /tran(t)s-ˈfiks How to pronounce transfix (audio)/ (ame, mw)

transfix — verb

  • transfixpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • transfixeshe / she / it
  • transfixedpast simple
  • transfixing-ing form

1. to make a living creature become completely still, with their eyes fixed on some

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to make a living creature become completely still, with their eyes fixed on something, because a powerful emotion such as shock, fear, wonder, or intense curiosity has taken hold of them.

例句

The deer stood transfixed by the car's headlights on the dark country road.

passive: be transfixed by [sth]

Hui was completely transfixed when the magician pulled a white dove from an empty hat.

同義詞
  • mesmerize

    suggests a trance-like spell, often deliberate (e.g., a performer)

  • captivate

    purely positive attraction; lacks the shock or fear element

  • hypnotize

    implies a sleep-like or artificially induced trance

  • paralyse

    focuses on physical immobility, not necessarily with a fixed gaze

反義詞
  • bore

    causes a person to lose interest and look away

文法句型

be transfixed by + noun phrase

be transfixed at + noun phrase

transfix + object (active, rarer)

用法筆記

Most commonly used in the passive voice ('be transfixed by/at'). The active form, as in 'The sight transfixed her,' is grammatically correct but far less frequent. The emotion described is always involuntary — the person cannot choose to look away.

常見錯誤

❌I was very transfixed by the movie.
✅I was completely transfixed by the movie.
💡'Transfixed' is an absolute state; intensifiers like 'very' sound unnatural. Use 'completely,' 'utterly,' or 'totally' instead.

2. to drive a long, sharp object all the way through a person or thing using delibe

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

to drive a long, sharp object all the way through a person or thing using deliberate force.

例句

The hunter's spear transfixed the wild boar during the chase.

transitive: transfix [object] with [weapon]

In the museum, visitors saw an ancient arrow that had transfixed a soldier's shield.

同義詞
  • impale

    specifically means to pierce and fix in place on a pointed object

  • pierce

    more general; can mean partial penetration, not necessarily through-and-through

  • spear

    used as a verb, specifically with a spear or similar weapon

文法句型

transfix + object

transfix + object + with + tool

用法筆記

This is the original, literal meaning of 'transfix', but it is now far less common than the figurative sense (Sense 1). In everyday modern English, simpler alternatives such as 'pierce', 'stab', or 'impale' are preferred. This sense appears mostly in historical, fantasy, or formal descriptive writing.