unearth

unearth — 動詞

1. to dig into the ground and bring something up from below the surface

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

挖掘；掘出

從地下挖出

to dig into the ground and bring something up from below the surface

例句

Workers unearthing the foundation of the old temple found several clay pots.

工人挖掘舊廟地基時，發現了幾個陶罐。

unearth + object while [activity]

While building the new road, the crew unearthed a set of dinosaur bones.

修建新道路時，施工團隊挖出了一組恐龍骨頭。

同義詞
  • dig up

    more everyday, less formal than unearth

  • excavate

    more technical, used especially in archaeology

  • exhume

    specifically refers to digging up a dead body from a grave

反義詞
  • bury

    to place something in the ground

  • inter

    formal term for burying a dead body

文法句型

unearth + noun phrase

unearth + noun phrase + from + noun phrase

用法筆記

Frequently used in archaeological and construction contexts. The passive form is common: bones / ruins / treasure were unearthed.

常見錯誤

❌The workers digged up an old vase.
✅The workers unearthed an old vase.
💡'unearth' is a regular verb (unearthed, unearthed), not a strong verb like 'dig' (dug, dug).

2. to locate an object that was hidden, buried, or lost, whether by looking for it

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

發現；找出

找到被隱藏或覆蓋之物

to locate an object that was hidden, buried, or lost, whether by looking for it or stumbling upon it

例句

Rachel unearthed a box of old photographs while cleaning out her grandmother's house.

Rachel 在清理祖母的房子時，發現了一盒舊照片。

unearthed + [hidden object] while [activity]

The gardener unearthed a rusted iron key while planting flowers in the backyard.

園丁在後院種花時，挖出了一把生鏽的鐵鑰匙。

同義詞
  • uncover

    broader; can mean removing a cover without implying digging

  • reveal

    focuses on making something visible rather than the act of finding

  • discover

    the most general term; can refer to any kind of finding

反義詞
  • hide

    to put something where it cannot be easily seen or found

  • conceal

    more formal than hide

文法句型

unearth + noun phrase

用法筆記

The object is usually something that was deliberately hidden or lost for a long time, not simply misplaced.

常見錯誤

❌She unearthed her phone under the sofa cushion.
✅She unearthed an old love letter hidden in the attic.
💡unearth suggests something hidden for a long time, not a casually dropped object.

3. to discover information or facts that were not previously known, especially by m

3.動詞及物C1
釋義

揭露；揭發

經由調查找出未公開資訊

to discover information or facts that were not previously known, especially by making a thorough investigation

例句

The journalist unearthed evidence that the company had been hiding its losses for years.

記者揭露了那家公司多年來隱瞞虧損的證據。

unearth + evidence that [clause]

A team of researchers unearthed documents showing the building was once a hospital.

一組研究人員發現的文件顯示，那棟建築曾經是一家醫院。

同義詞
  • bring to light

    idiomatic; emphasises the transition from unknown to known

  • expose

    suggests the information is damaging and was being deliberately hidden

  • uncover

    general term for revealing what was hidden; slightly less effortful than unearth

  • ferret out

    informal; suggests persistent searching through hard-to-find sources

反義詞
  • cover up

    to prevent damaging information from becoming known

  • suppress

    to stop information from being published or revealed

文法句型

unearth + noun phrase (evidence / documents / truth)

用法筆記

The subject is commonly a journalist, researcher, or investigation. The information discovered is often negative or secretive, such as evidence of corruption or hidden problems.

常見錯誤

❌I unearthed that my friend likes pizza.
✅The reporter unearthed documents that proved the city council had accepted bribes.
💡unearth is too strong for trivial everyday discoveries; it implies significant or hidden information.