modify

modify 的核心意思是“对已有事物作局部调整”，也可引申为限制、缓和，或在语法中限定另一个词的意义。

💡 记忆钩子

把 modify 想成给现成的东西拧一个小旋钮：可以改动其中一部分，使它更合适；也可以把强度调低、加上界限；在语法里，则是给一个词的意义加上限定。

📝 学习建议

不要把 modify 只理解成“彻底改变”；它通常强调在原有基础上作调整或限定。
先掌握“调整、修改”的常用意思，再记“限制、缓和”和语法术语义。

📖 中文释义

verb

core 修改；调整

📖 在原有事物的基础上改动其中一部分，使它更合适、更清楚或更有效；重点是调整，而不是从头创造一个全新的东西。

💡 常用句型是“modify + 计划、设计、文件、行为等 + 以便……”，也可说“modify something slightly”。它比表示随意改一下的说法更正式，常用于编辑、设计、工程和工作安排。不要误以为它一定表示大幅度重做。

transitive

We modified the design to make it easier to use.

我们调整了设计，使它更容易使用。

The teacher asked me to modify a few sentences in my essay.

老师让我修改文章中的几个句子。
common 发生变化；得到调整

📖 表示事物本身经过调整而变得不同，或处于不断被调整的状态；这里不突出是谁在改它。

💡 常见结构是“something modifies”或“something becomes modified”，但实际使用中更常见的是被动结构，明确说明某物“被调整”。它多用于描述计划、规则、设计或系统的变化，不能简单等同于“自然变化”。

intransitive

The original plan was modified after the meeting.

原计划在会议后作了调整。
common 限制；缓和

📖 像把旋钮往回调一样，降低某种行为、说法或力量的强度，给它加上界限，使其不过分。

💡 常见结构是“modify + 观点、要求、行为或影响”，尤其适合说明对强烈内容作缓和或限制。这个意思较正式，不能在所有“阻止”或“禁止”的语境中替代相关词；modify 通常表示减弱或调整，而不是完全取消。

transitive

The new evidence modified our view of the situation.

新的证据使我们对情况的看法有所调整。
rare 限定词义

📖 在语法中，一个词通过补充范围、性质或程度来限定另一个词的意义，就像给词义加上一个小旋钮。

💡 常见句型是“形容词、副词或其他成分 modify + 名词或动词”，这里的主语是起限定作用的词，不是被限定的对象。这是语言学术语义，普通会话中通常不这样使用；不要把它误解为“修改文字本身”。

transitive

modifies present,singular,third-person modifying participle,present modified participle,past modified past modify first-person,present,singular modified first-person,past,singular modify present,second-person,singular modifiest archaic,present,second-person,singular modified past,second-person,singular modifiedst archaic,past,second-person,singular modifieth archaic,present,singular,third-person modified past,singular,third-person modify plural,present modified past,plural modify present,subjunctive modified past,subjunctive modify imperative,present - imperative,past

📘 英文释义 (WordNet) 共 3 组

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation;

同义词集: change alter modify

The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city

The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue

下位: accelerate, activate, add, adjust, adorn, aerate, affect, age, aggravate, alienate, alter, amalgamate, ameliorate, amend, animate, animise, animize, antiquate, antique, arouse, ash, assimilate, automate, automatise, automatize, awaken, barb, bear on, bear upon, beautify, bedim, beef up, begrime, bemire, bestow, better, blear, blind, blister, blot out, blunt, blur, boil, break, break down, break up, brighten, bring, bubble, camp, capture, centralise, centralize, change over, charge, chasten, check, chill, chord, clarify, clean, clear, clot, cloud, coagulate, collimate, colly, color, color in, colorise, colorize, colour, colour in, colourise, colourize, commercialise, commercialize, commix, commute, compensate, complicate, concentrate, condense, confuse, contaminate, contract, contribute, convert, cook, cool, cool down, correct, corrupt, counterchange, crack, crush, cry, customise, customize, cut, damage, darken, de-emphasise, de-emphasize, deactivate, deaden, debase, debauch, decorate, decrease, delay, demoralise, demoralize, deprave, depress, destabilise, destabilize, destress, develop, dirty, disable, disaffect, disarray, disenable, disintegrate, dismiss, disorder, disqualify, dissolve, disturb, diversify, dizzy, domesticate, domesticise, domesticize, dope, draw, drop, dry, dry out, dull, edit, edit out, elaborate, elevate, embellish, empty, enable, end, energise, energize, envenom, equal, equalise, equalize, equate, estrange, evaporate, even, even out, exacerbate, exasperate, exchange, excite, expand, extend, fasten, fat, fatten, fatten out, fatten up, fill, fill out, fill up, fix, flatten, flesh out, form, fortify, freeze, freshen, full, gear up, get, glorify, grace, grime, harmonise, harmonize, heat, heat up, hide, hue, humble, impact, impart, improve, inactivate, incapacitate, increase, indispose, inflate, inform, insulate, intensify, interchange, introvert, invalidate, invert, lace, land, legitimate, lend, lessen, lift, lighten, lighten up, loose, loosen, lower, make, make clean, make full, make grow, mark, market, match, mature, meliorate, merge, mince, mingle, minify, misdirect, mix, moderate, morph, muddy, neutralise, neutralize, nick, normalise, normalize, obliterate, obnubilate, obscure, ornament, overcloud, overturn, pall, parallel, patent, perplex, pervert, piggyback, plump, plump out, poison, port, prepare, profane, proof, purge, purify, put, raise, rarify, rationalise, rationalize, ready, reclaim, recommend, reconstruct, rectify, redact, redo, redress, reestablish, refine, reform, refresh, refreshen, regenerate, reinstate, relax, remodel, renormalise, renormalize, replace, restore, retard, reverse, revolutionise, revolutionize, right, ripen, round, round down, round off, round out, rouse, sanctify, sauce, scramble, set, set aside, set up, shade, shake, shallow, shape, sharpen, shift, shoal, shorten, simplify, smut, sober, socialise, socialize, soften, soil, speed, speed up, spice, spice up, spike, spiritualize, stabilise, stabilize, stain, still, straighten, straighten out, strengthen, string, subdue, substitute, subvert, supple, suspend, sweeten, switch, tame, temper, tender, tenderise, tenderize, tense, terminate, think, tighten, tone down, touch, touch on, transfigure, transform, translate, transmute, transpose, transubstantiate, turn, turn back, unclutter, undo, unfit, unify, unite, untie, validate, vaporise, veil, visualise, visualize, vitiate, void, wake, wake up, waken, warm, weaken, wet, widen, worsen

make less severe or harsh or extreme;

同义词集: modify

please modify this letter to make it more polite

he modified his views on same-gender marriage

上位: change 下位: buffer, corrupt, cream, cushion, harden, optimise, optimize, qualify, soften, specialise, specialize, spoil, temper, update

add a modifier to a constituent

同义词集: modify qualify

上位: add

🌳 词源

源自拉丁语，词根含有“测量、设定界限”的意思，因此逐渐发展出“调整、限制”的含义。

From Middle English modifien, from Middle French modifier, from Latin modificare (“to limit, control, regulate, deponent”), from modificari (“to measure off, set bound to, moderate”), from modus (“measure”) + facere (“to make”); see mode.

🔄 变式

- imperat modified 1st_sg modifiedst archaic modifies present modifiest archaic modifieth archaic modifying present

🏷 单词标签 & 词根