vanquish
/ˈvæŋkwɪʃ/ (bre, ipa) · [vˈæŋkwɪʃ] /ˈvæŋkwɪʃ/ (ame, ipa) · [vˈæŋkwɪʃ] /ˈvaŋ-kwish How to pronounce vanquish (audio) ˈvan- How to pronounce vanquish (audio)/ (ame, mw)
vanquish — verb
- vanquishpresent simple I / you / we / they
- vanquisheshe / she / it
- vanquishedpast simple
- vanquishing-ing form
1. to win a complete victory over an opposing army, group, or rival in war, battle,
to win a complete victory over an opposing army, group, or rival in war, battle, or competition, leaving them with no power to fight back.
In 1683, the Ottoman army was vanquished by Polish-led forces outside the gates of Vienna.
passive: be vanquished by [army/forces] in historical accounts
General Okafor's troops vanquished the rebel militia after weeks of heavy fighting.
active: vanquish + enemy group in military context
At the world judo championships, Kim Min-jun vanquished the defending champion in the final round.
The northern clans were vanquished one by one as the emperor's army marched south.
- defeat
the most common and neutral alternative; vanquish implies a more thorough and decisive outcome
- conquer
suggests taking control or possession of land after defeating; vanquish focuses on a single decisive encounter
- overcome
broader, can apply to emotions and obstacles; vanquish is restricted to opponents in conflict
- surrender to
to give up and accept defeat by an opponent
- yield to
to stop resisting an opposing force
文法句型
vanquish + noun phrase (an enemy / an army / a rival)
be vanquished + by + noun phrase
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive voice (be vanquished by) when describing historical battles and military conflicts. The past participle vanquished also acts as an attributive adjective before the noun it modifies (the vanquished army / the vanquished foe). In everyday conversation, defeat or beat are more natural choices; vanquish belongs to formal writing, historical narrative, and epic storytelling.