- [uncountable] cruelty (to somebody/something)
behaviour that causes physical or mental pain to others and makes them suffer, especially deliberately （尤指蓄意的）残酷，残忍，残暴 cruelty to animals 对动物的虐待 The deliberate cruelty of his words cut her like a knife. 他故意说的那些残酷无情的话对她像刀割一样。
Extra ExamplesHer stepmother showed her nothing but cruelty. 她的继母对她只有虐待。 How can you inflict such cruelty on a child? 你怎能如此虐待一个孩子？ She was shocked to see such cruelty. 看到这样的残忍行为她很震惊。 The children suffered mental cruelty and neglect. 孩子们受到精神虐待，缺乏关爱。 an act of extreme cruelty 一种极端残酷的行为 the depths of human cruelty 人类的极端残忍
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- extreme
- great
- deliberate
- …
- inflict
- show (somebody)
- suffer
- …
- cruelty to
- cruelty towards/toward
- [countable, usually plural]
a cruel action 残暴的行为 Frightening cruelties were inflicted on child factory workers well into the 19th century. 一直到19世纪，儿童工厂工人遭受了可怕的残酷对待。
- [countable, uncountable]
something that happens that seems unfair 不公；不平 the cruelties of life 生活中的种种不公
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French crualte, based on Latin crudelitas, from crudelis, related to crudus ‘raw, rough’.