immobilize

/ɪˈməʊbəlaɪz/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪˈməʊbəlaɪz/ (ame, ipa) · /i-ˈmō-bə-ˌlīz/ (ame, mw)

immobilize — 動詞

  • immobilizepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • immobilizeshe / she / it
  • immobilizedpast simple
  • immobilizing-ing form

1. to hold a person, animal, body part, or machine so firmly in place that it canno

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

使不能動

用外力或裝置固定,使無法移動

to hold a person, animal, body part, or machine so firmly in place that it cannot move at all, usually by using force, a device, or an injury.

例句

The paramedics carefully immobilized Soraya's neck with a foam collar before lifting her.

救護員小心地用泡棉護頸固定住 Soraya 的脖子,然後才把她抬起來。

immobilize + body part with + device

A heavy steel boot was used to immobilize the illegally parked car outside the courthouse.

法院門外那輛違停的車被裝上了沉重的鋼製鎖輪器,使它動彈不得。

passive: be used to immobilize

同義詞
  • paralyze

    implies loss of muscle control from injury, drug, or emotion; not always by an external device

  • restrain

    broader — covers holding back as well as stopping movement; often used of people resisting

  • pinion

    literary; means to hold someone's arms tightly so they cannot move

反義詞
  • release

    to let something move freely again after it was held

  • mobilize

    to put something into active movement, especially troops or resources

文法句型

immobilize + object

be immobilized by + cause

用法筆記

Frequently passive, especially with causes like fear, pain, shock, or a medical condition (be immobilized by fear / by a stroke). When transitive and active, the object is typically a body part, vehicle, animal, or piece of equipment held in place by an external device.

常見錯誤

Eri immobilized in the cast for six weeks.
Eri's wrist was immobilized in the cast for six weeks.
💡needs an object (the body part), or use passive with the body part as subject.
The crowd was immobilized to leave the stadium.
The crowd was unable to leave the stadium.
💡'immobilize' means physically prevent movement, not block a planned action; use 'prevent' or 'be unable to' for blocked intentions.

2. in finance, to lock money or property in a form that cannot easily be spent, sol

2.動詞及物C2
釋義

凍結;綁住

把資金或資產鎖住,使無法動用

in finance, to lock money or property in a form that cannot easily be spent, sold, or moved — for example by tying it up in long-term holdings or restricting its use by law.

例句

The new tax rules effectively immobilized millions of dollars in offshore accounts.

新的稅務規定實際上凍結了境外帳戶中數百萬美元的資金。

immobilize + sum of money + in + location/instrument

Sanctions immobilized the central bank's foreign reserves for over a year.

制裁措施讓該央行的外匯儲備被凍結了超過一年。

subject is a legal instrument (sanctions, court order)

同義詞
  • freeze

    more common; specifically blocks access to an account by official order

  • tie up

    informal; suggests money is committed to one use and cannot be spent on others

  • lock up

    informal equivalent of 'tie up' in long-term assets

反義詞
  • liquidate

    to convert assets back into spendable cash

  • release

    to make blocked funds available again

文法句型

immobilize + money/capital/assets

用法筆記

Subject is usually a law, sanction, regulation, or financial decision; object is money, capital, reserves, or assets. Distinguish from sense 1 by context: sense 2 never describes physical objects or bodies, only financial holdings.

常見錯誤

The thief immobilized the savings.
The court order immobilized the savings.
💡this sense needs a legal, regulatory, or institutional subject, not a personal actor.