castrate
/kæˈstreɪt/ (bre, ipa) · [kˈæstrˌet] /ˈkæstreɪt/ (ame, ipa) · [kˈæstrˌet] /ˈka-ˌstrāt How to pronounce castrate (audio)/ (ame, mw)
castrate — 動詞
- castratepresent simple I / you / we / they
- castrateshe / she / it
- castratedpast simple
- castrating-ing form
1. to take out a male animal's or man's testicles, usually to stop reproduction or
閹割
切除雄性的睪丸
to take out a male animal's or man's testicles, usually to stop reproduction or reduce sex-hormone production
The farm vet castrated the young bull before winter feeding began.
農場獸醫在冬季餵養開始前就把那頭小公牛閹割了。
castrate + young male animal
Surgeons castrated the dog after finding a disease in one testicle.
外科醫師在發現那隻狗的一側睪丸有疾病後，替牠做了閹割。
The rescue center castrated every male goat before placing them with families.
救援中心在把公山羊安置到家庭前，把每一隻都先閹割了。
Doctors rarely castrate a patient unless no safer treatment is available.
除非沒有更安全的治療方式，否則醫師很少會把病人閹割。
文法句型
castrate + male animal/person
用法筆記
Used mainly in veterinary or medical contexts. The object is normally a male animal; use with a human patient is much rarer and usually refers to serious disease or punishment.
2. to surgically take out the ovaries in a woman or in a female animal
摘除卵巢
切除雌性的卵巢
to surgically take out the ovaries in a woman or in a female animal
The clinic castrated the stray cat to prevent more unwanted kittens.
診所替那隻流浪母貓摘除卵巢，以免再生出更多沒人要的小貓。
veterinary use with a female animal
Vets castrated the mare after scans showed a dangerous growth.
掃描顯示有危險的腫塊後，獸醫替那匹母馬摘除卵巢。
The shelter castrated several female rabbits before the adoption event.
收容所在送養活動前，替幾隻母兔摘除了卵巢。
Doctors may castrate a patient when ovarian disease keeps returning.
如果卵巢疾病反覆出現，醫師可能會替病人摘除卵巢。
文法句型
castrate + female animal/person
用法筆記
This is a much rarer extension of the word than sense 1. It appears mostly in technical medical or veterinary discussion and focuses specifically on removing the ovaries.
3. to make something much weaker, less effective, or unable to have its full force
削弱
使力量或作用大減
to make something much weaker, less effective, or unable to have its full force
The last-minute budget cut castrated the plan before work even started.
最後一刻的預算刪減把整個計畫削弱了，工作甚至還沒開始。
figurative use with a plan
Removing the local teams castrated the tournament and killed public interest.
拿掉地方隊伍後，這場錦標賽被大大削弱，也失去了大眾興趣。
The final edits castrated her article, leaving it flat and cautious.
最後的編修把她的文章削弱了，讓內容變得平淡又保守。
A weak enforcement system can castrate the law in practice.
薄弱的執法制度會在實際運作中削弱這條法律。
文法句型
castrate + plan/law/article/system
用法筆記
This figurative sense is strongly negative and usually appears in formal criticism. It often suggests that a plan, rule, or piece of writing has lost the force that once made it useful.
castrate — 名詞
1. a male person or animal whose testicles have been removed
閹人；閹獸
已被去除睪丸的雄性
a male person or animal whose testicles have been removed
In old courts, a castrate often sang music written for high male voices.
在早期宮廷裡，閹人常演唱為高音男聲所寫的樂曲。
historical use, especially of singers
The novel follows a castrate who performs for nobles across Europe.
這部小說描述一名閹人如何在歐洲各地為貴族演出。
Historians debated whether the famous castrate had any choice in childhood.
歷史學家爭論那位著名閹人在童年時是否有任何選擇。
The opera company cast a countertenor instead of a castrate.
那家歌劇公司改找假聲男高音，而不是找一名閹人。
文法句型
a castrate
the castrate
用法筆記
Usually historical when it refers to a human being, especially a singer from an earlier European tradition. For modern animals, people more often use a phrase such as 'castrated male' instead of this noun.