詞彙精選：sustain的用法和辨析大綱
一、詳細釋義：
v.
維持，保持 [T]
例句：
They found it difficult to sustain an interest in their talk.
他們感到很難保持他們談話的興趣。
例句：
The desire to know is not often strong enough to sustain critical inquiry.
人的求知慾常常不夠旺盛，難以使人保持批判性探索。
支撐，支持 [T]
例句：
The branches could hardly sustain the weight of fruit.
樹枝已很難支撐水果的重量。
例句：
The foundations were not strong enough to sustain the weight of the house.
這地基不夠牢固，無法支撐房屋的重量。
支援，救濟 [T]
例句：
He sustained a large sum to the relief fund.
他向救濟基金捐贈巨資。
例句：
We need to sustain people in the afflicted area.
我們要支援災區。
經受，遭受，忍受 [T]
例句：
The arrive goods sustain more serious damage than have been estimated.
到貨所遭受的損壞比原來估計的要嚴重得多。
例句：
How long will you sustain the rudeness of your boss?
對你上司的粗暴無禮你還能忍受多久？
供養，承擔 [T]
例句：
He has a wife and seven children to sustain.
他需要贍養妻子和七個孩子。
例句：
Adult offspring have the obligation to sustain their parents.
成年子女對父母有贍養扶助的義務。
證實 [T]
例句：
These facts sustain the theory.
這些事實證實了這個理論。
例句：
The evidence is not detailed enough to sustain his argument.
這一證據過於籠統，不足以證明他的論點。
扮演 [T]
例句：
He hasn't the experience to sustain the part of Hamlet.
他沒有扮演哈姆雷特的經驗。
例句：
He sustained a king in the pageant.
他在露天表演中扮演國王。
二、詞義辨析：
undergo,experience,sustain,suffer
這些動詞均有“經歷，經受，遭受”之意。undergo多指經受艱難、痛苦、不愉快或危險等事。experience指親身經受或體驗某事。sustain指遭受痛苦或承受負擔。suffer常可與sustain通用，尤指受到損害或傷害。
三、詞義辨析：
back,uphold,support,sustain,advocate
這些動詞均有“支持，支援，擁護”之意。back通常指對論點、行動、事業等的強有力支持。uphold既可指積極努力對陷入困境者的支持，也可指給某人在行動、道義或信仰上的支持。support含義廣泛，多指在道義上或物質上支持某人，也可指對某項事業的支持。sustain側重指連續不斷的支持。advocate多指通過寫文章或發表演說等來支持或擁護，往往暗示提倡某事或爲某事辯護。
四、參考例句：
The facts sustain his theory.
這些事實都證明了他的理論。
These facts sustain the theory.
這些事實證實了這個理論。
They had sufficient food to sustain life.
他們有足夠維持生命的食物。
Can even our Ministers sustain a more humiliating disgrace?
我們的各位部長大人是否還能容忍這樣的屈辱？
The branches could hardly sustain the weight of fruit.
樹枝已很難支撐水果的重量。
The evidence is not detailed enough to sustain his argument.
這一證據過於籠統，不足以證明他的論點。
The pillars sustain the roof of the pit.
坑道頂用柱子支撐着。
We need to sustain people in the afflicted area.
我們要支援災區。
Money doesn't sustain or fund real economic activity.
貨幣並不能支撐或資助真正的經濟活動。
How long will you sustain the rudeness of your boss?
對你上司的粗暴無禮你還能忍受多久？
