vt.逐渐削弱；暗中损害；在...下挖；从根基处损害
They will do anything to undermine their adversary's reputation. 他们会不择手段地去损害对手的名誉。
The President's enemies are spreading rumours to undermine his authority. 总统的敌人在散布谣言以逐渐破坏他的威信。
Badgers had undermined the foundations of the church. 獾在这座教堂的地基处打了洞。
undermine的基本意思是“削弱…的基础”,指逐渐地、常不被人察觉地破坏某一事物的根基,而使其遭到损坏,这种破坏可源于自然,也可源于人为破坏。
undermine是及物动词,接名词或代词作宾语,可用于被动结构。
undermine引申可作“损坏”解,这种损坏不是突然间的,而是有一个长期的过程,用作及物动词,接名词或代词作宾语。
undermine本身就含有“逐步”的概念,因此不能加gradually或suddenly来修饰。例如: 我的身体由于过去过分劳累而受到损伤。误:My health was gradually undermined by overwork in the old days.正:My health was undermined by over- work in the old days.
