divine
divine — 形容詞
1. Of or relating to a god or supreme being — used for things that come from a god,
神聖的
與神或神性有關的
Of or relating to a god or supreme being — used for things that come from a god, resemble one, or are connected with religious worship; for example, divine power, a divine message in scripture, or a figure believed to be a god.
The villagers believed the earthquake was a divine punishment for their actions.
村民們相信那場地震是神聖的懲罰，因為他們做了錯事。
collocation: divine punishment / divine power
Élise lit candles and offered a prayer to the divine spirit that protected her family.
Élise 點燃了蠟燭，向保護她家人的神聖力量祈禱。
collocation: divine spirit
After the doctors gave up hope, Hugo called his unexpected recovery an act of divine mercy.
在醫生放棄希望之後，Hugo 將自己的意外康復稱之為神聖的慈悲之舉。
The carved figures on the temple walls were said to represent divine beings.
據說寺廟牆上的雕刻代表著神聖的存在。
Ancient rulers often claimed a divine right to govern their people.
古代的統治者經常宣稱擁有統治人民的神聖權力。
- holy
More direct association with sacredness; used for places, objects, and texts rather than for beings or powers
- sacred
Emphasises something set apart for religious worship; less often used of a being's nature
- heavenly
Often interchangeable but can also mean 'of the sky'; slightly less formal in religious use
- godlike
Focuses on resemblance to a god rather than connection to one; more literary
文法句型
divine + noun
be + divine
用法筆記
Frequently used before a noun (attributive position) to describe things associated with religious traditions, such as divine law, divine love, or divine will. Distinguish from sense 2 (WONDERFUL): this sense always carries a religious meaning rather than simply expressing admiration.
常見錯誤
2. So remarkably good that it gives the kind of pleasure one might associate with t
極好的
極度美好或令人愉悅的
So remarkably good that it gives the kind of pleasure one might associate with the gods — used for food, weather, music, or anything that brings exceptional enjoyment.
The chocolate cake at Piotr's party was absolutely divine — I ate two slices.
Piotr 派對上的巧克力蛋糕好吃極了——我吃了兩塊。
collocation: absolutely divine
Hui said the massage was so divine that she fell asleep on the table.
Hui 說按摩舒服得像在天堂一樣，她直接在按摩床上睡著了。
We sat on the terrace enjoying the divine view of the ocean at sunset.
我們坐在露台上，欣賞日落時分海面上那片絕美的景色。
Lucas thought the weather in southern Spain was divine, with warm sunshine every day.
Lucas 認為西班牙南部的天氣好得無可挑剔，每天都陽光普照。
Anjali's voice sounded divine during the concert, filling the hall with pure sound.
Anjali 在音樂會上的歌聲美妙至極，純淨的聲音充滿了整個音樂廳。
- superb
Of very high quality; less emotional and more formal
- magnificent
Grand or impressive; used for larger-scale experiences and sights
- exquisite
Delicately beautiful or carefully made; often used for food, art, or craftsmanship
- gorgeous
Visually very pleasing; similar formality level but more common for appearance
文法句型
be + divine
divine + noun
用法筆記
Common in casual conversation and reviews (restaurants, holidays, music). This sense is lighter and less formal than the GODLY sense. It is almost never used in formal writing — prefer 'excellent', 'superb', or 'splendid' in academic or business contexts.
常見錯誤
divine — 動詞
1. To discover or understand something through a strong inner feeling or instinct r
推測；直覺
憑直覺猜測或發現
To discover or understand something through a strong inner feeling or instinct rather than through clear facts or logical reasoning. For example, a person might divine someone's true intentions from their tone of voice, or divine what will happen next without being told.
Before she said a word, Lakan managed to divine the real reason for her sadness.
Lakan 在她開口之前就察覺到她難過的真正原因。
divine + noun phrase (the real reason)
The detective tried to divine the truth from the suspect's nervous body language.
偵探試圖從嫌疑犯緊張的肢體語言中推測出真相。
From the school board's vague budget report, it was impossible to divine what they actually planned to cut.
從學校董事會那份含糊的預算報告中，根本無法推測他們實際上打算削減哪些項目。
Christopher could divine his father's mood simply by watching how he walked into the room.
Christopher 只要看父親走進房間的樣子，就能察覺他的心情。
With years of experience, the old gardener could divine exactly when each plant needed water.
