ravage
/ˈrævɪdʒ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈrævɪdʒ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈra-vij/ (ame, mw)
ravage — 動詞
- ravagepresent simple I / you / we / they
- ravageshe / she / it
- ravagedpast simple
- ravaging-ing form
1. to seriously harm or destroy a place, a thing, or a living being, often in a sud
蹂躪；摧殘
嚴重破壞或毀壞某物
to seriously harm or destroy a place, a thing, or a living being, often in a sudden or violent way — for example, a hurricane ravaging a town, a disease ravaging a population, or neglect ravaging a historic building
The hurricane ravaged the coastal villages, destroying hundreds of homes.
颶風蹂躪了沿海村莊，摧毀了數百間房屋。
natural disaster as subject; ravage + place noun
Years of civil war had ravaged the country's infrastructure and economy.
多年的內戰摧殘了該國的基礎設施與經濟。
A rare form of cancer ravaged the young athlete's body within just weeks.
一種罕見的癌症在短短數週內侵蝕了這名年輕運動員的身體。
An invasive weed species ravaged the native crops across the farmlands.
一種入侵性雜草肆虐了農田裡的原生作物。
Decades of neglect had ravaged the once-grand opera house beyond repair.
數十年的疏於維護摧殘了這座昔日輝煌的歌劇院，使其殘破不堪。
- devastate
very similar; 'devastate' adds emotional impact and suggests total ruin
- destroy
more general; can refer to any degree of damage from partial to complete
- wreck
suggests violent breaking apart; often used for vehicles or structures
- ruin
implies spoiling beyond repair but can be slower than 'ravage'
文法句型
ravage + noun phrase
用法筆記
Subject is typically a destructive force (disaster, disease, war, neglect) and the object is something large-scale (region, land, building, population, body).
常見錯誤
ravage — 名詞
1. a single act of violently destroying or damaging a place or thing — for example,
破壞；摧毀
一次性的猛烈破壞行為
a single act of violently destroying or damaging a place or thing — for example, the ravage of a forest by illegal loggers or the ravage of a city by an invading army
The ravage of the ancient forest by illegal loggers sparked global outrage.
非法伐木者對原始森林的摧毀，引發了全球的憤慨。
countable singular: the ravage of [place] by [agent]
Historians recorded the ravage of the city during the siege of 1942.
歷史學家記錄了該城市在1942年圍城期間遭受的破壞。
The documentary exposed the ravage of marine habitats by fishing fleets.
這部紀錄片揭露了漁船隊對海洋棲息地的破壞。
- destruction
broader and more common; not limited to violent or sudden acts
- devastation
similar emotional weight; emphasizes total ruin
文法句型
the ravage of [place] by [agent]
用法筆記
This countable singular use is rare; the plural form 'ravages' (noun sense 2) is much more common.
2. the serious damage or harmful effects that result from something such as time, w
禍害；創傷
破壞行為造成的長期損害
the serious damage or harmful effects that result from something such as time, war, disease, or natural forces — for example, the ravages of time on a building, or the ravages of disease on a community
The old photographs had faded beyond recovery from the ravages of time.
這些舊照片經不起歲月的摧殘，已褪色得無法修復。
fixed phrase: the ravages of time
Her skin showed the ravages of decades working under the tropical sun.
她的皮膚顯示出數十年在熱帶陽光下工作的損害痕跡。
The library's rare collection survived the ravages of both fire and flood.
這間圖書館的珍貴藏書在火災與洪水雙重侵襲下倖存了下來。
Scientists are researching ways to slow the ravages of Alzheimer's disease.
科學家正在研究減緩阿茲海默症侵蝕的方法。
The village bore the ravages of the earthquake in every cracked wall.
村子裡每一道龜裂的牆壁都顯現出地震造成的創傷。
- damage
more general; does not carry the dramatic tone of 'ravages'
- destruction
suggests total ruin, similar scope but less idiomatic in fixed phrases
- wear and tear
informal; only for gradual damage over time, not violent destruction
文法句型
the ravages of [cause]
用法筆記
Almost always appears as 'the ravages of + cause.' The singular 'ravage' (noun sense 1) refers to the act itself, whereas 'ravages' refers to the resulting damage.