CET6 考研 TOEFL GMAT
pathetic
英 [pə'θetɪk] 美 [pə'θetɪk]
adj.可怜的；不足的；感伤的；悲哀的
◉Etymology
Pathetic” 一词源自希腊语 “pathos”，意为“情感”或“痛苦”。它通过拉丁语 “pathēticus” 和法语 “pathétique” 传入英语。最初，“pathetic” 指的是与情感、特别是悲剧相关的事物。现在它的使用已扩展到描述令人感到可怜或不堪的情况。
◉外刊例句
① 《纽约时报》 (The New York Times), 2023年9月12日
“The once-grand theater now stood in a pathetic state of disrepair, its grandeur lost to time.”
“曾经宏伟的剧院现在处于一种令人可怜的破败状态，它的辉煌已被时间抹去。”
② 《卫报》 (The Guardian), 2024年1月8日
“The documentary highlighted the pathetic conditions faced by displaced families living in temporary shelters.”
“这部纪录片揭示了流离失所的家庭在临时庇护所中面临的可怜境况。”
◉经典名著
在威廉·莎士比亚的《哈姆雷特》（Hamlet）中，“pathetic” 用于描述悲剧性的情感：
“The ghost’s tale was filled with a pathetic depth of sorrow that moved even the hardest of hearts.”
“鬼魂的故事充满了令人心酸的悲伤，甚至动了最坚硬的心灵。”
◉Usage Examples
(1) We saw the pathetic sight of starving children.
(2) She dances well, but as a singer, she is pathetic.
(3) God! The freshmen are pathetic this year!
(4) I never heard anything that sounded so pathetic.
(5) His tears were pathetic to witness.
(6) It was pathetic to watch her condition deteriorate.
(7) The police do not pity those poor, pathetic and helpless homeless.
(8) You are nothing but a pathetic fool.
(1) 我们看到挨饿的儿童悲惨可怜的样子。
(2) 她跳舞跳得好，但唱歌就差劲了。
(3) 天啊！今年的大一新生什么也不懂！
(4) 我从未听说过如此悲伤的事了。
(5) 他的眼泪引起在场人的怜悯。
(6) 看着她的健康状况恶化真是感到难过。
(7) 警察一点也不同情那些既悲哀又无助的游民。
(8) 你只不过是个可怜的傻瓜。
◉Usage Notes
Something pathetic inspires pity and contempt. Pathetic things are awful or lame.
These days, when you see the word pathetic, it's pretty clear that it's no compliment. This is an insulting word for things that are so bad they bum you out. A sports team losing ten games in a row is pathetic. Someone who constantly lies, even though the lies are obvious, is pathetic. Trying to dunk a basketball and missing by three feet is pathetic. When something is astoundingly lame or awful, people love to say, "Wow. How pathetic."
◉Colins
1. [ADJ-GRADED 能被表示程度的副词或介词词组修饰的形容词]可怜的；令人怜悯的；悲惨的 If you describe a person or animal as pathetic, you mean that they are sad and weak or helpless, and they make you feel very sorry for them.
...a pathetic little dog with a curly tail...
可怜的卷尾巴小狗
The small group of onlookers presented a pathetic sight...
这一小群旁观者看起来真是让人悲哀。
She now looked small, shrunken and pathetic.
她现在看起来瘦小枯槁，很可怜。
pathetically
She was pathetically thin.
她瘦得可怜。
2. [ADJ-GRADED 能被表示程度的副词或介词词组修饰的形容词]差劲的；软弱的；令人生厌的 If you describe someone or something as pathetic, you mean that they make you feel impatient or angry, often because they are weak or not very good. [disapproval]
What pathetic excuses...
多差劲的借口啊！
It's a pound for a small glass of wine, which is pathetic.
一小杯葡萄酒要1英镑，真差劲。
...the pathetic attempts at public speaking made by members of all parties...
所有政党党员在公开演讲时所作的令人生厌的尝试
Don't be so pathetic.
别那么讨人厌。
pathetically
Five women in a group of 18 people is a pathetically small number.
18人的小组中只有5个女性，真是少得可怜。
