heinous

英 ['heɪnəs] 美 ['heɪnəs]

adj.可憎的；十恶不赦的

◉词源

“heinous”源自古法语“haineus”，意为“可恨的”，由“haine”（仇恨）衍生，来自法兰克语“hatjan”（恨）。14世纪进入英语，最初指“充满仇恨的”，后演变为形容“极其恶劣的、令人震惊的”，常用于描述严重罪行或道德败坏。

◉外刊例句

① 《The Guardian》 (2025年5月15日)

The heinous crime shocked the nation.

这起令人发指的罪行震惊了全国。

② 《The New York Times》 (2024年10月20日)

He was convicted of heinous acts of violence.

他被判犯有令人发指的暴力行为。

◉经典名著

① 《麦克白》（Macbeth） by William Shakespeare (约1606)

This heinous murder cries for justice.

这起令人发指的谋杀呼唤正义。

② 《奥利弗·退斯特》（Oliver Twist） by Charles Dickens (1838)

His heinous deeds were exposed.

他的恶劣行径暴露无遗。

◉Usage Examples

(1) His brother is a heinous boy.

(2) I do not want to meet that heinous person.

(1) 他弟弟是个讨厌的孩子。

(2) 我不想见那个十恶不赦的人。

◉Usage Notes

A heinous crime is very evil or wicked. Of course, some people only use the term as an exaggeration, claiming that their parents' requirement that they write thank you notes after their birthdays is a heinous form of torture.

Heinous descends from Middle English, from Old French haineus, from haine "hatred," from hair "to hate." So when you want to use the word heinous in all seriousness, think of acts that are considered hateful (or outrageous, and shocking). Think: treason, torture, the clubbing of baby seals. Heinous is pronounced HĀ-nəs.

◉柯林斯词典

1[ADJ-GRADED 能被表示程度的副词或介词词组修饰的形容词]十恶不赦的；令人发指的 If you describe something such as a crime as heinous, you mean that it is extremely evil or horrible. [usu ADJ n] [FORMAL 正式]

Her life has been permanently blighted by his heinous crime...

他犯下的滔天罪行给她的生活蒙上了永久的阴影。

They are capable of the most heinous acts.

他们能做出最邪恶的事情。