wound
wound — noun
1. a place on the body where the outer tissue has been broken or torn, usually caus
a place on the body where the outer tissue has been broken or torn, usually caused by something sharp, a weapon, or an accident
The doctor cleaned the wound on Takeshi's arm and wrapped it with a clean bandage.
wound on + body part; medical context
Nadia's wound healed much faster than the doctors had expected.
Feng got a small wound on his knee after falling off his bicycle.
The nurse checked the surgical wound every four hours for any signs of infection.
文法句型
a wound + on/in + body part
用法筆記
The verb 'injure' is more general; 'wound' specifically suggests a break in the skin or flesh.
常見錯誤
2. a lasting feeling of sadness, hurt, or pain in the mind caused by a painful expe
a lasting feeling of sadness, hurt, or pain in the mind caused by a painful experience or by something unkind that someone has done or said
Losing the family home was a wound that took Élise years to recover from.
a wound + that-clause describing the painful experience
The argument between the brothers reopened old wounds that everyone thought had healed.
reopen old wounds — idiomatic collocation
Bilal's harsh words left a deep wound in Quinn's heart that would not easily heal.
After his business partner stole their savings, Baraka said the wound would take years to heal.
文法句型
wound + to/of + abstract noun
用法筆記
Usually preceded by a modifier such as 'deep', 'old', or 'emotional'. Common in fixed expressions like 'reopen old wounds' and 'heal the wounds'.
常見錯誤
wound — verb
1. to hurt a person or animal by cutting, tearing, or breaking the skin or flesh, o
to hurt a person or animal by cutting, tearing, or breaking the skin or flesh, often with a weapon or sharp object
The explosion wounded three passengers and caused panic at the station.
wound + human object; passive context common with events
Rodrigo was wounded in the shoulder during the hunt and had to walk back alone.
be wounded + in + body part
A stray piece of glass wounded the child's hand when the window broke.
The soldier who wounded the enemy fighter was later praised for his bravery.
- heal
to make a wound healthy again — the opposite process
文法句型
wound + noun phrase (person/animal)
be wounded + by + weapon/cause
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive voice, especially in news reports about accidents or military events. 'Injure' is preferred for harm caused by accidents or falls that do not break the skin.
常見錯誤
2. to cause someone deep emotional pain by saying or doing something unkind or unfa
to cause someone deep emotional pain by saying or doing something unkind or unfair
Lauren was deeply wounded by her best friend's betrayal and could not forgive her.
be wounded by + cause (words/actions)
Camille's careless joke wounded Liam's pride more than she ever realised.
wound + possessive + pride/feelings
Hassan felt wounded when the committee ignored his proposal without any explanation.
Mira never meant to wound anyone, but her blunt way of speaking often upset people.
- comfort
to ease someone's distress, the opposite of causing emotional pain
文法句型
wound + noun phrase (person)
wound + possessive + pride/feelings
be wounded + by + words/actions
用法筆記
This sense describes an action that causes emotional pain, not physical injury. The object is usually a person. Common objects include 'pride', 'feelings', or 'dignity' — the person's sense of self-worth.
常見錯誤
wound — verb
1. the past tense and past participle of the verb 'wind', meaning to twist somethin
the past tense and past participle of the verb 'wind', meaning to twist something around a surface or object, or to turn a handle or key to make something work
Piotr wound the rope around the metal pole to keep the boat steady.
wound + object + around + noun phrase
Every evening before bed, Quinn wound the old grandfather clock.
wound + clock/watch — winding a mechanical device
The hikers wound their way up the narrow path towards the mountain top.
Nadia had wound the scarf so tightly around her neck that she could barely breathe.
- unwound
past tense of 'unwind' — to release something that was wound up
文法句型
wound + object + around + noun
wound + object + up/back/down
用法筆記
Do not confuse this pronunciation (/waʊnd/) with the noun and verb meaning 'injury' (/wuːnd/). The meaning here relates to twisting, turning, or coiling — completely unrelated to physical harm.