hibernate

hibernate — 動詞

1. When animals hibernate, they enter a deep, prolonged rest throughout the winter

1.動詞不及物B2
釋義

冬眠

動物在冬季進入深度睡眠

When animals hibernate, they enter a deep, prolonged rest throughout the winter season, during which their body functions slow down greatly to preserve energy.

例句

Minh learnt that bears hibernate in caves during the coldest months.

Minh 學到熊在最冷的幾個月會在洞穴中冬眠。

hibernate + in [location]

Hedgehogs hibernate under piles of leaves to stay warm through winter.

刺蝟在落葉堆下冬眠，好讓自己在整個冬季保持溫暖。

hibernate under [protective covering]

同義詞
  • overwinter

    More technical; focuses on surviving winter rather than the method of inactivity

  • brumate

    Specific to reptiles and amphibians; describes cold-weather dormancy with different physiology

反義詞
  • awaken

    To come out of hibernation

文法句型

hibernate + in/under/through [location/time]

用法筆記

Subject is always an animal. Not used for human sleep, even in casual contexts. Common hibernating animals include bears, hedgehogs, bats, ground squirrels, frogs, and some reptiles.

常見錯誤

❌I hibernated all weekend after the exam.
✅I slept all weekend after the exam.
💡hibernate is only used for the winter sleep of animals, not for people taking a long rest.

2. to stay completely inactive for a period of time, especially when waiting for be

2.動詞不及物C1
釋義

休眠；停擺

暫停活動等待時機恢復

to stay completely inactive for a period of time, especially when waiting for better conditions before starting again.

例句

To save battery, the laptop automatically hibernates after thirty minutes of inactivity.

為了節省電力，筆記型電腦在沒有使用三十分鐘後會自動進入休眠狀態。

hibernate (computer: power-saving mode)

The hospital's expansion plan had to hibernate because of budget cuts.

醫院的擴建計畫因預算削減而被迫暫時停擺。

同義詞
  • lie dormant

    Describes the state rather than the process; suggests longer or more indefinite inactivity

  • pause

    Less specific about the length or depth of the break; can be very short

  • go into abeyance

    More formal; used for legal matters, rules, or official processes set aside temporarily

反義詞
  • revive

    To bring back into activity after a period of hibernation

  • resume

    To start again after a pause

文法句型

hibernate + (for [duration])

force + object + to hibernate

hibernate + (until [condition])

用法筆記

Often used figuratively in technology (computers entering power-saving mode), business (projects or plans put on hold), and medicine (viruses remaining latent in the body). Unlike sense 1, the subject can be a non-living thing or abstract entity. Frequently followed by an adverbial of time or place.

常見錯誤

❌The factory was closed permanently because of the crisis.
✅The factory was forced to hibernate until the economy improved.
💡hibernate implies a temporary pause and the possibility of resuming, not a permanent closure.
❌The project was sleeping for six months.
✅The project hibernated for six months.
💡sleep is for living beings; hibernate works figuratively for projects or systems.