smother
smother — 動詞
1. to end a person's life by pressing something over their mouth and nose so that a
悶死
用物品蓋住口鼻使人無法呼吸致死
to end a person's life by pressing something over their mouth and nose so that air cannot reach their lungs
Sari's neighbour was found dead in bed, smothered with a pillow.
Sari 的鄰居被發現死在床上，是被人用枕頭悶死的。
passive: be smothered with [object]
The nurse admitted she had tried to smother the elderly patient under a cushion.
那位護士承認她曾試圖用靠墊悶死年邁的病人。
smother + person + under [object]
In the crime film, the killer uses a plastic bag to smother his victims.
在這部犯罪電影裡，殺手用塑膠袋悶死受害者。
David tried to fight back as his attacker attempted to smother him with a blanket.
David 奮力反抗，因為攻擊者試圖用毯子悶死他。
The autopsy revealed that the woman had been smothered while she was unconscious.
驗屍結果顯示，那名女子是在昏迷狀態下被悶死的。
- suffocate
more general; can happen without direct action (e.g., in a sealed room)
- asphyxiate
more technical/medical; used in formal reports
- choke
blockage inside the throat, not external covering
- resuscitate
to bring someone back to life after they stopped breathing
文法句型
smother + person
smother + person + with + object
be smothered
用法筆記
Frequently appears in passive constructions in crime reporting and legal contexts.
常見錯誤
2. to cause a plant or other living thing to die by covering it so completely that
窒息
覆蓋植物使光線和空氣無法到達而死亡
to cause a plant or other living thing to die by covering it so completely that light and air cannot reach it
The ivy slowly smothered the old rose bushes growing against the garden wall.
長春藤慢慢使牆邊的老玫瑰叢窒息而死。
plant smothers plant
Minho's vegetable patch was ruined when fast-growing weeds smothered the tomato plants.
Minho 的菜園被快速生長的雜草蓋住，番茄全部窒息枯死。
weeds smother + plant
Thick layers of wet leaves can smother the grass if they are not raked up.
厚厚一層溼葉子若不掃掉，會使底下的草窒息。
The farmer worried that the kudzu vines would smother every native tree on the land.
農夫擔心野葛藤會讓土地上的原生樹木全部窒息。
- nurture
to help something grow
文法句型
smother + plant/vegetation
weeds/vines smother + plant
用法筆記
Used primarily in gardening, farming, and ecological contexts. The subject is often an invasive plant or natural material.
3. to extinguish a fire by placing a material over it so that oxygen can no longer
撲滅
用覆蓋方式隔絕氧氣使火熄滅
to extinguish a fire by placing a material over it so that oxygen can no longer reach the flames
Esteban grabbed a heavy blanket and used it to smother the flames on the stove.
Esteban 抓起一條厚毯子蓋在爐子上，撲滅了火焰。
smother + flames + with [object]
A sand bucket near the campfire lets anyone smother the embers before leaving.
營火旁放了一桶沙子，讓大家離開前可以撲滅餘燼。
smother + fire/embers + with [material]
The chef quickly smothered the small grease fire by sliding a lid over the pan.
廚師迅速把鍋蓋蓋上，撲滅了油鍋裡的小火。
Firefighters warned that water will not smother an oil fire and could make the flames worse.
消防員提醒，水無法撲滅油類火災，反而可能助長火勢。
Cole poured dirt over the glowing coals to smother the last traces of the bonfire.
Cole 把土倒在發光的炭火上，撲滅了營火的最後餘燼。
- extinguish
more formal; includes methods other than covering (e.g., water, chemicals)
- stifle
less common for fire; more often used for sounds or feelings
- douse
uses liquid, not covering
文法句型
smother + fire/flames
smother + fire + with + object
4. to stop a feeling, idea, or activity from developing, growing, or being shown op
壓制
阻止想法、情感或活動的發展或表達
to stop a feeling, idea, or activity from developing, growing, or being shown openly
Bilal tried to smother his anger during the meeting and spoke calmly instead.
Bilal 在會議中努力壓制怒氣，然後冷靜地說話。
smother + emotion (anger)
The government used new laws to smother any public criticism of the policy.
政府用新法案來壓制任何對這項政策的公開批評。
smother + abstract noun (criticism)
Ayesha felt that the rigid school rules smothered the children's natural creativity.
Ayesha 覺得僵化的校規壓制了孩子們天生的創造力。
When laughter broke out in the library, the librarian shot a look that smothered it.
圖書館裡有人笑出聲來，館員一個眼神就把笑聲壓制住了。
The protest was quickly smothered by police before it could reach the city centre.
