grotesque
/ɡrəʊˈtesk/ (bre, ipa) · /ɡrəʊˈtesk/ (ame, ipa) · /grō-ˈtesk/ (ame, mw) · /ɡroʊˈtesk/ (ame, ipa)
grotesque — 形容詞
- grotesquepositive
- more grotesquecomparative
- most grotesquesuperlative
1. extremely ugly, unusual, or strange in a way that is disturbing, absurd, or slig
怪誕的
怪異醜陋且令人不安的
extremely ugly, unusual, or strange in a way that is disturbing, absurd, or slightly frightening — like a face twisted into a painful expression or a building covered in odd-shaped decorations.
A grotesque mask with bulging eyes hung on the wall of the old theatre.
一面長著凸眼的怪誕面具掛在舊劇院的牆上。
grotesque as premodifier of a physically distorted object
Visitors found the ancient carnival statues grotesque, with their twisted limbs and broken smiles.
遊客覺得那些古老嘉年華雕像怪誕至極，手腳扭曲、笑容破碎。
find + object + grotesque (complex object complement)
The old oak tree had grown into such a grotesque shape that children refused to play near it.
那棵老橡樹長成了怪誕的形狀，孩子們都不敢在它附近玩耍。
Yuki thought the gargoyles on the cathedral roof looked grotesque against the dark evening sky.
Yuki 覺得教堂屋頂上的石像怪在昏暗的夜空下顯得十分怪誕。
The temple guardian statues had such grotesque expressions that Nadia felt uneasy walking past them.
寺廟守護神像的表情如此怪誕，讓 Nadia 走過去時感到不安。
用法筆記
Commonly used with the verbs 'look', 'seem', 'appear', and in the pattern 'find + object + grotesque' to express a personal reaction.
常見錯誤
2. so wrong, unfair, or morally offensive that it shocks you — used about actions,
駭人的
錯誤或不公平到令人震驚的程度
so wrong, unfair, or morally offensive that it shocks you — used about actions, decisions, or situations that are far beyond what is normally acceptable.
It is grotesque that the factory owners received bonuses after cutting workers' pay.
工廠老闆在削減工人薪資後還能領取獎金，這實在太駭人了。
it is grotesque that + clause (judgement pattern)
The judge described the prison conditions as a grotesque violation of human rights.
法官形容那監獄的條件是對人權的駭人踐踏。
Wei was angered by the grotesque inequality between the rich neighborhoods and the nearby slums.
Wei 對於富人區與附近貧民窟之間的駭人不平等感到憤怒。
Human rights groups find the treatment of refugees in that camp absolutely grotesque.
人權團體認為那個難民營對待難民的方式簡直駭人聽聞。
- outrageous
more common in everyday speech; slightly less formal
- appalling
emphasizes the feeling of shock or horror it causes
- shocking
broader in meaning; can describe anything that surprises
- just
the opposite of unfair
- reasonable
the opposite of extreme or shocking
用法筆記
This sense is used almost exclusively with abstract nouns describing actions or situations (inequality, injustice, violation, hypocrisy, treatment), never with physical objects or people's appearance. Distinguish from sense 1, which describes appearance or physical form.
常見錯誤
grotesque — 名詞
- grotesquesingular
- grotesquesplural
1. a style of art, or an individual work of art, that uses strange, ugly, or unnatu
怪誕作品
以扭曲怪異形式為特色的藝術或雕刻
a style of art, or an individual work of art, that uses strange, ugly, or unnatural forms — often mixing human and animal features in a way that is absurd or disturbing.
The artist's latest work is a grotesque that blends human faces with bird-like beaks and claws.
那位藝術家的最新作品是一件怪誕作品，將人臉與鳥喙和爪子融合在一起。
countable noun: a grotesque = an individual artwork in this style
The museum's exhibition features stone grotesques from medieval churches across Europe.
博物館的展覽展出了來自歐洲各地中世紀教堂的石雕怪誕作品。
grotesques as plural count noun (carved figures)
Diego spent hours studying the grotesques carved into the pillars of the old palace.
Diego 花了幾個小時研究刻在老皇宮柱子上的怪誕雕刻。
These Roman grotesques depict strange winged creatures with scales and human arms.
這些羅馬時期的怪誕作品描繪了長著翅膀、鱗片和人臂的奇異生物。
- gargoyle
a specific type of grotesque carving that also functions as a water spout; not all grotesques are gargoyles
- caricature
a drawing that exaggerates features in a funny way; less disturbing and typically not three-dimensional
用法筆記
As a countable noun, 'a grotesque' refers to a single artwork or carved figure; as an uncountable noun (without article), it refers to the artistic style or genre. Many grotesques are architectural carvings on churches and cathedrals.