talk down
talk down — 動詞
- talk downpresent simple I / you / we / they
- talks down3rd person singular
- talking down-ing form
- talked downpast simple
1. to speak to someone in a way that suggests you think you are smarter or more imp
居高臨下
以高人一等的態度說話
to speak to someone in a way that suggests you think you are smarter or more important than them, often by explaining simple things as if they were a child.
Dr. Okafor talked down to the trainees, repeating basic safety rules as if they were toddlers.
Okafor 醫師以對待小孩的語氣對實習生說話，連基本的安全規則都要重複解釋。
talk down to + person (required preposition)
Tamás left the meeting early because his manager kept talking down to everyone on the team.
Tamás 提早離開會議，因為他的主管一直用高人一等的態度對團隊成員說話。
often in continuous tenses: kept talking down to
The salesperson talked down to Ishaan, assuming he could not afford the furniture.
那個銷售員用輕視的語氣對 Ishaan 說話，以為他買不起家具。
Aylin refused to let the consultant talk down to her despite his twenty years of experience.
Aylin 拒絕讓顧問用高人一等的態度對她說話，儘管他有二十年的經驗。
negative construction: refuse to let + (someone) talk down to
- talk down to someone
- keep talking down to
- stop talking down to
- patronize
more formal; suggests treating someone as inferior while appearing kind
- condescend
more formal; implies a superior attitude from a position of power
- respect
to show proper regard for someone's abilities
文法句型
talk down to + person
用法筆記
The preposition 'to' is required after the object when this sense is used transitively. Frequently appears in progressive forms ('talking down to').
常見錯誤
2. to say negative things about someone in order to make them feel less capable, le
貶低
用言語貶低某人的價值
to say negative things about someone in order to make them feel less capable, less successful, or less worthy than they actually are — a form of personal belittlement through direct talk.
Constanza's manager talked her down during the review, saying she lacked the drive for a promotion.
Constanza 的主管在考核時貶低她，說她沒有升遷所需的企圖心。
separable with pronoun: talk + her + down
Sports fans love to talk down rival players before a big match, calling them overpaid and lazy.
運動迷在大賽前總愛貶低對手球員，說他們薪水過高又懶散。
Wei felt humiliated when the coach talked him down in front of the whole team, calling him the weakest link.
Wei 的教練當著全隊的面貶低他，說他是最弱的一環，讓他非常難堪。
object = person; prepositional phrase: in front of + group
Mei-Lin's classmates talked her down after she won the science fair, whispering that she had copied the idea.
Mei-Lin 的同學在她贏得科展後貶低她，私下說她的點子是抄來的。
- talk someone down
- talk down a colleague
- talk down a student
- talked down in front of others
文法句型
talk + noun phrase + down
talk down + noun phrase
用法筆記
The object is always a person or group of people (not a thing). The object can come between 'talk' and 'down' or after 'down'. Distinguish from phrasal verb sense 2 (DISPARAGE WORK), which targets products, achievements, or creative work.
常見錯誤
talk down — 片語動詞
- talk downbase form
- talks down3rd person singular
- talking down-ing form
- talked downpast simple
1. to guide a pilot through spoken radio instructions so that the aircraft can land
引導降落
透過無線電引導飛機降落
to guide a pilot through spoken radio instructions so that the aircraft can land safely, especially when visibility is poor or equipment has failed.
The tower controller talked down the passenger jet when its landing gear would not deploy.
塔臺管制員透過無線電引導那架起落架故障的客機降落。
domain: aviation; object = aircraft type
Eitan, a trainee pilot, was talked down by an experienced instructor after his radio failed mid-flight.
實習飛行員 Eitan 的無線電在空中故障後，由資深教官透過語音引導他降落。
passive: was talked down by
The controller talked down the small plane when its GPS stopped working over the mountains.
管制員在小飛機的 GPS 在山區上方失靈後，透過無線電引導它降落。
separable: talked down + aircraft type
During the exercise, an officer talked down a rookie pilot through heavy rain and strong wind.
在演習中，一名軍官引導一位菜鳥飛行員在大雨和強風中降落。
- talk down a plane
- talk down a pilot
- talked down by the tower
- guide in
less specific; can be used in non-aviation contexts
文法句型
talk + person + down
talk down + aircraft
用法筆記
Technical aviation term. The subject is usually an air traffic controller or ground crew. The object is a pilot or an aircraft.
常見錯誤
2. to point out flaws in a product, achievement, or creative work so that its true
貶抑
刻意貶低成就或作品
to point out flaws in a product, achievement, or creative work so that its true value or quality is unfairly reduced in the eyes of others.
Competing car manufacturers often talk down each other's safety ratings in commercials.
競爭對手的汽車製造商常在廣告中貶抑彼此的安全評級。
object = another company's product or achievement
Jude's colleagues talked down the importance of his research during the funding meeting.
Jude 的同事在經費會議上貶低他研究的重要性。
abstract object: talk down the importance of
Some critics talked down the film's innovation, calling it a copy of older movies.
有些影評人貶低那部電影的創新性，說它只是模仿較舊的作品。
Nkechi noticed how the blogger talked down every restaurant outside the city centre.
Nkechi 注意到那位部落客貶低市中心以外的每一家餐廳。
object = generalized category (every restaurant, all products)
- talk down a product
- talk down a report
- talk down someone's research
- talk down a film
文法句型
talk + noun phrase + down
talk down + noun phrase
用法筆記
The object is always a thing, achievement, or piece of work — never a person. Distinguish from verb sense 2 (BELITTLE PEOPLE), which targets individuals or groups. Distinguish from idiom sense 1 (DOWNPLAY), which minimizes severity rather than attacking value.
