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。
- “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。)
- “Public interest in the scandal was slowly ebbing.” (公众对这桩丑闻的兴趣正在慢慢消退。)
- “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。)