摘要：“Capitulate”源自拉丁语“capitulare”，意为“按条款协议”，由“caput”（头）衍生，16世纪进入英语。最初指签署投降条款，后泛指放弃抵抗或屈服。

capitulate

英 [kə'pɪtʃuleɪt] 美 [kə'pɪtʃuleɪt]

v.屈从，停止反抗；有条件投降

◉词源

“Capitulate”源自拉丁语“capitulare”，意为“按条款协议”，由“caput”（头）衍生，16世纪进入英语。最初指签署投降条款，后泛指放弃抵抗或屈服。

◉外刊例句

·《The New York Times》 (2024年10月)

The rebels capitulated after the siege.

叛军在围困后投降。

·《The Guardian》 (2025年6月)

He capitulated to public pressure.

他向公众压力屈服。

◉经典名著

·《双城记》（A Tale of Two Cities） - 查尔斯·狄更斯

The city capitulated to the enemy.

城市向敌人投降。

·《基督山伯爵》（The Count of Monte Cristo） - 亚历山大·大仲马

Dantès refused to capitulate to fate.

唐泰斯拒绝向命运屈服。

◉ Usage Examples

(1) The planters’ ladies were the last to capitulate.

(2) We will never capitulate to pressure from outside.

(3) The whole course of my life proves that I never capitulate.

(1) 庄园主的夫人们是最后被征服的。

(2) 我们永远不会屈服于外界的压力。

(3) 我的全部生活历程证明我是从来不曾投降过。

◉ Usage Notes

Capitulate means to give in to something. "The teachers didn't want to have class outside, but the students begged so hard, she capitulated."

Because capitulate relates to the military, and Romans were all about their military, Latin has a lot to say about this word. In Latin, caput means head, capitulum little head. Think with this word how, at the end of a battle, someone bows their head in defeat, and often that is when heads roll.

◉柯林斯词典

1. [VERB 动词]不再反抗；屈服 If you capitulate, you stop resisting and do what someone else wants you to do. [V] [V to n]

① The club eventually capitulated and now grants equal rights to women...

那家俱乐部最终还是让了步，现在赋予女性以平等权利。

② In less than two hours Cohen capitulated to virtually every demand.

还不到两个小时，科恩就屈服了，接受了几乎一切要求。

capitulation

③ Lord Luce's capitulation to pressure from the Duke of Edinburgh has stored up huge problems for the future.

卢斯勋爵迫于爱丁堡公爵的压力作了让步，为日后埋下了巨大隐患。

来源：学无用的英语