inflate
UK/in'fleit/US
TOEFLGRE六级B2
释义
v.
To fill something with air or gas so it swells; to make it bigger.
给…充气，使膨胀。
v.
To make a number, price, or reputation seem larger or more important than it really is.
（人为地）抬高，虚增（数字、价格、声誉等）。
词根拆分
词根派生in-（向内）+ flāre（吹）=「往里吹气」。给轮胎充气就是把气压进去直到鼓起来。同一个画面驱动比喻义：inflate 价格或自我，就是把它们吹得比实际更大。
词根 flat 还连着 4 个词常用搭配
- 1.inflate a tire给轮胎充气
- 2.inflate a balloon给气球充气
- 3.inflate prices抬高价格
- 4.inflate figures虚增数字
- 5.inflate an ego膨胀自我
例句
- 1.
It took ten minutes to inflate the air mattress with the foot pump.
用脚踩气泵给充气床垫打气花了十分钟。
- 2.
Critics say the company inflated its sales figures before the IPO.
批评者说这家公司在上市前虚增了销售数字。
- 3.
Don't let a little praise inflate your sense of importance.
别让一点点夸奖就让你自我膨胀。