vicious

vicious — adjective

1. describing a person, animal, or action that intends to cause pain or suffering,

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describing a person, animal, or action that intends to cause pain or suffering, often showing deliberate cruelty, hatred, or violence

例句

Tendai was attacked by a vicious dog while jogging through the park.

attributive: vicious + animal noun

A vicious rumor about the teacher spread quickly through the school.

collocation: vicious rumor / vicious speech

同義詞
  • cruel

    broader term covering any action that causes suffering, not necessarily violent

  • brutal

    emphasizes physical harshness and lack of mercy

  • savage

    suggests wild, uncontrolled ferocity, often used for violent attacks

  • malicious

    focuses on the deliberate intent to harm through words or actions

反義詞
  • gentle

    kind and mild, the opposite of violent or cruel

  • kind

    showing care and concern for others

文法句型

vicious + noun

be + vicious

turn + vicious

用法筆記

Frequently appears before nouns describing physical attacks, words meant to harm, or negative rumors. Can be used both attributively (a vicious attack) and predicatively (the dog was vicious).

常見錯誤

❌He gave me a vicious advice.
✅He gave me some vicious criticism.
💡'vicious' is not typically used with 'advice'; use 'harsh' or 'severe' for advice.
❌The honey was too vicious to pour.
✅The honey was too viscous to pour.
💡'vicious' and 'viscous' (thick/sticky) are easily confused spellings.

2. extremely severe or harsh — describing a physical sensation, weather condition,

2.形容詞B2
釋義

extremely severe or harsh — describing a physical sensation, weather condition, or situation that causes intense pain, difficulty, or distress

例句

Layla felt a vicious pain in her shoulder after the car accident.

collocation: vicious pain / vicious headache

A vicious storm destroyed several homes along the coastline.

collocation: vicious storm

同義詞
  • severe

    the most neutral alternative for intensity or seriousness

  • intense

    focuses on the strength of a sensation or experience

  • harsh

    can describe weather, criticism, or conditions that are difficult to endure

反義詞
  • mild

    gentle or moderate in effect, the opposite of severe

  • slight

    small in degree, not intense

文法句型

vicious + noun

be + vicious

用法筆記

This sense focuses on intensity and severity rather than moral cruelty. Commonly describes physical sensations (pain, headache, cough) and extreme conditions (storm, cold, competition). Unlike sense 1, the subject is not a living being acting with intent.

常見錯誤

❌I have a viscous headache.
✅I have a vicious headache.
💡'viscous' means thick and sticky; 'vicious' here means extremely severe.