feral
feral — 形容詞
- feralpositive
- more feralcomparative
- most feralsuperlative
1. describes a creature whose ancestors were once cared for or kept by people, but
野生的
原為家養後回歸野外的
describes a creature whose ancestors were once cared for or kept by people, but that now lives completely on its own outdoors — for instance, a kitten born in a forest whose parents were once someone's pets.
Hana's grandmother keeps a bowl of water on the porch for the feral cats in the alley.
Hana 的奶奶在門廊上放了一碗水給巷子裡的野貓喝。
feral + animal noun for formerly domesticated species
Volunteers in Chiang Mai trap feral dogs and take them to the clinic for vaccination.
清邁的志工捕捉野狗，將牠們帶到診所注射疫苗。
feral + specific location adds concrete context
A colony of feral rabbits has dug burrows under the railway tracks near Sven's farm.
一群野兔在 Sven 農場附近的鐵軌下方挖了洞穴。
collocation: colony of feral + animal
After five generations born in the woods, the pigs were completely feral and avoided humans.
在樹林裡出生五代之後，這些豬變得完全野化，會躲避人類。
become / be + feral (predicative use)
The park service paid hunters to shoot feral goats that were destroying native plants.
國家公園管理處僱用獵人射殺正在破壞原生植物的野山羊。
- feral cat
- feral dog
- feral goat
- feral pig
- feral horse
- colony of feral
- herd of feral
- wild
broader term — covers any animal not living with humans, regardless of history
- undomesticated
more technical; describes a species that has never been tamed by people
用法筆記
Most commonly placed before nouns that name mammal species people keep as pets or livestock — cats, dogs, goats, pigs, horses, pigeons. The animal or its recent ancestors were once tame or lived alongside humans before returning to a wild state.
常見錯誤
2. behaving, looking, or sounding in a frighteningly wild and uncontrolled way that
野蠻的
像野獸般兇猛失控的
behaving, looking, or sounding in a frighteningly wild and uncontrolled way that makes you think of a dangerous animal rather than a reasonable person.
The child's feral behaviour — biting, kicking, and screaming — worried the kindergarten teachers.
那名孩子又咬又踢又尖叫的野蠻行為，讓幼兒園老師十分擔憂。
feral + behaviour for human conduct
When the guards cut off the water supply, a feral rage spread through the prison block.
警衛切斷供水之後，一股野蠻的怒火在監獄牢房區蔓延開來。
feral + rage / anger for intense emotion
Omar's feral grin during the argument made his colleagues slowly back away from the table.
Omar 在爭論中露出猙獰的笑容，讓同事們紛紛從桌邊往後退。
feral + grin / look for facial expression
Eyewitnesses described the attack as feral, with the suspect biting and clawing wildly.
目擊者形容那場攻擊極為野蠻，嫌犯又咬又抓毫不留情。
predicative: describe + as + feral
Chandra had a feral look in her eyes that made the night nurse call for security.
Chandra 眼裡那股野獸般的神情，讓值夜班的護士呼叫了警衛。
- feral behaviour
- feral rage
- feral scream
- feral grin
- feral look
- feral attack
用法筆記
Describes observable behaviour, sounds, or appearance that feel animal-like in their ferocity. Frequently modifies nouns such as scream, grin, look, rage, behaviour, attack. Not used for internal feelings — someone cannot feel feral inside, but they can let out a feral shout.
常見錯誤
同根字
- feralize動詞C2
- ferality名詞C2