vt.逐渐削弱；暗中损害；在...下挖；从根基处损害

The President's enemies are spreading rumours to undermine his authority. 总统的敌人在散布谣言以逐渐破坏他的威信。

Badgers had undermined the foundations of the church. 獾在这座教堂的地基处打了洞。

A mole can undermine the strongest rampart. 一只田鼠能毁坏最坚固的堡垒。

undermine的基本意思是“削弱…的基础”,指逐渐地、常不被人察觉地破坏某一事物的根基,而使其遭到损坏,这种破坏可源于自然,也可源于人为破坏。

undermine是及物动词,接名词或代词作宾语,可用于被动结构。

undermine引申可作“损坏”解,这种损坏不是突然间的,而是有一个长期的过程,用作及物动词,接名词或代词作宾语。

undermine本身就含有“逐步”的概念,因此不能加gradually或suddenly来修饰。例如: 我的身体由于过去过分劳累而受到损伤。误:My health was gradually undermined by overwork in the old days.正:My health was undermined by over- work in the old days.