disable

disable — verb

1. to damage a person's body or mind through injury or disease so that they can no

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to damage a person's body or mind through injury or disease so that they can no longer move their limbs normally, do simple tasks, or take care of their own needs.

例句

The accident disabled Sivan so badly that she now relies on a wheelchair to get around.

passive avoidance: disabled [person] + result clause

A stroke can disable a person by damaging the parts of the brain that control movement and speech.

同義詞
  • cripple

    stronger and often considered offensive; avoid in modern usage

  • impair

    more clinical; suggests partial rather than total loss of function

  • incapacitate

    formal; implies being unable to act or function

反義詞
  • enable

    to give someone the means or ability to do something

文法句型

be disabled by [injury / disease]

用法筆記

Often used in the passive voice when the cause of the disability is emphasised (be disabled by an accident / a disease). This sense does not take an infinitive complement — do not say 'The injury disabled him to walk.'

常見錯誤

❌The accident disabled him to walk.
✅The accident left him unable to walk.
💡disable is not followed by an infinitive; use 'leave someone unable to' or 'prevent someone from' instead.

2. to make a machine, a piece of equipment, or a computer system stop working, eith

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to make a machine, a piece of equipment, or a computer system stop working, either temporarily or permanently — for example, turning off an alarm, switching off a phone function, or cutting the power to a broken lift.

例句

Naoko disabled the alarm system before entering the building to avoid setting it off.

collocation: disable the alarm system

The maintenance team disabled the broken lift and hung a warning sign on the doors.

同義詞
  • deactivate

    almost interchangeable; slightly more technical, common for digital accounts and security devices

  • turn off

    more general; used for everyday appliances (lights, TV, tap)

  • shut down

    implies a complete stop, often of a computer or engine

反義詞
  • enable

    to make a system or feature operational again

  • activate

    to start or turn on a device or function

文法句型

disable + [device / system / feature]

用法筆記

Frequently used for computer settings, security systems, and vehicle controls. To disable something usually implies a deliberate action, but can also describe a failure (a bug disabled the system).

常見錯誤

❌I disabled the light before leaving.
✅I turned off the light before leaving.
💡use 'turn off' for simple actions like lights and taps; 'disable' is for systems, features, or machinery.