(1)殘酷(忍)的((of people)liking to cause pain or suffering to others)[A(to)](derog)：a～boss/master/dictator/tyrant殘酷的老板/主人/獨(dú)裁者/暴君;be～to animals/prisoners對(duì)動(dòng)物/囚犯殘忍;It is～of you to beat the dog like that.你這么打狗是殘忍的。〖同〗inhuman，pitiless，savage，merciless，ruthless;〖反〗merciful，kind;
(2)引起痛苦的(causing pain or suffering)：a～war/punishment/blow殘酷的戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)/懲罰/打擊;a～lesson/remark/wound/disease/sight痛苦的教訓(xùn)/刻薄的話/嚇人的傷口/嚴(yán)重的疾病/慘不忍睹的情景;～luck/winds噩運(yùn)/無(wú)情的風(fēng);
→′cruelly adv 殘酷(忍)地;′cruelness n 殘酷(忍);′cruelty n 殘酷(忍);殘酷(忍)的行為;
【辨異】cruel與pitiless和savage都可表示殘忍無(wú)情。cruel表示殘忍、冷漠無(wú)情，如：a cruel stepfather(殘酷的繼父);pitiless(不憐恤的，無(wú)情的)指心腸硬、不同情，如：be pitiless to captives(對(duì)俘虜無(wú)情);savage(野蠻的，兇殘的)指粗暴、兇蠻，如：savage battles(慘烈的戰(zhàn)斗)。還有ruthless(無(wú)情的、冷酷的)指殘忍，并且不擇手段，肆無(wú)忌撣，如：a ruthless enemy(殘酷的敵人)。