undermine

verb

1. 逐渐削弱（信心、权威等）；使逐步减少效力
   to make sth, especially sb's confidence or authority, gradually weaker or less effective
   1. Our confidence in the team has been seriously undermined by their recent defeats.
      该队最近的几次失败已严重动摇了我们对他们的信心。
   2. This crisis has undermined his position.
      这场危机已损害了他的地位。
2. 从根基处破坏；挖…的墙脚
   to make sth weaker at the base, for example by digging under it

1. VERB （常指逐渐或反复）削弱，损害（情感、体制等）
   If you undermine something such as a feeling or a system, you make it less strong or less secure than it was before, often by a gradual process or by repeated efforts.
   1. Offering advice on each and every problem will undermine her feeling of being adult...
      对每个问题都给出建议会令她觉得自己不像个成年人。
   2. Western intelligence agencies are accused of trying to undermine the government.
      西方情报机构被指责企图动摇该政府的统治。
2. VERB （常指间接地）削弱，损害，动摇（某人的地位或权威）
   If you undermine someone or undermine their position or authority, you make their authority or position less secure, often by indirect methods.
   1. She undermined him and destroyed his confidence in his own talent...
      她暗中打击他，让他对自己的才华信心全无。
   2. The conversations were designed to undermine her authority so she felt that she could no longer work for the company.
      这些谈话有意削弱她的威信，这样她会觉得自己在公司干不下去。
3. VERB 破坏，损害（某人的努力或成功的机会）
   If you undermine someone's efforts or undermine their chances of achieving something, you behave in a way that makes them less likely to succeed.
   1. The continued fighting threatens to undermine efforts to negotiate an agreement...
      持续的战斗会破坏希望通过谈判来达成协议的努力。
   2. I don't want to do something that would undermine the chances of success.
      我不想做会影响成功机会的事情。

1. This may help to undermine the brittle truce that currently exists.
   这也许会火上浇油，破坏当前脆弱不稳的休战局面。
2. Offering advice on each and every problem will undermine her feeling of being adult
   对每个问题都给出建议会令她觉得自己不像个成年人。
3. Western intelligence agencies are accused of trying to undermine the government.
   西方情报机构被指责企图动摇该政府的统治。
4. She undermined him and destroyed his confidence in his own talent
   她暗中打击他，让他对自己的才华信心全无。
5. The conversations were designed to undermine her authority so she felt that she could no longer work for the company.
   这些谈话有意削弱她的威信，这样她会觉得自己在公司干不下去。
6. The continued fighting threatens to undermine efforts to negotiate an agreement
   持续的战斗会破坏希望通过谈判来达成协议的努力。
7. I don't want to do something that would undermine the chances of success.
   我不想做会影响成功机会的事情。
8. But they also use it to undermine their rivals.
   但是它们也可以利用这点暗算对手。
9. Ted suspects that some people are trying to undermine his reputation.
   泰德疑心有人企图暗中破坏他的名誉。
10. The Indian Prime Minister has warned that terrorism could undermine a peace process between India and Pakistan.
    印度总理警告说，恐怖主义会损害印度和巴基斯坦之间的和平进程。
11. The smallest mistake can undermine the integrity of an entire system.
    最小的错误都可能破坏整个系统的完整性。
12. Don't undermine your achievements by misspelling them.
    不要因为拼写错误而破坏了你的成就。
13. The danger is that these tactics undermine trust in business ( and indeed Politics) among the public.
    其风险在于，这些招术削弱了公众对企业（和政界）的信任。
14. These consequences will undermine society's long-term ability to manage climate change risk.
    这些后果将会破坏社会管理气候变化风险的长期能力。
15. Both sides should refrain from taking any actions that may undermine mutual trust or prejudge the outcome of negotiations.
    双方都应避免采取任何可能破坏互信或预断谈判结果的行动。
16. They hope to undermine our unity; they shall fail.
    他们希望破坏我们的团结：他们不会成功的。
17. They have not got the right to undermine the way we have helped this lad.
    他们没有权利破坏我们和这个年轻人的关系。
18. A prolonged crisis could undermine support for market-oriented policies and generate conflict and confusion.
    一场被延长的危机有可能削弱对市场导向政策的支持，并引发冲突和混乱。
19. The political meddling goes beyond the cronyism and patronage that undermine their operations.
    政治干预远不止于破坏企业运营的任人唯亲和裙带关系。
20. Ironically, Snow's own predictions undermine this conclusion.
    讽刺的是，斯诺自己的预言破坏了这个结论。
21. Jeremic says Serbia will use its diplomatic, economic, and political clout to undermine Kosovo's independence plans.
    塞尔维亚外长耶雷米奇表示，塞尔维亚将动用外交、经济和政治上的影响力，力争阻止科索沃的独立计划。
22. Sea-level rise and more severe weather are likely to undermine these irreplaceable historic sites.
    海平面上升和更恶劣的天气有可能破坏这些不可替代的历史遗迹。
23. The government has also outlined several technical electoral reforms that undermine the opposition and smaller parties.
    该政府还拟定了几项技术性的选举改革举措，旨在削弱反对派和较小的政党。
24. Hatred will undermine your tolerance and keen sense of justice.
    乐观会增强你的信心和弹性，而仇根会使你失去宽容和正义感。
25. Such an objective would stifle innovation and undermine management autonomy and responsibility.
    那样的目标会扼杀创新，损害管理自主权和责任。
26. Am I trying to undermine their relationship?
    我是在试图破坏他们的关系吗？
27. We idolise success and status and thus undermine our mutual respect.
    我们过度崇拜成功和地位，从而削弱了彼此间的尊重。
28. And I think that that threatens to undermine the objectivity.
    我认为这威胁到了公正性。
29. Will it undermine our Party's prestige if we criticize our own subjectivism, bureaucracy and sectarianism?
    我们自己来批评自己的主观主义、官僚主义和宗派主义，这会不会使我们的党丧失威信呢？
30. To combat economic and other crimes that undermine socialism;
    打击经济领域和其他领域内破坏社会主义的犯罪活动；

  undermine sap weaken【导航词义：逐渐削弱】

  undermine v. 逐渐削弱，损害

〔辨析〕尤指使信心、权威等变弱或失去效力。

  sap v. 削弱，逐渐破坏

〔辨析〕尤指逐渐削弱某人的力量、信心、意志等。

  weaken v. 削弱；使虚弱；动摇

〔辨析〕指使某人或某物变得不重要或不强大，或使人身体衰弱，也可指动摇某人的决心。

verb

1. hollow out as if making a cave or opening
   1. The river was caving the banks

   Synonym:    cave

2. destroy property or hinder normal operations
   1. The Resistance sabotaged railroad operations during the war

   Synonym:    sabotagecounterminecounteractsubvertweaken