un·der·mine
verb/ˌʌndəˈmaɪn/
/ˌʌndərˈmaɪn/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they undermine | /ˌʌndəˈmaɪn/ /ˌʌndərˈmaɪn/ |
| he / she / it undermines | /ˌʌndəˈmaɪnz/ /ˌʌndərˈmaɪnz/ |
| past simple undermined | /ˌʌndəˈmaɪnd/ /ˌʌndərˈmaɪnd/ |
| past participle undermined | /ˌʌndəˈmaɪnd/ /ˌʌndərˈmaɪnd/ |
| -ing form undermining | /ˌʌndəˈmaɪnɪŋ/ /ˌʌndərˈmaɪnɪŋ/ |
- undermine something/somebody to make something, especially somebody’s confidence or authority, gradually weaker or less effective
逐渐削弱（信心、权威等）；使逐步减少效力 - Our confidence in the team has been seriously undermined by their recent defeats.
该队最近几次失利已严重动摇了我们对他们的信心。 - This crisis has undermined his position.
这场危机已动摇了他的地位。 - Recent changes have undermined teachers’ morale.
最近的变化削弱了教师的士气。 - The director saw this move as an attempt to undermine his authority.
经理认为此举是想削弱他的权威。 - It's all a plot to undermine me.
这完全是阴谋，想要打击我。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- greatly
- radically
- seriously
- …
- threaten to
- attempt to
- seek to
- …
- Our confidence in the team has been seriously undermined by their recent defeats.
- undermine something to make something weaker at the base, for example by digging under it
从根基处破坏；挖…的墙脚
Word OriginMiddle English: from under- + the verb mine, probably suggested by Middle Dutch ondermineren.