scandal
Definitions
An action or event regarded as morally or legally wrong and causing general public outrage.
丑闻；引起公愤的丑事。
Outrage or indignation; a state of affairs felt to be disgraceful ('it's a scandal that...').
令人愤慨之事；不像话的状况（it's a scandal that... 简直岂有此理）。
Malicious gossip about people's private lives.
流言蜚语，飞短流长。
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedFrom Greek skándalon, a 'stumbling block' or trap-trigger. A scandal is a moral stumbling block made public: someone trips over it in full view and 'falls' in reputation, while onlookers react with outrage. The root carries both the disgraceful act and the shock it provokes.
Root scand still carries 4 more wordsWhy It Means This
The leap from 'trap-trigger' to 'public disgrace' runs through the early Church. Greek skándalon literally named the stick that springs a snare, then the abstract 'stumbling block' that trips you into sin. When the religious sense faded, the social one stayed: a scandal is what makes a person stumble and fall in the eyes of the public. That's why a scandal isn't just bad behaviour — it's bad behaviour exposed, with an audience gasping.
Common Collocations
- 1.political scandal政治丑闻
- 2.sex scandal性丑闻
- 3.cause a scandal引发丑闻
- 4.cover up a scandal掩盖丑闻
- 5.corruption scandal腐败丑闻
Example Sentences
- 1.
The corruption scandal forced the minister to resign.
- 2.
It's a scandal that these workers are paid so little.
- 3.
The tabloids thrive on celebrity scandal and gossip.
Easily Confused
scandal vs gossip — Gossip is idle talk about others' private affairs, true or not, and isn't necessarily disgraceful. A scandal is an actual wrongdoing made public and met with outrage. Gossip can lead to a scandal, but gossip alone isn't one.