Degrade



GRE TOEFL

解释

GRE 红宝书

• v. 降格, 降级
• ［英］ v. 降格, 降级 ( to lower in rank or status; demote; debase)
• ［记］ de+grade ( 等级) -> 降低等级
• ［同］ 同根词: retrograde ( 后退) ; upgrade ( 升级, 上升)
• ［例］ A dishonest action like that will degrade you.

Webster Collegiate

verb

• Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French degrader, from Late Latin degradare, from Latin de- + gradus step, grade — more at grade
• Date: 14th century
• transitive verb
  • 1.
    • a. to lower in grade, rank, or status ; demote
    • b. to strip of rank or honors
    • c. to lower to an inferior or less effective level <degrade the image quality>
    • d. to scale down in desirability or salability
  • 2.
    • a. to bring to low esteem or into disrepute <his actions have degraded his profession>
    • b. to drag down in moral or intellectual character ; corrupt
  • 3. to impair in respect to some physical property <material degraded by exposure to sunlight>
  • 4. to wear down by erosion
  • 5. to reduce the complexity of (a chemical compound) ; decompose
• intransitive verb
  • 1. to pass from a higher grade or class to a lower
  • 2. of a chemical compound to become reduced in complexity
• ? degrader noun
• ? degradingly adverb

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