degrade
verb- [transitive] degrade somebody
to show or treat somebody in a way that makes them seem not worth any respect or not worth taking seriously 降低…身份；侮辱…的人格；使受屈辱 - [transitive] degrade something (specialist)
to make something become worse, especially in quality 降低，削弱（尤指质量） Important natural habitats have been degraded by development. 重要的自然栖息地因开发而退化。
- [intransitive, transitive] (specialist)
to change or make something change to a simpler chemical form （使）退化，降解；分解 - degrade (into something)
The esters then degrade into harmless sugars and fatty acids. 然后酯降解成无害的糖和脂肪酸。 - degrade something
The bacteria will degrade hydrocarbons. 细菌会降解碳氢化合物。
- degrade (into something)
Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French degrader, from ecclesiastical Latin degradare, from de- ‘down, away from’ + Latin gradus ‘step or grade’.