【同义词辨析】 2019-11-01 致命deadly-lethal
deadly: applies to whatever is certain or very likely to cause death: a ~ disease. (deadly还有2个常用意思,1、极度十足彻底的,如I'm in deadly earnest我非常认真,如we sat in deadly silence我们一声不吭地坐着,如they are deadly enemies (=are full of hatred for each other)他们是不共戴天的仇敌; 2、乏味无聊dull and boring,如she finds these parties deadly她觉得这些聚会无聊极了)
mortal: applies to what has caused or is about to cause death: a ~ wound. (来自词根MOR/MORT表示死to die,如mortality死亡率,moribund垂死的衰败的,mortify羞愧,好像羞愧得要死,memento mori是拉丁短语,字面意思remember that you must die记住你会死,代表图案是骷髅,古代有些欧洲学者会在书桌上摆放真骷髅,时刻提醒自己有一天自己也会死亡。今天看到的骷髅图像,很多都有这个含义,乔布斯在斯坦福的毕业演讲也有很强的memento mori的意思,这个短语应该记住)
fatal: stresses the inevitability of eventual death or destruction: ~ consequences. (fate表示的命运,强调无可避免或不利的结局implies inevitable or adverse outcome,如the fate of the mariners remains unknown水手们的命运还不知道,destiny则强调正面,表示伟大崇高的道路或目标great or noble course or end,如our country's destiny我们国家的命运)
lethal: applies to something that is bound to cause death or exists for the destruction of life: ~ gas.
deadly致命: 指肯定会或很可能会导致死亡的,mortal致命: 指已导致死亡,或即将导致死亡的,fatal致命: 强调无可避免地导致死亡毁灭,lethal杀伤致命: 指专门杀伤的物品,或仅表示致命
记忆方法: 1)首字母DMFL当命飞了<==致命 古人云:"死生亦大矣"。As the ancients said:"birth and death are two ultimate events" 岂不痛哉! How agonizing!
2)致命的意思是致死mean causing or capable of causing death.