inflict
基本释义
[verb] cause (something unpleasant or painful) to be suffered by someone or something
[动词] 使某人或某事物遭受（不愉快或痛苦的事情）
深入解读
在小站（微信公众号：田间小站）去年推送的 小词详解 | afflict 中，就曾提到 inflict 容易与 afflict 相混淆。这两个单词词根相同，其中 inflict 由前缀 in- （使……）+ 词根 flict （打击）构成。
从这个构词不难猜出 inflict 的含义，即“予以打击，使遭受打击、损伤、苦痛等”，也就是使某人或某事物遭受不愉快或痛苦的事情，常用搭配 inflict sth (on/upon sb/sth) 。
与 afflict 强调谁在承受痛苦略有不同的是， inflict 侧重指痛苦是由谁造成的，或者说 inflict 更具恶意和攻击性，意味着主动造成伤害或问题，比如：
- 他们使敌人吃了一场很没面子的败仗。败军在溃逃时有很多人被击毙或俘虏。
They inflicted a humiliating defeat on the enemy. Many men were shot or captured in the debacle. - 他们察看了由盟军空军造成的附带损失。
They surveyed the collateral damage inflicted by allied air forces.
这个概念也可以进一步用来表示“强加、使被迫承受”，即强加不受欢迎的东西使人忍受，比如：
- 你非得逼我们听那种刺耳的音乐吗？
Do you have to inflict that strident music on us?
而短语动词 inflict yourself/sb on sb 则相应表示“打扰、不请自来”，也就是强迫人在其不愿意的情况下与自己或某个人共度时光，常作戏谑用语使用，比如：
- 她把她无能的儿子打发到他们那儿去度周末，真是添乱。
She inflicted her inept son on them for the weekend.
权威用例
人与自然是生命共同体，人类必须尊重自然、顺应自然、保护自然。人类只有遵循自然规律才能有效防止在开发利用自然上走弯路，人类对大自然的伤害最终会伤及人类自身，这是无法抗拒的规律。
Man and nature form a community of life; we, as human beings, must respect nature, follow its ways, and protect it. Only by observing the laws of nature can mankind avoid costly blunders in its exploitation. Any harm we inflict on nature will eventually return to haunt us. This is a reality we have to face.
出自十九大报告《决胜全面建成小康社会 夺取新时代中国特色社会主义伟大胜利》（Secure a Decisive Victory in Building a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects and Strive for the Great Success of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era）。
外刊例句
- In 2010 a group of drug experts scored the total harm in Britain caused by 20 common intoxicants and concluded that alcohol inflicted the greatest cost, mostly because of the damage it does to non-consumers such as the victims of drunk drivers.
2010年，一组药物专家评估了最常见的20种麻醉品在英国造成的总伤害，得出的结论是酒精造成的损失最大，主要是因为它对非饮酒人造成的伤害，比如酒驾事故的受害者。
——《经济学人》 - But that meant inflicting undeserved pain on others.
但这意味着给他人造成不应有的痛苦。
——《纽约时报》
详细用法
inflict 是一个动词，意为强加、施加。它表示给予或造成伤害、痛苦或困难给他人。下面是关于 inflict 的一些短语，附带中文解释：
- Inflict pain: 造成疼痛
- The athlete’s injury inflicted severe pain and ended his career.（那位运动员的受伤造成了剧痛，结束了他的职业生涯。）
- The torture methods used by the interrogators were designed to inflict maximum pain.（审讯者使用的酷刑手段旨在造成最大的痛苦。）
- Inflict damage: 造成损害
- The hurricane inflicted extensive damage to the coastal area.（飓风给沿海地区造成了广泛的破坏。）
- The vandals broke into the museum and inflicted significant damage to the valuable artworks.（破坏分子闯入博物馆，对珍贵艺术品造成了重大破坏。）
- Inflict punishment: 施加惩罚
- The judge has the authority to inflict harsh punishment on convicted criminals.（法官有权对被判有罪的罪犯施加严厉的惩罚。）
- The disciplinary committee decided to inflict a suspension on the student for his misconduct.（纪律委员会决定因学生的不当行为对其进行停学处分。）
- Inflict suffering: 造成苦难
- The war inflicted immeasurable suffering on the civilian population.（战争给平民人口带来了无法估量的苦难。）
- The kidnappers took pleasure in inflicting psychological suffering on their captives.（绑匪以给人质造成心理痛苦为乐。）
- Inflict a defeat: 遭受失败
- The team inflicted a humiliating defeat on their rivals in the championship match.（该队在锦标赛中使对手遭受了耻辱性的失败。）
- The boxer aimed to inflict a knockout defeat on his opponent with a powerful punch.（那个拳击手打算用一记有力的拳击使对手遭受击倒的失败。）
以上是关于 inflict 的一些常见短语，描述了给予伤害、痛苦或困难给他人的情境。请注意，这些用法通常带有负面的含义，表示给他人带来不良后果或不愉快的经历。
同近义词
impose: force (something unwelcome or unfamiliar) to be accepted or put in place
exact: inflict (revenge) on someone
thrust: push (something or someone) suddenly or violently in the specified direction
