“使泛滥”可以翻译为 “cause to flood” 或 “make overflow” ,具体使用哪个取决于语境:
“cause to flood”:强调导致某处发生洪水或被水淹没,更侧重于“泛滥”这一结果是由某个动作或因素引发的。例如:
Heavy rain caused the river to flood.(大雨使河水泛滥。)
The broken dam caused the surrounding areas to flood.(决堤的大坝导致周边地区泛滥成灾。)
“make overflow”:侧重于表达使某个容器、区域等的水量超过其容量而溢出、泛滥。例如:
The heavy rain made the reservoir overflow.(大雨使水库泛滥。)
The melting snow made the river overflow its banks.(融化的雪使河水泛滥,漫过堤岸。)