climbdown
climbdown — 名詞
1. a public moment when a person or group steps back from a strong stance and agree
讓步；認錯
公開放棄原本立場並承認錯誤
a public moment when a person or group steps back from a strong stance and agrees they were wrong or must give way
The minister's sudden climbdown on the new tax surprised reporters at the morning briefing.
部長在新稅議題上突然讓步，讓晨間記者會的記者們十分意外。
climbdown on [issue] for retreating from a public stance
After weeks of protest, the school board's climbdown over the uniform rule pleased many parents.
經過數週抗議後，學校董事會在制服規定上的讓步讓許多家長感到滿意。
climbdown over [issue] following public pressure
Critics called the prime minister's apology a humiliating climbdown by the whole cabinet.
批評者把總理的道歉稱為整個內閣難堪的認錯。
Liang said the company's climbdown on overtime pay came only after the union threatened a strike.
Liang 說，公司是在工會威脅要罷工後，才在加班費問題上讓步。
The mayor's quiet climbdown over the parking fees passed almost unnoticed in the local press.
市長在停車費上的低調讓步幾乎沒被當地媒體注意到。
- U-turn
more neutral; just a reversal of policy, not necessarily admitting error
- retreat
broader and more formal; can be military or strategic, not only public-stance
- concession
what you give up; 'climbdown' emphasises the act of stepping back itself
- backtracking
informal; ongoing process rather than a single named event
- standing firm
refusing to change a public position despite pressure
文法句型
a climbdown on/over [issue]
a climbdown by [person/group]
用法筆記
Subject is usually a politician, official, company, or organisation, not a private individual. Often paired with adjectives like 'humiliating', 'embarrassing', 'major', 'sudden', or 'quiet'.
常見錯誤
climbdown — 動詞
1. to give up a position in an argument or policy and agree, sometimes reluctantly,
退讓；服軟
在爭執或政策上放棄堅持
to give up a position in an argument or policy and agree, sometimes reluctantly, that you cannot keep insisting on it
The council finally climbed down on the library closures after thousands signed Bilal's petition.
在數千人簽署 Bilal 的請願書後，市議會終於在圖書館關閉一事上退讓。
climb down on [issue] after public pressure
Élise refused to climb down from her demand for a written apology before returning to work.
Élise 拒絕放棄她要求書面道歉後才復職的立場。
climb down from [position] for retreating from a stated demand
Negotiators urged both sides to climb down a little so that the talks could move forward.
談判人員敦促雙方各退一步，好讓會談能繼續進行。
The airline climbed down over the new baggage charges within hours of the social-media backlash.
在社群媒體掀起反彈幾小時內，這家航空公司就在新行李費上服軟了。
- back down
very close synonym; perhaps slightly more common in spoken English
- give in
broader; emphasises yielding to pressure, not specifically a public position
- yield
formal; suggests final surrender after resistance
- concede
focus is on admitting the other side is right, less on retreating from one's own stance
文法句型
climb down on/over [issue]
climb down from [position]
用法筆記
Usually written as two words 'climb down'; the one-word noun form 'climbdown' is more common in news headlines. Frequently subject is an institution, government, or company.