vt.使開(kāi)化；使文明

His wife has had a civilizing influence on him. 他妻子對(duì)改進(jìn)他言談舉止有潛移默化的影響。

Many a rough man has been civilized by his wife. 許多粗野的男人在妻子的開(kāi)導(dǎo)下變得文雅了。

civilize的基本意思是“使文明,使開(kāi)化”,可指變得不粗野,也可進(jìn)一步指變得文雅、舉止得體。

civilize可用作及物動(dòng)詞,其賓語(yǔ)常是表示人或部落的名詞,可用于被動(dòng)結(jié)構(gòu)。

在英式英語(yǔ)中，civilize也可以寫(xiě)作civilise。