Undermining - English meaning

verb

Carry out (a task) badly or carelessly.

Usage examples:

He was accused of botching the job

noun

A bungled task.

Usage examples:

I've probably made a botch of things

verb

To spoil something by doing it badly

Usage examples:

He thinks the police botched the investigation.

noun

An agreement or settlement of a dispute that is reached by each side making concessions.

Usage examples:

Eventually they reached a compromise

verb

Settle a dispute by mutual concession.

Usage examples:

In the end we compromised and deferred the issue

noun

An agreement between two sides who have different opinions, in which each side gives up something it had wanted

Usage examples:

Under the compromise, car manufacturers must use cleaner fuel but have more time to do it., his opp…

verb

Cause severe and disabling damage to; deprive of the ability to function normally.

Usage examples:

Developing countries are crippled by their debts

noun

A person with a severe limitation of a specified kind.

Usage examples:

An emotional cripple

verb

Deprive of the use of a limb, especially a leg

noun

Physical harm that impairs the value, usefulness, or normal function of something.

Usage examples:

Bombing caused extensive damage to the town

verb

Inflict physical harm on (something) so as to impair its value, usefulness, or normal function.

Usage examples:

The car was badly damaged in the accident

verb

To harm or spoil something

Usage examples:

Many buildings were badly damaged by the earthquake., news reports damaged the senator’s reputation…

verb

Make or become less.

Usage examples:

The new law is expected to diminish the government's chances

verb

To reduce or be reduced in size or importance

Usage examples:

[ i ] the threat of inflation is diminishing., [ t ] a single-payer system would diminish the burea…

verb

To reduce or be reduced in size, importance, or value

Usage examples:

If consumers start losing confidence, it will diminish demand for household goods., investors can d…

verb

(of a disease, injury, or accident) limit (someone) in their movements, senses, or activities.

Usage examples:

It's an injury that could disable somebody for life

verb

To make something or someone unable to act in the correct or usual way

Usage examples:

Thieves disabled the museum’s alarm system.

verb

To turn off a part of a computer system, or stop it from working in the normal way

Usage examples:

To disable a program or device, right-click its listing under the appropriate category and choose '…

phrasal verb

To slowly damage or destroy something

Usage examples:

Waves had eaten away at the sand dunes.

verb

Make weak or feeble.

Usage examples:

Sickness had enfeebled me

verb

To make someone or something very weak

verb

(of wind, water, or other natural agents) gradually wear away (soil, rock, or land).

Usage examples:

The cliffs on this coast have been eroded by the sea

verb

To weaken or damage something by taking away parts of it gradually, or to become weaker in this way

Usage examples:

[ t ] budget cuts could further erode the benefit package provided for by the contract.

verb

To slowly reduce or destroy something, or to be slowly reduced or destroyed

Usage examples:

Erode value/profits/margins sudden movements in exchange and interest rates can erode profit margin…

verb

Make it difficult for (someone) to do something or for (something) to happen.

Usage examples:

Language barriers hindered communication between scientists

adjective

(especially of a bodily part) rear; hind.

Usage examples:

The hinder end of its body

verb

To limit the ability of someone to do something, or to limit the development of something

Usage examples:

A poor diet can hinder mental and physical growth., i don’t know if these changes are going to help…

verb

Cause pain or injury to.

Usage examples:

Ow! you're hurting me!

adjective

Physically injured.

Usage examples:

He complained of a hurt leg and asked his trainer to stop the fight

noun

Physical injury; harm.

Usage examples:

Rolling properly into a fall minimizes hurt

verb

Weaken or damage (something, especially a faculty or function).

Usage examples:

A noisy job could permanently impair their hearing

verb

To damage or weaken something so that it is less effective

Usage examples:

Lack of sleep impaired her ability to think clearly., [ c ] the law bans discrimination against any…

verb

Delay or prevent (someone or something) by obstructing them; hinder.

Usage examples:

The sap causes swelling which can impede breathing

verb

Do physical harm or damage to (someone).

