| 释义 |
civilize /ˈsɪvɪlʌɪz /(also civilise) verb [with object] (usually as adjective civilized) 1Bring (a place or people) to a stage of social development considered to be more advanced: a civilized society...- They must take the lead in civilising our streets and reclaiming them for local communities.
- There is clearly a major confrontation at the moment about how we in Australia find our own way to civilize global capital.
- Both countries have a spying and military heritage, and both feel they have a mission to civilise the world.
Synonyms enlighten, edify, educate, instruct, refine, cultivate, polish, sophisticate, socialize, humanize; improve, better archaic reclaim rare acculturate 1.1 (as adjective civilized) Polite and good-mannered: such an affront to civilized behaviour will no longer be tolerated...- Training a child to sit at table and eat food in a civilized manner is one of the basic rituals of culture.
- We stuffed ourselves silly when the pizza arrived, of course in a civilized manner.
- He not only wants the best food, he wants to be handled in a civilized manner, too.
Synonyms polite, courteous, well mannered, good mannered, civil, decorous, gentlemanly, ladylike, gracious; cultured, cultivated, refined, polished, sophisticated, urbane; enlightened, educated, advanced, developed informal couth dated mannerly Derivatives civilizer /ˈsɪvəlʌɪzə / noun ...- Poetry is not a civilizer, rather the reverse, for great poetry appeals to the most primitive instincts.
- Never in modem times has the world been in greater need of this gentle civilizer.
- In her poetry, this is apparent in the representation of prairie homesteaders as cultivators and, by extension, civilizers of an untamed western wilderness.
Origin Early 17th century: from French civiliser, from civil 'civil'. |