憑藉多年的經驗，那位老園丁能準確判斷每棵植物何時需要澆水。
- sense
More common in everyday speech; less formal and less dramatic
- intuit
Almost identical in meaning but slightly more technical or psychological in tone
- discern
Emphasises careful perception rather than instinct; involves more mental effort
- infer
Based on reasoning from evidence rather than pure instinct or feeling
文法句型
divine + noun phrase
divine + wh-clause
用法筆記
Subject is often a person with special sensitivity, experience, or closeness to the situation. The object is typically something hidden or not yet expressed — a feeling, intention, truth, or future event. Frequently followed by a wh-clause (what, when, where, why). More common in literary and formal contexts than in everyday speech.
常見錯誤
2. To search for underground water, minerals, or other hidden substances using a sp
探測
用探測棒尋找水源或礦脈
To search for underground water, minerals, or other hidden substances using a special rod or stick that is believed to point downwards when it passes over the target — a practice also known as dowsing.
The farmer used a forked hazel branch to try to divine water beneath his field.
那位農夫用一根分叉的榛木枝，試圖在他田地底下探測水源。
transitive: divine + noun phrase (water)
Rafael watched an old man walk slowly across the land and divine for underground springs.
Rafael 看著一位老人緩緩走過土地，探測地下的泉水。
intransitive: divine for [substance]
Some engineers still hire specialists who claim they can divine the location of buried pipes.
有些工程師仍然聘請專家，聲稱他們能探測到地下管線的位置。
Ilan had never seen anyone divine for water before and found the whole process fascinating.
Ilan 以前從未見過有人探測水源，覺得整個過程非常神奇。
文法句型
divine + noun phrase (water/minerals)
divine for + noun phrase
用法筆記
This sense is highly specialised and often treated with scepticism — scientific evidence does not support the effectiveness of dowsing. 'Dowse' is actually a much more common term than 'divine' for this activity. The object is typically 'water', 'minerals', or a specific substance. Can be used transitively ('divine water') or intransitively with 'for' ('divine for gold').
divine — 名詞
1. A person who holds an official position in a religious organisation, such as a p
神職人員
擔任宗教職務的神職人員
A person who holds an official position in a religious organisation, such as a priest, minister, or pastor, and leads worship or provides spiritual guidance.
The town's senior divine gave a sermon about forgiveness that moved many listeners to tears.
鎮上的高級神職人員關於寬恕的講道讓許多聽眾感動落淚。
collocation: senior divine
A learned divine blessed the newly married couple at the altar during the ceremony.
一位博學的神職人員在婚禮儀式上為新婚夫婦祈福。
collocation: learned divine
Local divines gathered at the cathedral to discuss the church's role in modern society.
本地神職人員在大教堂聚會，討論教會在現代社會中的角色。
Soraya consulted a well-known divine about the spiritual meaning of the ancient ritual.
Soraya 諮詢了一位知名的神職人員，了解古代儀式的精神意義。
- layperson
A member of a religious community who is not a clergy member
文法句型
the + divine
a + divine
用法筆記
This is a formal and somewhat old-fashioned term. In modern everyday English, 'priest', 'minister', 'pastor', or 'clergy member' are far more common. 'Divine' as a noun is most often found in historical writing, formal religious contexts, or literary texts. Distinguish from sense 2 (THEOLOGIAN): a divine in this sense leads religious practice, while a theologian studies religion academically.
常見錯誤
2. A person who studies the nature of God, religious beliefs, sacred texts, and spi
神學家
研究神學或宗教的學者
A person who studies the nature of God, religious beliefs, sacred texts, and spiritual matters in a detailed or scholarly way — often writing books, teaching at universities, or debating religious ideas.
The university invited a renowned divine to lecture on second-century Christian writings.
那所大學邀請了一位著名的神學家來講授二世紀的基督教著作。
collocation: renowned divine
Walid consulted a distinguished divine to understand the historical context of the ancient religious text.
Walid 諮詢了一位傑出的神學家，以了解古代宗教文本的歷史背景。
collocation: distinguished divine
In the seventeenth century, this Dutch divine published a famous defence of religious tolerance.
在十七世紀，這位荷蘭神學家發表了一篇著名的為宗教寬容辯護的文章。
The conference brought together divines from three different faith traditions to discuss shared values.
會議匯集了來自三種不同信仰傳統的神學家，共同探討共同的價值觀。
- theologian
The standard modern term; preferred in academic and contemporary contexts
- scholar of religion
Broader term that may include comparative religion without personal faith
- doctor of the church
A specific title in Catholic tradition for certain influential theologians
文法句型
the + divine
a + divine
用法筆記
Like sense 1 (CLERGY), this is a formal, somewhat dated term. 'Theologian' is the standard modern word. This sense differs from sense 1 in that it emphasises academic or scholarly study of religion rather than leading worship or running a congregation. The two senses can overlap — a person may be both a clergyperson and a theologian — but the noun 'divine' in historical use could refer to either role.