好词典

dents

UK //dents//US //dents//

词源

源自中古英语 'dint'(打击、力量),最终源于古英语 'dynt',与古诺尔斯语 'dyntr'(打击)同源。

noun

❶ 指物体表面因外力作用而出现的凹陷或压痕,常见于金属、塑料等材质上。

“There are several small dents on the car door after the hailstorm.”

(冰雹过后,车门上出现了几个小凹痕。)

“He tried to hammer out the dents in the metal sheet.”

(他试图用锤子敲平金属板上的凹陷。)

❶ 比喻对信心、声誉或财务状况等造成的负面影响或削弱。

“The scandal put a dent in the company's reputation.”

(丑闻对公司的声誉造成了损害。)

“Unexpected expenses made a big dent in our savings.”

(意外开支大大减少了我们的存款。)

同义词:indentation, depression, hollow, pit, dimple

verb

❶ 使物体表面产生凹陷或压痕的动作,通常由撞击或压力导致。

“The falling branch dented the hood of the car.”

(掉落的树枝在汽车引擎盖上砸出了凹痕。)

“Be careful not to dent the soda can when you hold it.”

(拿汽水罐时小心别把它捏凹了。)

❶ 比喻对某事物产生负面影响或削弱其效果。

“The bad review dented the restaurant's popularity.”

(差评影响了这家餐厅的人气。)

“Rising prices are denting household budgets.”

(物价上涨正在压缩家庭预算。)

同义词:depress, indent, dimple, crush, damage

常见短语

make a dent in — 指在某件事上取得初步进展或产生明显影响,尤其指减少数量或解决问题。

“We've made a dent in the pile of paperwork on my desk.”

(我们已处理掉我桌上堆积如山的文件中的一部分。)