常見錯誤
talk down — 慣用語
1. to describe a problem, risk, or negative situation as less severe or important t
輕描淡寫
把重要的事說得較不嚴重
to describe a problem, risk, or negative situation as less severe or important than the truth warrants, often to reduce worry or avoid blame.
The CEO talked down the financial losses, but the board knew the company was in trouble.
CEO 輕描淡寫公司的財務虧損，但董事會知道公司陷入了麻煩。
object = a risk or negative situation (losses, damage, risk)
Jisoo tried to talk down the cost of replacing the roof, though the estimate was already the lowest.
Jisoo 試圖把換屋頂的費用說得少一些，儘管報價已經是最低的了。
Officials talked down the chance of an earthquake, leaving residents completely unprepared.
官員們輕描淡寫地震發生的可能性，讓居民完全沒有防備。
contrastive: talked down X, but Y happened (shows understatement)
The landlord tried to talk down the mold problem, but the tenant showed him photos of the damage.
房東試圖把黴菌問題說得不那麼嚴重，但房客拿照片給他看損壞情況。
- talk down the risks
- talk down the cost
- talk down the problem
- play down
very close synonym; similar register and pattern
- downplay
common one-word synonym; describes minimizing importance
- understate
more formal; to describe as less than the truth
- exaggerate
to make something seem larger or more important
- play up
to emphasize or highlight
文法句型
talk + noun phrase + down
talk down + noun phrase
用法筆記
The object is typically a noun describing something negative or risky (cost, danger, loss, problem). Unlike phrasal verb sense 2 (DISPARAGE), this sense does not involve attacking the target — only minimizing its seriousness.
常見錯誤
2. to speak so loudly or so continuously that another person cannot get a chance to
大聲壓制
大聲說話不讓其他人發言
to speak so loudly or so continuously that another person cannot get a chance to speak or be heard.
During the town hall meeting, a few angry residents talked down the mayor whenever she tried to explain her plan.
在市民大會上，幾位憤怒的居民大聲壓制市長，每當她試圖解釋計畫時就蓋過她的聲音。
context: formal discussion where one side is silenced
Mira's uncle talked down her aunt at every family dinner, refusing to let her complete a single opinion.
Mira 的叔叔每次家庭聚餐都用大聲說話來壓制姑姑，不讓她把話說完。
The talk show guests kept talking each other down, so the host could barely ask a question.
談話性節目的來賓不斷互相搶話，主持人幾乎無法提問。
reciprocal: talked each other down
Protesters tried to talk down the speaker by chanting loudly outside the auditorium.
抗議者在禮堂外大聲喊叫，試圖壓制台上講者的聲音。
- talk down a speaker
- talk down an opponent
- talk each other down
- shout down
more aggressive; involves actual shouting
- drown out
can refer to non-speech noise as well
- listen to
to give attention to someone's speech
文法句型
talk + person + down
talk down + person
用法筆記
Often used in situations with competing speakers — debates, meetings, heated arguments. The object is the person whose speech is being suppressed.
3. to convince someone not to take a planned action by explaining the reasons why i
說服放棄
說服某人不要做某事
to convince someone not to take a planned action by explaining the reasons why it is a bad idea.
Tanvi's friends talked her down from buying the expensive handbag, pointing out her rent was due.
Tanvi 的朋友說服她不要買那個昂貴的手提包，提醒她房租就要到期了。
pattern: talk + person + down from + V-ing
The lawyer talked his client down from filing a lawsuit that had almost no chance of winning.
律師說服他的當事人放棄提起幾乎不可能勝訴的訴訟。
Hoa's parents talked him down from dropping out of university to start a risky business.
Hoa 的父母說服他不要為了創業而輟學。
pattern: talk down from [impulsive decision]
Lauren's brother talked her down from adopting three kittens, reminding her of her small flat.
Lauren 的哥哥說服她不要一口氣領養三隻小貓，提醒她公寓空間不大。
- talk down from leaving
- talk down from buying
- talk down from quitting
- dissuade
more formal; to persuade someone not to do something
文法句型
talk + person + down + from + gerund
用法筆記
Requires 'from' + gerund (verb-ing) after the person. The action being prevented must be stated. Not used for already-completed actions.
常見錯誤
4. to use calm spoken words to convince a person who intends to kill themselves, fo
勸阻跳樓
勸說想自殺的人放棄輕生
to use calm spoken words to convince a person who intends to kill themselves, for instance by standing on a ledge or bridge, to climb down to safety.
A trained negotiator talked down a young man standing on the edge of a bridge for three hours.
一位受過訓練的談判專家花了三個多小時，說服站在橋邊的年輕人放棄輕生。
pattern: talk + person + down + from + (high place)
The firefighters talked down the distraught woman from the rooftop of the burning building.
消防隊員說服那位悲痛欲絕的女子從失火大樓的屋頂上下來。
A crisis team talked down a teenager who climbed onto the school roof after an argument.
危機處理小組說服了一名吵架後爬到學校屋頂上的青少年。
subject = crisis team / trained professional
Police talked down the man from the railway bridge while traffic stopped below.
警方說服那名男子從鐵路橋上下來，橋下交通因此暫時停止。
- talk someone down from a ledge
- talked down by a negotiator
- talk someone down from a bridge
文法句型
talk + person + down + from + place
用法筆記
Highly sensitive context. This sense always involves an immediate physical danger of self-harm. Typically used with trained professionals (negotiators, police, counselors) as the subject.