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单词 crucible
释义

crucible

noun

cru·​ci·​ble ˈkrü-sə-bəl How to pronounce crucible (audio)
1
: a vessel of a very refractory (see refractory entry 1 sense 3) material (such as porcelain) used for melting and calcining a substance that requires a high degree of heat
2
: a severe test
He's ready to face the crucible of the Olympics.
3
: a place or situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development
… conditioned by having grown up within the crucible of Chinatown … Tom Wolfe
His character was formed in the crucible of war.

Did you know?

Crucible looks like it should be closely related to the Latin combining form cruc- ("cross"), but it isn't. It was forged from the Medieval Latin crucibulum, a noun for an earthen pot used to melt metals, and in English it first referred to a vessel made of a very heat-resistant material (such as porcelain) used for melting a substance that requires a high degree of heat. But the resemblance between cruc- and crucible probably encouraged people to start using crucible to mean "a severe trial." That sense is synonymous with one meaning of cross, a word that is related to cruc-. The newest sense of crucible ("a situation in which great changes take place"—as in "forged in the crucible of war") recalls the fire and heat that would be encountered in the original heat-resistant pot.

Synonyms

  • cross
  • fire
  • gauntlet
  • gantlet
  • ordeal
  • trial
See all Synonyms & Antonyms

Example Sentences

He's ready to face the crucible of the Olympics. His character was formed in the crucible of war.
Recent Examples on the Web Soweto was the crucible of Black resistance against white minority rule in South Africa. Scott Mcmurren, Anchorage Daily News, 16 Apr. 2022 Without the crucible of having to obsess about the problem night and day with tight resource constraints, no one feels the ownership and pressure to actually deliver the competitive technology. Tom Wilde, Forbes, 30 June 2022 Think of sport as a giant Marshmallow Test, both in the immediate crucible of competition and in the broader picture of adhering to a rigorous training plan rather than vegging on the sofa. Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 18 June 2022 Writer-director Andrew Semans adds heat upon heat in a near-surreal psychological crucible, arriving at one of those WTF endings. Joshua Rothkopf, EW.com, 13 May 2022 Baseball’s charm – and its greatest glories – have always been tied to the grind itself, a six-month crucible of a season that weeded out pretenders and rewarded sustained excellence. Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2022 Add to that the constant debates on which practical and affordable health safety protocols to implement, recurrent case surges and updates to health recommendations creates a crucible of challenges for churches. Mark Nichols, ABC News, 26 Feb. 2022 It’s an arresting welcome that evokes the dislocation of an ocean crossing, challenging visitors to navigate a world forged in the crucible of the Black Atlantic. Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 4 May 2022 Playing as a freshman in the crucible of the Southeastern Conference is a lofty goal. al, 23 Mar. 2022 See More

Word History

Etymology

Middle English corusible, from Medieval Latin crucibulum earthen pot for melting metals

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

crucible

noun

cru·​ci·​ble ˈkrü-sə-bəl How to pronounce crucible (audio)
: a pot in which metals or other substances are heated to a very high temperature or melted

Medical Definition

crucible

noun

cru·​ci·​ble ˈkrü-sə-bəl How to pronounce crucible (audio)
: a vessel of a very refractory material (as porcelain) used for melting and calcining a substance that requires a high degree of heat

crucible

noun

as in fire
a test of faith, patience, or strength soldiers who had withstood the crucible of war

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
  • fire
  • ordeal
  • gauntlet
  • trial
  • cross
  • baptism of fire
  • gantlet
  • baptism
  • tragedy
  • adversity
  • initiation
  • hardship
  • tribulation
  • vicissitude
  • challenge
  • grief
  • misfortune
  • grievance
  • acid test
  • privation
  • misadventure
  • litmus test
  • trouble
  • woe
  • affliction
  • mishap
  • rigor
  • difficulty
  • mischance
  • asperity
  • discomfort
  • complication
  • inconvenience
  • nuisance
  • annoyance
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更新时间:2024/9/22 22:32:28