mortification

/ˌmɔːtɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌmɔːrtɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌmȯr-tə-fə-ˈkā-shən/ (ame, mw)

mortification — 名詞

1. the strong, painful sense of shame or embarrassment a person feels when their pr

1.名詞C1
釋義

羞愧；窘迫

在他人面前自尊受傷的強烈尷尬感

the strong, painful sense of shame or embarrassment a person feels when their pride is wounded in front of others.

例句

To Trang's mortification, her boss read the private note out loud at the team meeting.

讓 Trang 十分羞愧的是，她的老闆在團隊會議上大聲讀出了那張私人字條。

to one's mortification: framing a shameful outcome

Tomás felt deep mortification when his old classmates laughed at his school yearbook photo.

當以前的同學取笑他的學生年鑑照片時，Tomás 感到深深的羞愧。

feel + mortification: common collocation

同義詞
  • humiliation

    stronger; usually caused by another person putting you down

  • embarrassment

    lighter, more everyday word for the same feeling

  • shame

    broader; can include moral guilt, not only social discomfort

反義詞
  • pride

    the positive feeling of being pleased with oneself

文法句型

mortification at + noun

to one's mortification

用法筆記

Frequently used in the fixed phrase 'to one's mortification', introducing a clause that names the embarrassing event. Uncountable; do not use 'a mortification' for this sense.

常見錯誤

❌I had a mortification when I tripped on stage.
✅I felt mortification when I tripped on stage.
💡uncountable for the feeling; no 'a' / no plural.

2. a specific event, situation, or fact that causes a person strong shame or loss o

2.名詞C1
釋義

難堪之事

讓人在他人面前丟臉的具體事件

a specific event, situation, or fact that causes a person strong shame or loss of pride in front of others.

例句

Losing the final match at home was a real mortification for Takeshi.

在主場輸掉決賽對 Takeshi 來說是一件十分難堪的事。

a mortification for someone: countable use

The leaked email proved to be a public mortification for Christopher and his whole company.

那封外洩的電子郵件成為 Christopher 和他整間公司公開的難堪之事。

同義詞
  • humiliation

    near-synonym; often used for the event as well as the feeling

  • indignity

    an event that lowers a person's dignity, often unfair treatment

  • disgrace

    stronger; suggests public loss of honour, not only embarrassment

文法句型

a mortification for someone

用法筆記

Countable in this sense: 'a mortification', 'small mortifications'. Distinguish from sense 1 by index: sense 1 names the feeling itself; sense 2 names the outside event that triggers that feeling.

常見錯誤

❌The whole day was full of mortification.
✅The whole day was full of small mortifications.
💡countable when naming separate embarrassing events.

3. the religious practice of controlling the body's wants and desires through hards

3.名詞C2
釋義

苦修；克己

為宗教目的而克制肉體欲望的修行

the religious practice of controlling the body's wants and desires through hardship, hunger, or pain, often to grow closer to God.

例句

The old monks practised daily mortification by sleeping on bare wooden boards.

從前的修士透過睡在光禿的木板上來進行每日的苦修。

practise + mortification: typical religious collocation

Some early Christian writers praised the mortification of the flesh as a path to holiness.

一些早期的基督教作家讚揚以苦修克制肉體是通往聖潔的道路。

mortification of the flesh: fixed phrase

同義詞
  • asceticism

    broader; covers any strict self-denial, religious or not

  • penance

    self-punishment done to make up for sin, often given by a priest

  • self-denial

    everyday word; refusing yourself pleasures, not always religious

反義詞
  • indulgence

    freely allowing yourself food, pleasure, or comfort

文法句型

mortification of the flesh

mortification of + noun

用法筆記

Religious / spiritual register only. Almost always uncountable; the set phrase 'mortification of the flesh' is the most common form. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is a chosen religious practice, not a feeling caused by social embarrassment.

常見錯誤

❌He felt mortification of the flesh after the joke.
✅He felt deep mortification after the joke.
💡'mortification of the flesh' is a religious practice, never a feeling about a joke.