Doctors amputate when a part of the body is so badly hurt, or so sick, that keeping it would put the person’s life in danger, or would never work again. In a hospital operation they cut the arm, leg, finger, or toe off, cleanly, as a last step — not as a small everyday treatment.

Doctors醫生 amputate會截肢 when當 a part of the body身體的某個部位 is so badly hurt傷得太嚴重，or或 so sick病得太重，that以至於 keeping it留著它 would put the person's life in danger會讓這個人的生命有危險，or或 would never work again以後也不可能再有功能。In a hospital operation在醫院動手術時 they醫生 cut the arm, leg, finger, or toe off乾淨俐落地切掉手臂、腿、手指或腳趾，cleanly乾淨俐落，as a last step作為最後一步，not as a small everyday treatment而不是日常的小處置。

People also stretch the word: a company might “amputate” a failing team, meaning they cut it away to save the rest. Though actually, careful speakers still feel that stretch; the real picture is a body, not a budget.

People大家 also也會 stretch the word把這個字用得寬一點：a company一間公司 might可能會 "amputate" a failing team「截肢」掉一個表現不好的團隊，meaning意思是 they cut it away把它切掉 to save the rest為了保住其他部分。Though actually不過其實，careful speakers講究的人 still feel that stretch還是感覺得出這是延伸用法；the real picture真正的畫面 是 a body一個身體，not a budget而不是預算。

Older Latin used the same verb for cutting branches off a tree, but English no longer uses amputate that way.

Older Latin較早的拉丁文 used過去用 the same verb同一個動詞 for cutting branches off a tree來指砍掉樹上的樹枝，but但 English英文 no longer uses現在不再這樣用 amputate「amputate」 that way了。