petrify
释义
To change (organic matter) into a stony substance over time; to turn to stone.
（使）石化；（使有机物）随时间变成石质。
To frighten someone so much that they cannot move or think; to paralyze with fear.
使吓呆，使惊恐得僵住、动弹不得。
词根拆分
词根派生petr（石）+ -i- + -fy（来自拉丁 facere，使、造）=「使变成石头」。字面义是地质学的：矿物质慢慢替换木头，直到它变成岩石。比喻义是一次生动的跳跃——恐惧强烈到身体僵住，仿佛真被变成了石头。
词根 petr 还连着 6 个词为什么是这个意思
从「变成石头」到「吓得僵住」的跳跃，建立在同一个意象上：一具无法动弹的身体。希腊神话把它写实了——被美杜莎看一眼，你就被石化、僵成雕像。如今比喻义远比字面义常用：人们会说自己 "petrified"（怕得要死）蜘蛛或当众讲话，而字面的石化则属于化石和地质学。
常用搭配
- 1.petrified with fear吓得僵住
- 2.petrified of spiders怕极了蜘蛛
- 3.absolutely petrified吓得魂飞魄散
- 4.stood petrified僵在原地
例句
- 1.
Over millions of years, the buried forest was slowly petrified into stone.
历经数百万年，被掩埋的森林慢慢石化成了岩石。
- 2.
The sudden scream petrified everyone in the room.
突如其来的尖叫吓呆了房间里的每个人。
- 3.
She was petrified of speaking in front of a large audience.
她非常害怕在一大群观众面前讲话。
- 4.
He stood petrified as the dog snarled at him.
狗朝他狂吠时，他吓得僵在原地。
近义词对比
- petrify — 极度、突然、让你僵在原地的恐惧：petrified of heights
- terrify — 强烈的恐惧，但不一定僵住：the storm terrified the children
- frighten — 通用，可轻可重：don't frighten the cat
- scare — 口语、日常：you scared me!
- horrify — 恐惧夹杂震惊/反感：horrified by the news