mindmap root((残暴)) fierce applies to humans and animals that inspire terror because of their wild and menacing appearance or fury in attack or to qualities, expressions, or events characteristic of these: a battle marked by ~ fighting. ferocious implies extreme fierceness and unrestrained violence and brutality: signs warned of a ~ dog. (brute野兽an animal as opposed to a human being, 形容词brutal凶残暴力的being savagely violent，如brutal crime of massacre残暴的屠杀罪行，如she has to face the brutal reality她不得不面对残酷的现实，如brute-force attack是计算机术语表示暴力破解） barbarous implies a ferocity or mercilessness regarded as unworthy of civilized people: the ~ treatment of prisoners. savage implies the absence of inhibitions restraining civilized people filled with rage, lust, hate, fear, or other violent passions: ~ reviews of the new play. （inhibit阻止阻碍抑制to prevent something from happening，如wine or sugary drinks inhibit digestion酒或含糖饮料抑制消化, 如lack of oxygen may inhibit brain development in the unborn child缺氧可能阻碍胎儿的大脑发育） cruel implies indifference to suffering or even positive pleasure in witnessing or inflicting it: the ~ jokes of young children.