Oppressing(形容词/现在分词作形容词)常指“压迫性的;令人感到沉重、难以忍受的”,可形容权力、制度带来的压迫,也可形容天气、气氛等让人感到憋闷、窒息。
/əˈprɛsɪŋ/
The heat in the room was oppressing.
房间里的热让人喘不过气。
Under an oppressing regime, people learned to speak in whispers.
在一个压迫性的政权下,人们学会了低声说话。
来自拉丁语 opprimere(“压下去、压制”),由 **ob-**(表示“向……、对着……”)+ premere(“压”)构成,后来进入古法语并传入英语,逐渐形成“压迫(人)”以及“令人窒息般沉重(环境/气氛)”等含义。