menace
/ˈmenəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmenəs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈme-nəs/ (ame, mw) · /ˈmen.ɪs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmen.əs/ (ame, ipa)
menace — 名詞
- menacesingular
- menacesplural
1. a person, animal, or situation seen as a real source of harm, damage, or fear fo
危險源；禍害
可能造成傷害的人事物
a person, animal, or situation seen as a real source of harm, damage, or fear for the people around it.
Drunk drivers are a menace to everyone who shares the road.
酒駕者對每一個用路人都是個危險源。
a menace to + group noun
Nadia warned the council that the broken bridge was a menace to local schoolchildren.
Nadia 向議會警告，那座壞掉的橋對當地學童是個禍害。
Wildfires have become a serious menace to villages along the dry valley.
野火已成為旱谷沿線村莊的嚴重危險源。
The escaped bull was treated as a public menace until the farmer arrived.
那頭逃出來的牛在農夫趕到之前都被視為公共危險源。
Plastic waste in the river is now a menace to the fish and the birds.
河裡的塑膠垃圾如今對魚類和鳥類都是個禍害。
- safeguard
something that protects rather than harms
文法句型
a menace to + noun
用法筆記
Subject is usually something that can hurt many people or living things — a person, animal, machine, or environmental hazard. Often followed by 'to' plus the group at risk.
常見錯誤
2. a quiet but frightening quality in someone's voice, look, or in a place — making
威脅感
讓人覺得即將出事的氣氛
a quiet but frightening quality in someone's voice, look, or in a place — making you feel that something bad is about to happen.
There was a quiet menace in Eliska's voice as she stood up from the table.
Eliska 從餐桌前站起來時，聲音裡帶著一股安靜的威脅感。
collocation: menace in [someone's] voice
The old factory had an air of menace once the streetlights went out.
路燈一熄，這座舊工廠就散發出一種威脅感。
collocation: an air of menace
Christopher spoke softly, but the menace behind every word was clear.
Christopher 講話很輕，但字字背後的威脅感都很明顯。
The dark forest carried a sense of menace that kept the children close to their parents.
那座黑暗的森林帶著一股威脅感，讓孩子們緊緊跟著父母。
Her stare held just enough menace to make the boys drop the stolen apples.
她的眼神裡只要帶一點威脅感，男孩們就把偷來的蘋果丟下。
- intimidation
stronger; implies active pressure on a person
- threat
more concrete; usually a specific warning rather than an atmosphere
- warmth
opposite atmosphere — kind and welcoming
文法句型
a sense / air / hint of menace
用法筆記
Uncountable here, unlike sense 1. Frequently in 'a sense of menace', 'an air of menace', 'a hint of menace'. Distinguish from sense 1: this is the feeling something gives off, not the dangerous thing itself.
常見錯誤
3. someone, often a child or pet, who keeps causing small trouble in a way that is
搗蛋鬼
常惹小麻煩的人或寵物
someone, often a child or pet, who keeps causing small trouble in a way that is funny or irritating rather than truly dangerous.
Lara's little brother is an absolute menace at family dinners.
Lara 的弟弟在家庭聚餐時根本是個小搗蛋鬼。
collocation: an absolute menace
The neighbours call the new puppy a menace because it chews every shoe in the house.
鄰居都說那隻新來的小狗是個搗蛋鬼，因為他把家裡每隻鞋都咬過了。
Baraka is six years old and a real menace whenever Grandma visits.
Baraka 六歲，每次奶奶來訪都會變成不折不扣的搗蛋鬼。
The twins at the back of the class are little menaces during music lessons.
教室後排那對雙胞胎在音樂課時是兩個小搗蛋鬼。
- angel
informal — a very well-behaved child
文法句型
a menace (often of a child or pet)
用法筆記
Informal and often affectionate — said with a smile about a child, pet, or playful adult. Distinguish from sense 1: the harm here is small and social, not physical or dangerous.
常見錯誤
4. threats used to force someone to hand over money or property — a legal term, mos
恐嚇手段
逼人交出財物的法律用語
threats used to force someone to hand over money or property — a legal term, mostly seen in the phrase 'demand with menaces'.
Rania was charged with demanding money with menaces from her former employer.
Rania 因以恐嚇手段向前雇主索討金錢而遭到起訴。
fixed legal phrase: demand money with menaces
The two suspects had been collecting cash from local shops with menaces for over a year.
這兩名嫌犯以恐嚇手段向當地店家收取現金已超過一年。
Under English law, demanding payment with menaces is treated as blackmail.
在英國法律中，以恐嚇手段索討款項被視為勒索。
The young clerk reported that Mizuki had tried to obtain her bank card with menaces.
年輕的職員舉報 Mizuki 曾以恐嚇手段試圖取得她的提款卡。
文法句型
with menaces
用法筆記
Almost only appears in fixed legal phrases — 'demand with menaces', 'obtain X with menaces'. Mostly British and formal; learners will mostly meet it in newspapers reporting court cases.
常見錯誤
menace — 動詞
- menacepresent simple I / you / we / they
- menaces3rd person singular
- menacing-ing form
- menacedpast simple
1. to put someone or something in serious danger, or to behave in a way that makes
威脅；危及
讓人事物陷入危險或感到害怕
to put someone or something in serious danger, or to behave in a way that makes others afraid of being hurt.
Storms have menaced the coast for three nights and damaged several fishing boats.
暴風雨已經嚴重威脅海岸三個晚上，弄壞了好幾艘漁船。
transitive: [thing] menaces [people / place]
Beatrix said the stray dogs menaced her every morning on the way to school.
Beatrix 說那些流浪狗每天早上上學途中都會威脅她。
Coastal villages are menaced by rising sea levels each rainy season.
沿海村落每逢雨季都會被上升的海平面嚴重威脅。
Yael waved her stick and menaced at the crows until they left the corn field.
Yael 揮著木棍朝烏鴉作勢威脅，直到牠們離開那片玉米田。
The angry crowd menaced the speaker, and the police led him out through a side door.
憤怒的群眾威脅了演講者，警方從側門將他帶離。
- threaten
everyday equivalent; can take a to-infinitive (threaten to do)
- endanger
focuses on putting at risk, not on the show of intent
- intimidate
about scaring a specific person, not about general danger
文法句型
menace + noun
be menaced by + noun
用法筆記
Often passive when the subject is a place at risk: 'X is menaced by Y'. As an intransitive verb (sense covered in ex.4), it usually pairs with 'at' to mean make threatening movements toward someone or something. More formal than 'threaten'.