① damage主要用于物,有時也可用于人,指由于“損害,損壞,毀壞”,使之失去(尤指部分)價值、功能或正常的外觀,作名詞常同to連用。
The scandal damaged him/his reputation. 這一丑聞毀了他/毀了他的名譽。
He damaged the front of his car in the accident. 他在事故中把汽車前部撞壞了。
② destroy指具體的或抽象的事物受到徹底損壞而很難恢復(fù),故常用指“破壞,毀壞,摧毀”,也可指希望、計劃等打破。
The fire destroyed the house. 大火燒毀了這棟房子。
It seems he's destroying himself. 他似乎正在毀滅自己。
His hope of being a writer was destroyed. 他想成為一個作家的希望破滅了。
③ ruin意為“使毀滅,使崩潰,弄糟”,表示破壞嚴重,以致不能修復(fù)。ruin不像destroy那樣毀滅某物,而是強調(diào)使某物的價值發(fā)生了問題。ruin也可作名詞,表示“毀滅,廢墟”等。
The fire ruined the tower. 大火使那座塔夷為廢墟。
My dignity as a man is sadly ruined. 作為一個男子漢,我的尊嚴令人痛心地完了。
She has ruined her health through overwork. 她由于過度勞累,身體垮了。
The ancient temple has fallen into ruin. 古廟已坍塌。
The city is now in ruins. 那座城市現(xiàn)在成了一片廢墟。