好词典

incarnate

UK /ɪnˈkɑːnət/US /ɪnˈkɑːrnət/

词源

源自拉丁语 'incarnatus',由 in-(进入)和 caro(肉体)组成,字面意为'成为肉身'。14世纪通过古法语进入英语。

adjective

❶ 指某人或某物以肉身形式存在,或某种抽象品质被具体化。常用于形容某特质在某人身上表现得特别明显。

“She is kindness incarnate, always helping others.”

(她是善良的化身,总是乐于助人。)

“The villain in the story is evil incarnate.”

(故事中的反派是邪恶的化身。)

同义词:embodied, personified, manifested

verb

❶ 使抽象概念或神灵以肉身形式显现,或将某种特质赋予具体形态。常见于宗教或文学语境。

“The ancient myth tells how the god incarnated as a swan.”

(古老神话讲述这位神如何化身为天鹅。)

“The writer incarnated his ideals in the heroic protagonist.”

(作家将自己的理想赋予英勇的主人公。)

同义词:embody, materialize, actualize

常见短语

devil incarnate — 形容某人极其邪恶,仿佛魔鬼的化身,带有夸张修辞色彩。

“The dictator was called the devil incarnate by his enemies.”

(这位独裁者被敌人称为魔鬼的化身。)

incarnate word — 特指基督教教义中道成肉身的耶稣,专业宗教术语。

“Theologians discuss the mystery of the incarnate Word.”

(神学家们探讨道成肉身的神秘性。)