belittle

• vt. 轻视；贬低；使相形见小

词态变化

英文词源

belittle (v.)

1781, "to make small," from be- + little (v.); first recorded in writings of Thomas Jefferson (and probably coined by him), who was roundly execrated for it in England:

Belittle! What an expression! It may be an elegant one in Virginia, and even perfectly intelligible; but for our part, all we can do is to guess at its meaning. For shame, Mr. Jefferson! ["European Magazine and London Review," 1787, reporting on "Notes on the State of Virginia"; to guess was considered another barbarous Yankeeism.]

Jefferson used it to characterize Buffon's view that American life was stunted by nature, which he was refuting. The figurative sense of "depreciate, scorn as worthless" (as the reviewers did to this word) is from 1797. Related: Belittled; belittling.

双语例句

1. Already, both sides are jockeying to belittle the other side.

双方已经在使出浑身解数贬低对方了。

来自柯林斯例句

2. We mustn't belittle her outstanding achievement.

我们一定不能小瞧了她所取得的杰出成就。

来自柯林斯例句

3. It is wrong to belittle or neglect popularization.

轻视和忽视普及工作的态度是错误的.

来自《简明英汉词典》

4. Do not belittle what he has achieved.

不能小看他取得的成绩.

来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5. It makes no sense to belittle the enormity of the disaster which has occurred.

对于已经发生的灾难，其严重性不该小视。

来自柯林斯例句