摘要：“Attrition”源自拉丁语“attritio”，意为“摩擦”或“磨损”，由“at-”（加强语气）和“terere”（摩擦、磨损）组成。“Terere”也是“terrain”（地形）和“detriment”（损害）的词根，暗示一种通过接触导致的消耗。这个词

attrition

英 [ə'trɪʃn] 美 [ə'trɪʃn]

n.摩擦；消耗；人员耗损

“Attrition”源自拉丁语“attritio”，意为“摩擦”或“磨损”，由“at-”（加强语气）和“terere”（摩擦、磨损）组成。“Terere”也是“terrain”（地形）和“detriment”（损害）的词根，暗示一种通过接触导致的消耗。这个词在14世纪进入英语，最初用于神学语境，指对罪行的“部分悔改”（不足以完全赎罪的忏悔）。到19世纪，“attrition”扩展到世俗用法，描述战争中的人员损耗（战争消耗战）或组织的自然减员（如员工离职）。其核心意象始终围绕“缓慢的磨蚀”。

◉外刊例句

① 《The Wall Street Journal》 (2023年11月15日)

High employee attrition rates are forcing companies to rethink their workplace policies.

高员工流失率正迫使公司重新思考其职场政策。

② 《The Economist》 (2024年10月20日)

The war of attrition in the region has left both sides exhausted and depleted.

该地区的消耗战使双方都筋疲力尽、资源枯竭。

◉经典名著

① 《白鲸》（Moby-Dick）——赫尔曼·梅尔维尔 (1851年)

The relentless sea seemed to wage a war of attrition against the ship’s weary hull.

无情的海洋似乎对船体疲惫的壳体展开了一场消耗战。

② 《荆棘鸟》（The Thorn Birds）——考琳·麦卡洛 (1977年)

Her heart bore the attrition of unspoken grief, wearing thin with each passing year.

她的心承受着未说出口的悲伤的消磨，随着岁月流逝逐渐脆弱。

◉Usage Examples

(1) Lube can ease attrition, and extend the using time of machines.

(2) We should learn to respect others so as to avoid attrition and confliction.

(1) 润滑剂能减少摩擦，延长机器寿命。

(2) 我们应该学会尊重对方，避免摩擦和冲突。

◉Usage Notes

Attrition is a gradual process of wearing down, weakening, or destroying something.

When a company wants to reduce its payroll without firing anyone, it will sometimes do so through attrition; that is, by waiting for people to retire or quit without hiring anyone new to replace them. In a more general sense, the word means break down, wear out, or reduce in numbers. A triple overtime basketball game, with many players fouling out, is a war of attrition. When you see the word attrition, think "Gradually chipping away."

1. [N-UNCOUNT 不可数名词]（对敌人造成的）削弱，耗损 Attrition is a process in which you steadily reduce the strength of an enemy by continually attacking them. [FORMAL 正式]

The rebels have declared a ceasefire in their war of attrition against the government.

在与政府的消耗战中，反叛者宣布停火。

2. [N-UNCOUNT 不可数名词]人员减缩；人员流失 At a university or place of work, attrition is the decrease in the number of students or employees caused by people leaving and not being replaced. [mainly AM 主美]

The company plans to cut a quarter of its workforce over six years through natural attrition and fewer hirings.

公司计划在6年内通过人员自然流失和减少雇用使员工总数减少1/4。

来源：学无用的英语