deepen

Word family

deep·en /ˈdiːpən/ verb

1 get worse 恶化 [intransitiveI]WORSE if a serious situation deepens, it gets worse – used especially in news reports 〔局势、情形〕加剧，恶化〔尤用于新闻报道〕

The recession continues to deepen.

经济衰退继续加剧。

a deepening international crisis

日益加深的国际危机

2 become stronger 加强 [intransitiveI, transitiveT]INCREASE IN ACTIVITY, FEELINGS ETC to become stronger or greater, or to make something stronger or greater （使）变强烈；加强

Jeanne liked Simon as a friend but she did not want the relationship to deepen.

作为朋友珍妮很喜欢西蒙，但她不想让这种关系更进一步。

The idea only deepened his gloom.

这一想法更加重了他的悲观情绪。

The mystery deepened (=became even more mysterious).

谜团加深了。

Students explore new ideas as they deepen their understanding (=understand more) of the subject.

随着对这门课的理解加深，学生们开始探究新的观点。

3 expression on SB’s face 某人脸上的表情 [intransitiveI] literary if someone’s smile or frown deepens, they smile even more or frown even more 〔笑容、皱眉等〕变深，加深

Her worried frown deepened.

她的眉头皱得更紧了。

4 water 水 [intransitiveI, transitiveT]DEEP if water deepens, or if someone deepens it, it becomes deeper （使）〔水〕变深

The river deepens beyond the town.

到了城外这条河就变深了。

The harbour was deepened to take bigger boats.

港口被挖深以便停泊更大的船只。

5 colour 颜色 [intransitiveI]COLOUR/COLOR literary if light or a colour deepens, it becomes darker 〔光〕变暗；〔颜色〕变深

The twilight deepened.

暮色更浓了。

6 sound 声音 [intransitiveI]LOW SOUND OR VOICE if a sound deepens, it becomes lower 〔声音〕变低

His voice deepened as he relaxed.

他放松下来后声音就变低沉了。

7. breath 呼吸 [intransitiveI] if your breathing deepens, you take more air into your lungs 〔呼吸〕加深，变深

Examples from the Corpus

deepen• As she watched the nuns working among the sick and dying, her respect for them deepened.• With every new day, her despair only seemed to deepen.• The company's legal and financial problems are deepening.• It didn't seem possible for her love to deepen and grow, but it did.• And how would her husband regard this deepening commitment to a faith he did not fully share?• Some principals worry that the decision will deepen divisions between rich and poor schools.• The river deepens five feet from the shore.• Johnny tried to deepen his voice to sound like a grown-up.• As the crisis deepened, it became clear that the government was losing control.• Each regime of control is boosted by deepening loops of feedback and information flow.• The natural fabric's color deepens over time.• The recession may deepen still further.• The agreement will deepen the firm's ties to Japan's electronics companies.• The recession has deepened, the huge national debt has increased, the people's lot worsened.• Government measures to peg back inflation have deepened the recession.• Traveling allows young people to deepen their understanding of other cultures.• As it deepens towards black, it assumes overtones of a superhuman sorrow.

deep·en verb

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus