它强调用激烈、愤慨的言辞针对某个人、政策、制度或现象表达不满,情感色彩强烈,带有“义愤填膺”或“公开谴责”的意味。
宾语类型:后面直接接被抨击/指责的对象(可以是具体的人、抽象的事物或行为)。
常见搭配:常与表示“不公、腐败、政策、制度、现象”等的名词连用(如 injustice, corruption, policy, system, inequality 等)。
针对抽象事物:
She railed against the government's failure to address climate change.
(她强烈抨击政府在应对气候变化上的不作为。)
针对制度/政策:
Workers have been railing against the new layoff policy for weeks.
(工人们几周来一直严厉指责新的裁员政策。)
针对现象:
Many activists rail against the exploitation of migrant workers.
(许多活动人士愤怒反对对农民工的剥削。)
针对具体的人(较少见,更常用 rail at,但 against 也可):
He railed against his boss for denying him a promotion.
(他因老板拒绝给他升职而严厉指责对方。)
两者含义相近,均表示“指责/抨击”,但细微区别:
rail at 更侧重针对具体的人或即时的行为(如某人的决定、行为);
rail against 更侧重针对抽象的、系统性的事物(如制度、政策、社会现象)。
例:
She railed at her friend for being late.(针对具体的人+行为)
She railed against the culture of punctuality obsession.(针对抽象的文化现象)
criticize fiercely
condemn strongly
lash out at
vent one's anger at/against
总结:rail against 是表达“强烈不满”的高频短语,适用于需要强调“愤怒、激烈批评”的场景,尤其用于讨论社会、政治或道德问题时。