obsession
UK/əb'seʃ(ə)n/US/әb'seʃәn/
IELTSTOEFLGREB2
Definitions
n.
A persistent, intrusive thought or preoccupation that one cannot stop
痴迷；强迫性的念头
n.
The person or thing that one is obsessed with
使人痴迷的对象
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedob- (on, against) + sess (sat) + -ion = 'a sitting upon / a siege.' The Romans used obsidēre for an army sitting down around a city to besiege it. An obsession is a thought that has laid siege to your mind and won't lift the camp.
Root sit still carries 98 more wordsWhy It Means This
Obsession comes from a siege. Latin obsidēre meant 'to sit down around,' the way an army surrounds a city. So an obsession isn't a thought you invite — it surrounds your mind, camps there, and refuses to leave, which is exactly how a compulsive preoccupation feels.
Common Collocations
- 1.unhealthy obsession不健康的痴迷
- 2.national obsession全民痴迷
- 3.obsession with对的痴迷
Example Sentences
- 1.
Her obsession with cleanliness took over her whole day.
- 2.
Football is a national obsession in that country.