defeat
/dɪˈfiːt/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈfiːt/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈfēt dē-/ (ame, mw)
defeat — 動詞
- defeatpresent simple I / you / we / they
- defeatshe / she / it
- defeatedpast simple
- defeating-ing form
1. to beat an opposing person, team, or army in a sports match, battle, election, o
擊敗；戰勝
在比賽或戰鬥中打敗對方
to beat an opposing person, team, or army in a sports match, battle, election, or other contest by performing better than them
The home team defeated their city rivals by a score of three goals to one.
主隊以三比一擊敗了同城的對手球隊。
defeat + score : result format
Esme trained for six months and finally defeated the defending champion in the final round.
Esme 訓練了六個月，終於在決賽中擊敗了衛冕冠軍。
defeat + competitor in a tournament context
The rebel forces were defeated after a long and bloody battle near the coast.
反抗軍在海岸附近一場漫長而慘烈的戰役中被擊敗。
Justin defeated the top seed in straight sets and advanced to the semi-finals.
Justin 直落三盤擊敗了頭號種子，晉級四強。
- lose to
the opposite outcome: to be beaten by the opponent
- surrender to
implies giving up without necessarily being outperformed
文法句型
defeat + noun phrase (the opponent, the team, the enemy)
用法筆記
Frequently used with a specific score, margin, or description of how the victory was achieved. The subject can be a person, team, army, or party, and the object is the opponent.
常見錯誤
2. to prevent a plan, effort, hope, or idea from achieving its intended result, or
挫敗；使失敗
使某件事無法成功
to prevent a plan, effort, hope, or idea from achieving its intended result, or to make it too difficult for someone to succeed at something
A software bug defeated all our efforts to launch the website before the holiday.
一個軟體錯誤使我們在假期前推出網站的所有努力都白費了。
defeat + effort / attempt
The crossword puzzle defeated Yuki for nearly an hour before she found the last answer.
這道填字謎題困住了 Yuki 將近一個小時，她才找到最後一個答案。
defeat + [person] : task as subject
Heavy snow defeated the rescue team's plan to reach the stranded climbers that night.
大雪使得救援隊當晚抵達受困登山者處的計畫無法實現。
The complex tax forms defeated even the most experienced accountants in the office.
報稅表格的複雜程度連辦公室裡最有經驗的會計師都束手無策。
A lack of funds defeated the proposal before it reached a vote in the council.
資金不足使得這項提案尚未送交市議會表決就失敗了。
- enable
to make something possible, the opposite of causing failure
- facilitate
to help a process succeed
文法句型
defeat + noun phrase (a plan, an attempt, a purpose)
用法筆記
In this sense, the subject is usually a problem, obstacle, or difficulty, and the object is the plan, effort, or person trying to do something. Unlike sense V1, this does not involve a human opponent.
常見錯誤
defeat — 名詞
- defeatsingular
- defeatsplural
1. the state or result of losing a competition, battle, election, or fight to an op
失敗；敗北
在比賽或戰鬥中輸給對方的結果
the state or result of losing a competition, battle, election, or fight to an opponent who performs better
The team suffered a humiliating defeat in the championship final last Saturday.
該隊在總決賽中慘敗，顏面盡失。
suffer a defeat : common verb collocation
After three straight defeats, the coach decided to change the starting line-up completely.
連輸三場之後，教練決定徹底更換先發陣容。
defeat as countable: three defeats
The general refused to accept defeat and ordered one final attack at dawn.
將軍拒絕接受失敗，下令在黎明發動最後一次進攻。
It was a narrow defeat — Ámihan lost the race by less than half a second.
那是一場險敗——Ámihan 以不到半秒之差輸掉了比賽。
The party's election defeat led to a complete change in leadership and direction.
該黨在選舉中落敗，導致領導層與路線全面改組。
文法句型
suffer / face / accept + defeat
a defeat
defeat (uncountable)
用法筆記
Can be uncountable (general concept: 'they faced defeat') or countable (a specific instance: 'a surprising defeat'). Countable use is more common with adjectives like 'narrow', 'heavy', 'humiliating'.
常見錯誤
2. the act of telling your opponent or others that you accept the contest is over a
認輸
承認自己輸了
the act of telling your opponent or others that you accept the contest is over and you did not win
After the final whistle the visiting captain conceded defeat and shook hands with the winners.
終場哨音一響，客隊隊長便認輸並與勝方握手致意。
concede defeat : idiom for accepting loss
The candidate admitted defeat late that night and congratulated her opponent on the victory.
那位候選人在深夜承認敗選，並向對手致賀。
admit defeat : common collocation
Jack knew he had run out of time and reluctantly admitted defeat.
Jack 知道自己最後一題已經來不及作答，只好不甘心地認輸。
Refusing to admit defeat, the team captain rallied her players for one final attempt.
隊長拒絕認輸，激勵隊員們做最後一次嘗試。
- persist
to keep trying despite difficulty, the opposite of admitting defeat
文法句型
admit / concede + defeat
用法筆記
Almost always used in the fixed phrases 'admit defeat' or 'concede defeat'. Unlike sense N1, this sense does not refer to the event of losing itself but to the moment someone accepts that they have lost. Rarely used outside these two verb collocations.
3. a decision to stop trying to achieve a difficult task or solve a problem because
放棄；罷手
因無法成功而停止嘗試
a decision to stop trying to achieve a difficult task or solve a problem because you feel you cannot succeed no matter what you do
After months of failed experiments, Greta admitted defeat and started over with a new method.
連續幾個月的實驗都失敗後，Greta 承認失敗，改用新方法重新開始。
admit defeat + task scenario
The hikers conceded defeat when the storm made the mountain path completely impassable.
暴風雪使得山路完全無法通行，登山者只好作罷。
Ritu tried fixing the old motorcycle herself but eventually admitted defeat and called a mechanic.
Ritu 想自己修理那輛舊機車，但最後還是放棄了，打電話叫技師來。
After three years of searching with no real progress, the researchers conceded defeat.
經過三年研究卻無實質進展後，研究人員只好認輸放棄。
- persevere
to keep going despite difficulty, the opposite of giving up
文法句型
admit defeat (in the face of difficulty)
concede defeat
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense N2: N3 applies to tasks, problems, or personal goals — not to competitive contests against an opponent. Only appears in the same fixed verb phrases 'admit defeat' and 'concede defeat'.