degrade
[dɪ'greɪd] verb
LOSE RESPECT 使失去价值
transitive
■to cause people to feel that they or other people have no value and do not have the respect or good opinion of others 贬低；降低…的身份；侮辱…的人格•Pornography degrades women.色情作品是对女性的侮辱。
[dɪ'greɪd] verb
SPOIL 破坏
transitive
■to spoil or destroy the beauty or quality of something 玷污；损害，危害•Every day the environment is further degraded by toxic wastes.环境日益受到有毒废物的危害。 intransitive or transitive specialized
■If the quality of something electrical or electronic degrades or is degraded, it becomes less good or less correct. （使）（无线电信号、灵敏度等）降低
[dɪ'greɪd] verb
CHANGE STRUCTURE 改变结构
intransitive specialized
■(of a substance) to change into a more simple chemical structure 降解；分解•These chemicals quickly degrade into harmless compounds.这些化学制品能很快分解为无害化合物。 ⇒ See also biodegrade |