a sudden event that causes many people to suffer 灾难；灾祸；横祸 Extra ExamplesThe country is on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe. 该国濒临人道主义灾难。 These policies could lead the country to environmental catastrophe. 这些政策可能会使国家陷入环境的灾难。 moves to avert a national catastrophe 避免全国性灾难的举措
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- absolute
- big
- complete
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- be
- cause
- lead (something) to
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an event that causes one person or a group of people to suffer, or that makes difficulties 不幸事件；困难 The attempt to expand the business was a catastrophe for the firm. 扩展业务的尝试使这家公司陷入困境。 We've had a few catastrophes with the food for the party. 我们为聚会准备食物时遇到了一些困难。
Extra ExamplesIt wouldn't be a catastrophe if he didn't turn up. 如果他没有出现，那就不是大灾难了。 The verdict of this hearing is a personal and professional catastrophe for her. 这次听证会的裁决对她来说是个人和职业上的灾难。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- absolute
- big
- complete
- …
- be
- cause
- lead (something) to
- …
- happen
- occur
- strike
- …
Word Originmid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘denouement’): from Latin catastropha, from Greek katastrophē ‘overturning, sudden turn’, from kata- ‘down’ + strophē ‘turning’ (from strephein ‘to turn’).