defeat
defeat は英検準2級・英検2級・TOEIC 730・TOEFL 60・IELTS 5.5レベルの英単語で、「負かす、打ち負かす、敗北」という意味があります。発音記号は /dɪˈfiːt/ です。
意味一覧 (2件)
負かす、打ち負かす
解説 Definition
人・チーム・軍隊・案などを目的語に取り、「相手を打ち破って勝つ」と言う動詞です。スポーツや選挙では競争相手に勝つこと、軍事では敵を制圧すること、比喩的には計画や努力を挫くことにも使われます。
To defeat someone means to win against them in a game, competition, fight, or argument. It is used when one person, team, or group is more successful than the other. It often suggests a clear result, especially in sports, war, or formal contests.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
動詞 defeat は、主語が相手を押し返し、勝敗を決める側に立つ語です。win が「試合・賞・勝利を得る」と結果物に向かいやすいのに対し、defeat は defeat an opponent / defeat the enemy のように、倒される相手を直接目的語に置きます。名詞の defeat「敗北」と同じ語で、こちらはその敗北を相手に与える動きだと考えると整理しやすいです。
Remember `defeat` with the easier verb `beat`. Both mean winning against someone, but `defeat` sounds more formal and complete, like in war, elections, or sports. Also connect it with `be defeated`, a very common passive form.
例文
The team defeated their rivals in the final match.
そのチームは決勝戦でライバルを打ち負かしました。
She defeated all her competitors in the tournament.
彼女はそのトーナメントで全ての競争相手を負かしました。
The general defeated the enemy army.
その将軍は敵軍を打ち破りました。
敗北
(意味 2)解説 Definition
相手のいる勝負に敗れたという結果や、その事実を表す名詞です。スポーツの黒星だけでなく、選挙での落選、戦争での敗戦、議論での劣勢にも使われます。suffer a defeat は「敗北を喫する」、admit defeat は「負けを認める」。
A defeat is the result or fact of losing a contest against an opponent. It can be used for sports, elections, wars, arguments, or any situation where one side wins and the other loses. Common phrases include suffer a defeat, meaning to lose, and admit defeat, meaning to accept that you have lost.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
名詞の defeat は、勝負が終わった後に残る「敗北」という結果に焦点があります。単なる mistake や failure ではなく、相手との争いに決着がついた感じを思い浮かべると自然です。動詞の「負かす」と表裏の関係にあり、defeat を受ける側から見れば a defeat になります。political defeat「政治的敗北」、heavy defeat「大敗」のように、結果の重さを述べる表現でもよく使われます。
As a noun, defeat focuses on the result left after a contest is over: one side has lost. It is not just a mistake or a general failure; it suggests that there was an opponent and a clear outcome. You can think of it as the other side of the verb defeat: if someone defeats you, you suffer a defeat. It is often used with words that show how serious the loss was, such as political defeat or heavy defeat.
例文
The team suffered a defeat in the final match.
そのチームは決勝戦で敗北を喫した。
After several failed attempts, she finally admitted defeat.
何度か失敗した後、彼女はついに負けを認めた。
The election result was a serious political defeat for the party.
その選挙結果は、その政党にとって深刻な政治的敗北だった。
defeat の語源・成り立ち Etymology
defeat は古フランス語 defaite・desfaire に由来し、さらにラテン語 dis-「離れて」と facere「作る・する」にさかのぼります。原義は「作ったものをほどく、無にする」で、そこから相手を打ち破る意味へ発展しました。関連語は fact、manufacture。
Defeat came into English through Old French defaite and desfaire, from Latin dis- "apart" and facere "to make or do." The earliest sense was "to undo" or "unmake" something that had been done. From that idea, it developed into "overthrow" or "beat" an opponent. Related English words from the same Latin root include fact and manufacture.
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