taming
taming — 形容詞
- tamingpositive
- more tamingcomparative
- most tamingsuperlative
1. Describes an animal that is comfortable near people and does not try to attack o
馴服的
動物溫馴不具攻擊性
Describes an animal that is comfortable near people and does not try to attack or run away, usually because it has been trained or raised by humans.
The zoo keeper said the rabbit was very tame and children could pet it gently.
動物園管理員說那隻兔子非常馴服，小朋友都可以輕輕摸牠。
be + tame: describing animal temperament
The bird looked wild, but it was tame and ate seeds from Tuan's hand.
那隻鳥看起來像野生的，但其實很溫馴，會從Tuan的手中吃種子。
Tamar's cat is so tame that it purrs every time a stranger walks into the room.
Tamar的貓非常馴服，每次有陌生人走進房間牠都會發出咕嚕聲。
so + tame + that-clause for result
The tame deer on the island have learned to approach visitors looking for food.
島上那些馴服的鹿已經學會靠近遊客尋找食物。
attributive: tame + noun
Beatrix keeps several tame chickens in her backyard, and they follow her everywhere.
Beatrix在後院養了幾隻很乖的雞，牠們到哪裡都跟著她。
- tame animal
- quite tame
- become tame
- seem tame
- domesticated
more formal; describes animals selectively bred by humans over generations
- gentle
focuses on mild temperament, not necessarily the absence of wildness
- docile
emphasises willingness to obey or be handled
文法句型
be + tame
a tame + noun
用法筆記
Often used to contrast a domestic animal with its wild relatives. A tame animal may still have natural instincts, but it has lost its fear of humans.
常見錯誤
2. Describes something that is not exciting, interesting, or intense enough to hold
平淡的
缺乏趣味或刺激感
Describes something that is not exciting, interesting, or intense enough to hold your attention or feel worthwhile.
Charlotte found the movie so tame that she fell asleep halfway through it.
Charlotte覺得那部電影太無聊了，看到一半就睡著了。
so + tame + that-clause: emphasising lack of excitement
After the action films we watched last week, the documentary felt a bit tame.
看完上週的動作片之後，那部紀錄片顯得有點平淡。
Kenji thought the amusement park rides were too tame for someone his age.
Kenji覺得遊樂園的設施對他這個年紀來說太溫和了。
too + tame + for: comparing to expectations
The party decorations were quite tame, just a few balloons and a small banner.
派對的裝飾相當平淡，只有幾個氣球和一條小橫幅。
tame describing events or displays
Defne said the spicy curry was tame compared to what she cooks at home.
Defne說那道辣咖哩跟她在家裡煮的比起來，顯得溫和。
- a bit tame
- quite tame
- rather tame
- feel tame
- boring
stronger and more direct; 'tame' is softer
- dull
similar in register, but suggests lack of brightness or sharpness
- mild
less negative; can be neutral
- unexciting
more neutral; simply states the absence of excitement
文法句型
be + tame
a tame + noun
too + tame
用法筆記
Common in informal conversation when comparing expectations to reality. Often used with 'too', 'quite', 'a bit', 'surprisingly'.
常見錯誤
taming — 動詞
- tamingpresent simple I / you / we / they
- tamings3rd person singular
- taminging-ing form
- tamingedpast simple
1. To train or raise a wild creature so that it becomes calm, obedient, and comfort
馴養
使野生動物變得溫馴
To train or raise a wild creature so that it becomes calm, obedient, and comfortable living near humans.
Yasmin volunteers at a wildlife centre where they tame injured foxes before releasing them.
Yasmin在一個野生動物中心當志工，他們在那裡馴養受傷的狐狸，等康復後再野放。
tame + animal (direct object)
It took the trainer six months to tame the young wolf found in the forest.
馴獸師花了六個月的時間，才把在森林裡發現的那隻小狼馴服。
time phrase + to tame: duration of the process
Farmers have been trying to tame wild horses on the plains for generations.
幾個世代以來，農民們一直在平原上嘗試馴養野馬。
The sanctuary uses positive reinforcement to tame rescued parrots that are afraid of people.
保育中心使用正向增強法來馴養那些害怕人類的被救助鸚鵡。
Heloísa dreams of becoming a vet to help tame and care for abandoned strays.
Heloísa夢想成為獸醫，幫助馴養和照顧被遺棄的流浪動物。
tame + and + verb: linked actions
- tame a wild animal
- tame a horse
- tame a bird
- try to tame
- domesticate
refers to a long-term, species-wide process; more scientific
- train
broader; can apply to learning commands, not just reducing wildness
- gentle
less common as a verb; means to make calm or quiet
- release
to set an animal free into the wild
文法句型
tame + animal
用法筆記
The direct object is always an animal. Unlike 'domesticate' (which refers to changing a species over generations), 'tame' describes training a specific individual.
常見錯誤
2. To bring a powerful, dangerous, or extreme force under control so it becomes les
控制
控制危險或強大事物
To bring a powerful, dangerous, or extreme force under control so it becomes less threatening or more manageable.
Engineers are finding new ways to tame the power of ocean waves for electricity.
工程師們正在尋找新的方法來馴服海浪的力量以發電。
tame + natural force: harnessing energy
Ritu took deep breaths to tame her nervousness before the big job interview.
Ritu在做那場重要的工作面試前深吸一口氣，來控制她的緊張情緒。
tame + emotion: controlling feelings
The new dam was built to tame the river and prevent flooding in dry seasons.
建造那座新水壩是為了控制河流，並防止旱季發生洪水。
Yuki used calming music to tame the anger she felt after arguing with her brother.
Yuki用平靜的音樂來控制她和哥哥吵架後感到的怒氣。
The government introduced strict rules to tame rising prices in the housing market.
政府出台了嚴格的規定來控制房地產市場不斷上漲的價格。
tame + abstract force (economic)
- tame inflation
- tame one's temper
- tame a river
- tame the market
- unleash
to release something powerful without restraint
文法句型
tame + force/power/emotion
用法筆記
Often used metaphorically with natural forces (rivers, fire, wind) or abstract concepts (inflation, temper, fears). The object is something that feels strong or uncontrollable.
常見錯誤
3. To clear and prepare wild land for farming, or to develop a wild plant into one
開墾
開墾土地或培育野生植物
To clear and prepare wild land for farming, or to develop a wild plant into one that can be grown and harvested by people.
The settlers spent years trying to tame the rocky hillside into productive farmland.
拓荒者花了多年時間試圖把那片岩石山坡開墾成可耕作的農田。
tame + land: preparing terrain for farming
Botanists have learned how to tame several wild berry species for commercial fruit farms.
植物學家已經學會如何把幾種野生莓類培育成商業果園的作物。
tame + plant species: domestication for cultivation
Nicholas read about ancient farmers who first tamed wild wheat thousands of years ago.
Nicholas讀到有關古代農民在數千年前最早培育野生小麥的知識。
It takes patience to tame a patch of jungle and turn it into a vegetable garden.
要把一片叢林開墾成菜園，需要耐心和努力。
- tame the land
- tame a plant
- tame the wilderness
- tamed for cultivation
- cultivate
broader; includes preparing, planting, and caring for crops
- domesticate
specifically refers to adapting plants for human use over time
- develop
more general; can apply to buildings or infrastructure, not just plants
文法句型
tame + land/plant
用法筆記
This is the least common sense of the verb. It overlaps with 'cultivate' but emphasises the initial act of making wild land or plants usable, rather than ongoing care.