Usage examples:

The explosion injured several people

verb

Cause bodily harm to

verb

Impair the quality or appearance of; spoil.

Usage examples:

Violence marred a number of new year celebrations

abbreviation

March.

verb

To spoil something, making it less good or less enjoyable

Usage examples:

Water will mar the finish of polished wood.

verb

Make smaller or less in amount, degree, or size.

Usage examples:

The need for businesses to reduce costs

verb

Make smaller

verb

To make something less in size, amount, degree, importance, or price

Usage examples:

A low-fat diet can reduce the risk of heart disease., grunn employs 17,900 people, but that number …

noun

The physical destruction or disintegration of something or the state of disintegrating or being destroyed.

Usage examples:

A large white house falling into gentle ruin

verb

Reduce (a building or place) to a state of decay, collapse, or disintegration.

Usage examples:

The castle was ruined when dynamite was used to demolish one of the corner towers

verb

To spoil or destroy something

Usage examples:

It would be a shame to ruin such a beautiful place., that guy isn’t going to ruin my life.

verb

Deliberately destroy, damage, or obstruct (something), especially for political or military advantage.

Usage examples:

Power lines from south africa were sabotaged by rebel forces

noun

The action of sabotaging something.

Usage examples:

A coordinated campaign of sabotage

verb

To damage or destroy equipment, weapons, or buildings in order to prevent the success of an enemy or competitor

Usage examples:

The rebels had tried to sabotage the oil pipeline.

noun

The fluid which circulates in the vascular system of a plant, consisting chiefly of water with dissolved sugars and mineral salts.

Usage examples:

Create a living smorgasbord that includes plants with berries, foliage, fruit, nectar, nuts, pollen…

verb

Gradually weaken or destroy (a person's strength or power).

Usage examples:

Our energy is being sapped by bureaucrats and politicians

verb

Dig a sap or saps.

Usage examples:

Having sapped up to the glacis of the city ramparts, versaillais troops entered the city

verb

(of a structure or area of land) tremble or vibrate.

Usage examples:

Buildings shook in sacramento and tremors were felt in reno

noun

An act of shaking.

Usage examples:

She gave her red curls a shake

verb

Move or cause to move back and forth

verb

Diminish or destroy the value or quality of.

Usage examples:

I wouldn't want to spoil your fun

noun

Goods stolen or taken forcibly from a person or place.

Usage examples:

The looters carried their spoils away

verb

To destroy or damage something, or to become destroyed or damaged

Usage examples:

[ t ] the oil spill spoiled five miles of coastline., [ t ] don’t tell me how it ends, you’ll spoil…

verb

Undermine the power and authority of (an established system or institution).

Usage examples:

The case involved an attempt to subvert the rule of law

verb

To try to destroy or damage something, especially an established political system

Usage examples:

The rebel army is attempting to subvert the government., our best intentions are sometimes subverte…

verb

State one's intention to take hostile action against (someone) in retribution for something done or not done.

Usage examples:

How dare you threaten me?

verb

Utter intentions of injury or punishment against

verb

To tell someone that you will hurt or harm him or her, esp. if the person does not do something in particular

Usage examples:

[ i ] they threatened to drop him from the team if he didn’t come to practice., [ t ] don’t threate…

verb

Offer goods or services at a lower price than (a competitor).

Usage examples:

These industries have been undercut by more efficient foreign producers

noun

A space formed by the removal or absence of material from the lower part of something.

Usage examples:

There may be some bigger fish in the safety of the undercut

verb

To weaken, damage, or cause the failure of something; undermine

Usage examples:

He's got a plan, so i don't want to undercut the effort that he has underway., large supermarkets c…

verb

Make or become weaker in power, resolve, or physical strength.

Usage examples:

Fault lines had weakened and shattered the rocks

verb

To make or become weak or weaker

Usage examples:

[ i ] the country’s economy continues to weaken., [ t ] long exposure to vibration can weaken aircr…

verb

To become or make something or someone become less powerful, successful, effective, etc.

Usage examples:

A series of scandals weakened investor confidence., the plan has divided the country and weakened t…