an extremely wicked or cruel act, typically one involving physical violence or injury (常伴有暴力伤害的)恶行;暴行 a textbook which detailed war atrocities. 一本详细描绘战争暴行的教科书。 [mass noun]scenes of hardship and atrocity. 充满苦难和暴虐的场景。 ■(humorous)a highly unpleasant or distasteful object (幽默)令人极不愉快(或庸俗)的事物 atrocities in cheap red nylon. 廉价红尼龙制成的劣质产品。
语源
mid 16th cent. (in the sense 'cruelty'): from French atrocité or Latin atrocitas, from atrox, atroc- 'cruel'