impel
/ɪmˈpel/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪmˈpel/ (ame, ipa) · /im-ˈpel/ (ame, mw)
impel — 動詞
- impelpresent simple I / you / we / they
- impelshe / she / it
- impelledpast simple
- impelling-ing form
1. if a strong feeling or belief impels someone, it pushes that person so powerfull
驅使；激使
強烈情感或信念促使某人非做某事不可
if a strong feeling or belief impels someone, it pushes that person so powerfully from inside that they feel they have no choice but to act.
A deep sense of fairness impelled Manuela to speak up at the school board meeting.
強烈的公平感驅使 Manuela 在學校董事會上發聲。
impel + object + to-infinitive (driven by inner conviction)
Hunger and worry impelled the Okonkwo family to leave their village before dawn.
飢餓與憂慮迫使 Okonkwo 一家在天亮前離開村子。
subject is an emotion or condition, not a person
Eli felt impelled to write a long apology after reading his grandmother's old letters.
Eli 讀完祖母的舊信後，覺得非得寫一封長長的道歉信不可。
Curiosity about the strange noise impelled Shirin to climb up to the attic.
對那個怪聲的好奇心驅使 Shirin 爬上閣樓。
Nothing could have impelled Cyrus to betray a friend, no matter the reward.
無論報酬多高，都不可能驅使 Cyrus 出賣朋友。
- deter
to stop someone from acting through fear or doubt
- discourage
milder; to reduce someone's willingness to act
文法句型
impel + object + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Subject is usually an abstract force — a feeling, belief, duty, or pressure — rather than a deliberate human agent. Frequently passive ('felt impelled to…').
常見錯誤
2. to make a physical object move ahead by applying force to it, the way wind moves
推進；推動
以外力將物體向前推動
to make a physical object move ahead by applying force to it, the way wind moves a sailboat or an engine moves a car.
A steady south wind impelled the small fishing boat toward the rocky shore.
持續的南風將那艘小漁船推向多岩石的岸邊。
impel + object + directional phrase (physical force)
Twin propellers impelled the old ferry across the wide gray lake.
雙螺旋槳推動著那艘老渡輪橫越寬闊灰濛的湖面。
subject is a mechanical force (propeller, engine, current)
Hot gases from the rocket engines impelled the capsule upward through thick clouds.
火箭引擎噴出的熱氣將太空艙向上推送，穿過厚厚的雲層。
A sudden gust impelled the autumn leaves down the long quiet street.
一陣突如其來的強風把秋天的落葉吹送到那條漫長安靜的街上。
- halt
to bring forward motion to a complete stop
文法句型
impel + object (+ prepositional phrase of direction)
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: here the subject is a physical force (wind, engine, current) acting on a concrete object, not an emotion acting on a person. This sense is mostly literary or technical.