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Ebbing

“Ebbing” 本义指潮汐退去(the tide is ebbing),引申为热情、力量、希望等逐渐消退,如 ebbing enthusiasm(热情减退)。常与 flow 相对,强调由强转弱的过程。

  1. “We waited for the ebbing tide before walking along the wet sand.” (我们等退潮后再沿着湿沙散步。)
  2. “Public interest in the scandal was slowly ebbing.” (公众对这桩丑闻的兴趣正在慢慢消退。)
  3. “She felt her anger ebbing as she took a deep breath.” (深吸一口气后,她感到怒气渐渐平息。)

“Ebb” 源自古英语 ebba,与德语 Ebbe 同源,专指潮水退去;比喻义“衰退”由潮汐意象自然延伸而来。

“-ing” 表示正在发生的过程;词干 “ebb” 本身为简短动词,无额外前缀。

英语成语 “ebb and flow”(潮起潮落)广泛用于描述情绪、经济、关系等的起伏;文学与新闻中 ebbing 常营造缓慢消退的氛围。

  • 固定搭配: “ebbing tide” (退潮), “ebb and flow” (潮起潮落;起伏), “ebbing support” (支持减弱)
  • 原形: ebb
  • 反义: flow(涨潮;增强)

ebb 像水往回“退”——ebbing 就是正在退去或渐渐减弱。

“With the ebbing tide, their worries seemed to ebb too, leaving room for a quiet conversation.” (随着退潮,他们的忧虑似乎也退去,留出空间安静交谈。)