enemy
enemy — noun
1. a person who dislikes you and wants to cause problems for you or stop you from a
a person who dislikes you and wants to cause problems for you or stop you from achieving what you want
Emre made an enemy of his neighbour when he complained about the noise.
make an enemy of [someone] — to cause someone to become hostile toward you
The two journalists were once close friends, but now they are bitter enemies.
bitter enemy — describes strong, lasting personal hostility
Lan refused to speak at the meeting, afraid of creating new enemies.
Lucía discovered someone was telling lies to turn her friends into enemies.
Sana tried to stay out of arguments at work so she would not make enemies.
- foe
more literary or formal; common in poetry and historical writing
- adversary
suggests active opposition in a contest or conflict, often with less emotional charge
- antagonist
mainly used in literature for the character who opposes the hero
- opponent
the most neutral term; someone you compete against in sports, debates, or elections
文法句型
make an enemy of [someone]
bitter/sworn enemy
[possessive] + enemy
用法筆記
Commonly paired with verbs like 'make', 'create', or 'turn into' to describe the formation of hostile relationships. The noun can refer to one person or to a group.
常見錯誤
2. the nation, army, or group of soldiers that your side is fighting against in a w
the nation, army, or group of soldiers that your side is fighting against in a war
The enemy launched a surprise attack on the town before dawn.
launch an attack — a frequent military collocation with 'enemy' as subject
Joshua's unit captured three enemy soldiers who had been hiding in an old farmhouse.
enemy soldiers — individual members of the opposing military force
Nikos reported that the enemy forces had destroyed the bridge to slow the army's advance.
After months of heavy fighting, the two enemy nations finally agreed to a ceasefire.
- foe
a formal or dated alternative, common in military and historical writing
- adversary
emphasises active opposition in a conflict, often used in formal military analysis
- opposing force
a descriptive term used in military planning and reports
- ally
a country that fights on the same side
文法句型
the enemy + singular/plural verb
enemy + noun (modifier)
用法筆記
When referring to the opposing side as a collective unit, 'the enemy' can take either a singular or plural verb ('the enemy is advancing' / 'the enemy are retreating'). Often used as a modifier in compounds such as 'enemy territory', 'enemy lines', or 'enemy fire'.
常見錯誤
3. a thing or situation that damages something or keeps it from developing or worki
a thing or situation that damages something or keeps it from developing or working well — for example, when people call stress the enemy of good health
Stress is the enemy of good health and peaceful sleep.
the enemy of [something] — figurative pattern describing something that causes harm
Pollution is a silent enemy that slowly damages the air we breathe.
Obi's doctor told him that laziness was an enemy to his recovery from the operation.
A poor diet can be an enemy to your long-term health and energy levels.
文法句型
the enemy of [something]
be an enemy to [something]
用法筆記
Always a figurative or metaphorical usage — the subject is a condition, quality, or thing, never a person. The patterns 'the enemy of [X]' and 'an enemy to [X]' are both common.