To belittle someone or something is to make them seem small or unimportant — not by shrinking them in the real world, but by the way you talk. You belittle a person's work when you wave it away as nothing much; you belittle a worry when you laugh as if it were silly.

To belittle belittle someone or something某人或某事, is讓他們 to make them seem small or unimportant顯得渺小、不重要 — not by shrinking them in the real world不是真的在現實裡把他們變小, but by the way you talk而是透過你說話的方式。You你 belittle就是在belittle a person's work某人的工作 when you wave it away as nothing much當你把它說得不算什麼的時候; you你 belittle就是在belittle a worry某個擔心 when you laugh as if it were silly當你笑得好像它很可笑的時候。

It is an unkind verb, and people feel it in the chest. It is not quite the same as a loud insult: the hurt often comes from the shrinking, from being treated as less.

It它 is an unkind verb是一個不友善的動詞, and而 people feel it in the chest人們會在心裡感受到它。It它 is not quite the same as不完全一樣 a loud insult跟大聲的羞辱: the hurt often comes from那種傷害常常來自 the shrinking被貶低, from being treated as less被當成比較不重要的感覺。

The word sounds a little careful, even formal, but it is ordinary in speech when someone wants to name that shrinking clearly. Parents, teachers, and workplaces all know the pattern.

The word這個字 sounds a little careful聽起來有點謹慎, even formal甚至有點正式, but但 it is ordinary in speech在口語裡其實很常見 when someone wants to name that shrinking clearly用在有人想清楚指出那種貶低的時候。Parents, teachers, and workplaces父母、老師、職場 all know the pattern都很熟悉這個模式。

Though actually, Thomas Jefferson coined it in 1782 from be- ('to make') and little, and some British writers at the time wrinkled their noses at it as a new American word. It stayed, because the need for a verb that means 'make little' stayed.

Though actually不過其實, Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson coined it在1782年創造了這個字 in 1782 from be- ('to make')用be-（「使…」） and little加上little組成, and而 some British writers at the time當時有些英國作家 wrinkled their noses at it嗤之以鼻 as a new American word對這個新的美式用字。It它 stayed留了下來, because因為 the need for a verb that means 'make little'需要一個意思是「使…變小」的動詞這件事 stayed也留了下來。

You belittle a person, an idea, a success, a fear — the object is whatever you are trying to cut down to size.

You你 belittle可以belittle a person一個人, an idea一個想法, a success一次成功, a fear一個恐懼 — the object is whatever you are trying to cut down to size受詞就是你想貶低的任何東西。