To terrorize people is to frighten them again and again, on purpose, usually by threatening to hurt them — and usually so that they will do what you want or stay too afraid to act.

To terrorize peopleterrorize 一個人 is to frighten them again and again, on purpose就是故意一次又一次地嚇他們 usually by threatening to hurt them通常是靠威脅要傷害他們 and usually so that they will do what you want or stay too afraid to act目的通常是讓他們照你的意思做，或嚇得不敢有任何行動。

Two things make it different from simply 'frighten'. It is deliberate, and it goes on: a gang terrorizes a neighbourhood over months, a bully terrorizes a younger student all term, armed groups terrorize a village. A single loud noise scares you; it does not terrorize you.

Two things make it different from simply 'frighten'有兩件事讓它跟單純的 frighten（嚇）不一樣。It is deliberate它是故意的 and it goes on而且會持續下去 a gang terrorizes a neighbourhood over months一個幫派會用好幾個月的時間 terrorize 一個社區 a bully terrorizes a younger student all term一個霸凌者會整個學期 terrorize 一個學弟妹 armed groups terrorize a village武裝團體會 terrorize 一整個村莊。A single loud noise scares you一個單一的巨大聲響會嚇你一跳 it does not terrorize you但不會 terrorize 你。

The word is strong and serious, common in news reports and in talk about crime, war, and abuse.

The word is strong and serious這個字的語氣很強烈、很嚴肅 common in news reports常見於新聞報導 and in talk about crime, war, and abuse也常出現在講犯罪、戰爭和虐待的內容裡。

English speakers also use it lightly, as a joke, for something small and repeated: 'my cat terrorizes the dog', 'the two-year-old terrorizes the whole house'. Everyone hears that as playful, because the real word is so heavy that shrinking it is obviously a joke.

English speakers also use it lightly, as a joke英文使用者也會輕鬆地、開玩笑地用這個字 for something small and repeated用來講一件小小的、一再發生的事 'my cat terrorizes the dog'像「my cat terrorizes the dog（我家的貓把狗欺負得很慘）」 'the two-year-old terrorizes the whole house'「the two-year-old terrorizes the whole house（那個兩歲小孩把全家搞得雞飛狗跳）」。Everyone hears that as playful大家聽了都知道是在開玩笑 because the real word is so heavy that shrinking it is obviously a joke因為這個字本來的份量太重了，拿來講小事顯然就是玩笑。

Spelling: '-ize' is standard in American English and also fine in British English, but many British writers prefer 'terrorise'; both are correct, so pick one and stay with it.

Spelling拼法上 '-ize' is standard in American English and also fine in British English「-ize」在美式英文是標準拼法，在英式英文也可以接受 but many British writers prefer 'terrorise'但很多英國作家比較喜歡「terrorise」 both are correct兩種拼法都對 so pick one and stay with it選一種就固定用下去。