degenerate
degenerate — 動詞
1. to steadily decline in quality, condition, or strength, often as part of a proce
惡化；退化
品質、狀況逐漸變差
to steadily decline in quality, condition, or strength, often as part of a process that is hard to stop
After Hari stopped attending rehearsals, the band's performance began to degenerate.
在 Hari 停止參加排練之後，樂團的表演開始惡化。
The discussion degenerated into a shouting match when Niran raised his voice.
當 Niran 提高音量之後，那場討論退化成了互相叫罵。
degenerate + into + [worse state]
Without proper maintenance, the old factory's condition slowly degenerated over the decades.
缺乏適當維護之下，那間老舊工廠的狀況在幾十年間逐漸惡化。
What started as a polite debate degenerated into personal insults between Yumi and her colleague.
原本禮貌的辯論退化成了 Yumi 和同事之間的人身攻擊。
In the weeks after Niran stopped returning her calls, Élise watched their easy friendship degenerate into awkward silence.
在 Niran 不再回她電話的幾週後，Élise 看著他們輕鬆的友誼退化成了尷尬的沉默。
- deteriorate
more common and neutral; used for physical things, relationships, or conditions
- decline
broader; can refer to quantity, quality, or health, not just moral or behavioural decline
- decay
suggests gradual rotting or breakdown, often with a stronger physical or organic sense
- improve
to become better
- strengthen
to become stronger, more effective
文法句型
degenerate + into + noun phrase
degenerate + from + noun phrase
用法筆記
This verb is usually intransitive. It is very often followed by 'into' to describe what something turns into as it worsens: 'The argument degenerated into a fight.'
常見錯誤
degenerate — 形容詞
1. having fallen to a low moral state, with standards of behavior that most people
墮落的
道德標準很低的
having fallen to a low moral state, with standards of behavior that most people consider unacceptable. Describes a person, lifestyle, or action that shows a serious lack of moral principles.
The corrupt official led a degenerate life funded by stolen public money.
那名貪官靠著偷來的公款過著墮落的生活。
attributive use: degenerate + [lifestyle noun]
Manuela switched off the TV and told her roommate the network should not broadcast such degenerate content.
Manuela 關掉電視，告訴她的室友電視台不該播放這麼墮落的內容。
The journalist described the nightclub as a place filled with degenerate entertainment.
那名記者形容那家夜店是個充滿墮落娛樂的地方。
Paintings that the Nazis called degenerate art in the 1930s now hang in galleries in New York and London.
那些在 1930 年代被納粹稱為墮落藝術的畫作，如今掛在紐約和倫敦的畫廊中。
文法句型
degenerate + noun
be + degenerate
用法筆記
A strong word used to criticize someone's character or actions harshly. It carries a judgement of serious moral failure, so use with care in everyday conversation.
常見錯誤
2. in mathematics, describing a case of a general type that is simpler or different
退化型
數學中變數為零的特殊簡化情形
in mathematics, describing a case of a general type that is simpler or different from the usual form, usually found when a numerical factor or a coefficient reaches a limiting value such as zero
In geometry class, Mr. Okonkwo drew three collinear points on the board and called the shape a degenerate triangle.
在幾何課上，Okonkwo 老師在黑板上畫了三個共線的點，稱這個形狀為退化三角形。
technical term: degenerate triangle
Asher drew a triangle on graph paper, but all three points sat on one line, so it had no area.
Asher 在方格紙上畫了一個三角形，但三個點都在一條線上，因此沒有面積。
visualizable: collinear points on graph paper
For a class demo, Ravindra cut through a paper cone's tip to reveal a degenerate conic of two lines.
Ravindra 在課堂示範中剪開一個紙圓錐的頂端，露出一個由兩條直線組成的退化圓錐曲線。
On the whiteboard, the teacher shrank the rectangle until its height reached zero, showing the class its degenerate line form.
老師在白板上將矩形縮小到高度為零，讓全班同學看它退化成一條直線的形態。
- limiting case
a case at the boundary of a set of possibilities, not necessarily simpler
- special case
broader; any case that differs from the general one, not only simpler
- general case
the typical or standard form
文法句型
degenerate + [mathematical object]
用法筆記
This sense is only used in technical mathematics. It describes a special case that is simpler than the general type — for example, a point considered as a circle of radius zero.
3. in biology, describing a structure or body part that has become less developed o
退化的
生物結構比原有祖先形式簡單的
in biology, describing a structure or body part that has become less developed or has lost a feature compared with its ancestral form, because that feature is no longer needed for survival
Some cave fish have degenerate eyes because they no longer need to see.
有些洞穴魚擁有退化的眼睛，因為牠們不再需要視覺。
biological context: degenerate + [body part]
Inês studied the parasite's degenerate digestive system in her biology class.
Inês 在她的生物課上研究了這種寄生蟲的退化消化系統。
Over millions of years, the species developed degenerate wings that cannot fly.
歷經數百萬年，該物種演化出無法飛行的退化翅膀。
Hyun examined the degenerate organs of animals living in dark caves.
Hyun 檢查了生活在黑暗洞穴中的動物所具有的退化器官。
- developed
fully formed and functional
- specialized
having evolved complex features for a specific function
文法句型
degenerate + [body part/organ]
用法筆記
Mainly used in biology textbooks and academic writing about evolution. Common examples include degenerate eyes in cave-dwelling animals and degenerate limbs in parasitic species.
degenerate — 名詞
1. a person whose moral standards are very low, and who behaves in ways that most p
墮落的人
道德標準很低的人
a person whose moral standards are very low, and who behaves in ways that most people find shocking or unacceptable
The police arrested a group of degenerates who had vandalized the park.
警方逮捕了一群在公園裡搞破壞的墮落之徒。
plural: degenerates
Caleb's neighbors called him a degenerate because of his wild parties and bad behaviour.
Caleb 的鄰居因為他舉辦狂野派對和行為不檢而叫他敗類。
used as a strong insult
The Daily Chronicle described the convicted burglar as a dangerous degenerate who cared about nobody but himself.
《每日紀事報》將這名定罪的竊賊形容為一個只在乎自己的危險墮落之徒。
In the novel, the main villain is a wealthy degenerate who treats people badly.
在小說中，主要反派是個有錢但待人不善的墮落之徒。
- saint
a very good, kind, and moral person
- role model
someone whose behaviour is admired and copied
用法筆記
A very strong and insulting word. It expresses harsh disapproval of someone's moral character. Avoid using it casually — it carries serious negative weight.