undermine
verb- undermine something/somebody
to make something, especially somebody’s confidence or authority, gradually weaker or less effective 逐渐削弱(信心、权威等);使逐步减少效力 Our confidence in the team has been seriously undermined by their recent defeats. 他们最近的几次失利已严重动摇了我们对该队的信心。 This crisis has undermined his position. 这场危机已损害了他的地位。 Recent changes have undermined teachers’ morale. 最近的变化削弱了教师的士气。 The director saw this move as an attempt to undermine his authority. 经理认为此举是想削弱他的权威。 It's all a plot to undermine me. 都是阴谋破坏我。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- greatly
- radically
- seriously
- …
- threaten to
- attempt to
- seek to
- …
- undermine something
to make something weaker at the base, for example by digging under it 从根基处破坏;挖…的墙脚
Word OriginMiddle English: from under- + the verb mine, probably suggested by Middle Dutch ondermineren.