dent

UK/dent/US

TOEFLGREC1

释义

A small hollow in a hard surface made by a knock or pressure

（敲击或受压形成的）凹痕，凹陷

A noticeable reduction in something, such as money or progress

（对金钱、进度等的）削减，打击

To make a dent in a surface; to weaken or damage

使凹陷；削弱，挫伤

词根派生

=dent

名词 dent（被击打出的凹痕）词源混合：它的语义受到无关的日耳曼词 dint（「一击」）影响，但又恰好和 dent 词根「在表面咬出齿形缺口」的意象重合。无论哪条路，画面都一样：某物在硬表面咬出/砸出一个凹坑——引申到比喻，就是「在你的存款或信心上砸了个坑」。

1.
Someone parked too close and left a dent in my car door.
有人停得太近，把我的车门撞出一个凹痕。
2.
Buying the house barely made a dent in their savings.
买这套房子几乎没怎么动用他们的存款。
3.
The hailstorm dented the roof of nearly every car on the street.
那场冰雹把街上几乎每辆车的车顶都砸出了坑。