- 1
Extortionate describes a price, a fee, or a demand that is unreasonably high — so high it feels like robbery. “The parking was extortionate.” Though actually, this is usually a complaint about money, not a courtroom word. When someone says a price is extortionate, they almost never mean a gang committed the crime of extortion; they mean “that is far too expensive; it is taking advantage.” It is a strong, slightly dramatic adjective, common in reviews and everyday grumbling. You can use it about rent, school fees, phone bills, and tourist prices. It sounds more adult and more than just “too expensive.”
（價格、要求）貴得離譜、高得不合理
組成extortion + -ate (turns the noun into an adjective).
同家族的字
- extortionthe noun this adjective is built from
- extortthe verb at the root
- extortionatelythe adverb: in an extortionate way
原始詞典資料2 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
extortionateadj/ɛkˈstɔːʃənət/
- 1
Of, related to, or typifying extortion (“the practice of obtaining money or other property by the use of force or threats”).
- Now it is certain the Roman prieſts are not only ſeemingly very religious and really very extortionate, but are extortionate by means of religion, and make their prayers and maſſes the grand pretence for their exactions.
- It is said the daily increase in opium is owing to the negligence of officers in enforcing the interdicts? The laws and enactments are the means which extortionate underlings and worthless vagrants employ to benefit themselves; and the more complete the laws are, the greater and more numerous are the bribes paid to the extortionate underlings, and the more subtle are the schemes of such worthless vagrants.
- 2
Greatly exceeding what is moderate or reasonable; exorbitant.
- [Y]ou get from farms ſo occupied, houſe lamb, veal, graſs lamb, a little mutton, and leſs beef, whilſt for either article ſeparately, or jointly, you are worked up to pay prices, not leſt than extortionate; […]
- […] I have the satisfaction to think you are in good hands; M. Miret will not be extortionate: the first year's rent you already have in your savings; afterwards Miss Lucy must trust God, and herself.
資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。