那場抗議還未抵達市中心就被警察迅速壓制了。
文法句型
smother + feeling/emotion
smother + idea/creativity
smother + protest/rebellion
用法筆記
Subject is often an authority figure, institution, or a person's self-control. The verb carries a negative tone — the thing being stopped is seen as natural or legitimate.
常見錯誤
5. to show a child or loved one so much care and attention that they feel unable to
溺愛
過度關心和保護使對方失去自主空間
to show a child or loved one so much care and attention that they feel unable to be independent or make their own choices
Nellie loves her son deeply but tries not to smother him with constant advice.
Nellie 很愛兒子，但她盡量不讓自己的關心變成溺愛。
smother + person + with + abstract noun
Some parents smother their children by doing everything for them instead of letting them try.
有些父母什麼都替孩子做，用這種方式溺愛他們。
smother + children + by + doing something
After the accident, Tunde felt his girlfriend was smothering him with worry and phone calls.
車禍之後，Tunde 覺得女朋友的電話和擔憂讓他喘不過氣來。
Wren moved out of her parents' house because their constant attention was smothering her.
Wren 從父母家搬出來，因為他們無微不至的照顧讓她無法自立。
- overprotect
more neutral; focuses on protection rather than love
- coddle
suggests treating someone as too delicate or weak
- mollycoddle
informal and slightly old-fashioned; overly indulgent
- neglect
to fail to give enough care or attention
文法句型
smother + child/person
smother + person + with + love/attention
用法筆記
Used critically — calling someone 'smothering' implies their care has become harmful. Often appears in discussions of parenting styles.
常見錯誤
6. to spread a thick layer of something over a surface or object, often in a way th
覆蓋
厚厚地塗抹或鋪上一層東西
to spread a thick layer of something over a surface or object, often in a way that seems excessive
The steak was smothered in a rich mushroom sauce and served with roasted potatoes.
那塊牛排上覆蓋了一層濃郁的蘑菇醬，旁邊附了烤馬鈴薯。
passive: be smothered in [food]
Élise smothered the toast with butter and honey until it was dripping.
Élise 在吐司上塗了厚厚一層奶油和蜂蜜，多到快滴下來。
smother + object + with [spread]
Sivan's grandmother always smothers the cake in a thick layer of chocolate frosting.
Sivan 的祖母總是在蛋糕上覆蓋一層厚厚的巧克力糖霜。
The children smothered the drawing with glitter and glue until the paper was barely visible.
孩子們在畫上撒滿亮粉和膠水，紙都快看不見了。
After the beach trip, we were smothered in sand and sunscreen from head to toe.
海灘一日遊後，我們全身從頭到腳都覆蓋著沙子和防曬乳。
- scrape
to remove a layer from a surface
文法句型
smother + object + in/with + substance
be smothered in/with
用法筆記
Very common in cooking contexts (smothered in sauce, gravy, cream). Also used jokingly or dramatically for any thick coating.
smother — 名詞
1. a thick, heavy cloud of smoke that makes it difficult to see or breathe
濃煙
讓人難以呼吸或看清的厚重煙霧
a thick, heavy cloud of smoke that makes it difficult to see or breathe
A thick smother of smoke filled the hallway after the fire broke out.
火災發生後，走廊裡瀰漫著嗆人的濃煙。
smother of + smoke
The miners could barely see through the smother of dust inside the tunnel.
礦工們幾乎看不穿隧道裡厚重的塵煙。
smother of + dust
Thick black smother rose from the burning tyres and choked the neighbourhood.
燃燒的輪胎升起濃濃黑煙，嗆得整個街區難以呼吸。
Pedestrians coughed as a smother of exhaust fumes hung over the busy street.
行人紛紛咳嗽，因為繁忙的街道上空籠罩著一層嗆人廢氣。
用法筆記
Rare in modern speech; mostly found in literary or descriptive writing. The countable use ('a smother') is especially uncommon.
2. a large, confusing collection of different things or ideas all mixed together
混雜
雜亂無章的一堆東西混在一起
a large, confusing collection of different things or ideas all mixed together
His desk was a smother of papers, coffee cups, and old newspapers.
他的書桌上一片混雜，堆滿了文件、咖啡杯和舊報紙。
smother of + mixed items
The novel begins in a smother of confusing flashbacks and unexplained events.
這本小說的開頭是一團混雜的倒敘和未解釋的事件。
smother of + abstract elements
Out of the smother of voices in the market, one shout rose above the rest.
從市場上混雜的人聲中，有一個喊聲蓋過了其他聲音。
The attic was a smother of old toys, broken furniture, and forgotten letters.
閣樓裡亂七八糟地堆滿了舊玩具、破家具和遺忘的信件。
用法筆記
Very rare and literary. Often used with 'of' followed by a plural noun describing the mixed elements.