dent
基础篇： meaning: to have a bad effect on something
进阶篇： dent：作为名词，表示“凹痕”，作为动词表示“使...产生凹痕”。它的动词用法也常常引申表示“削减、损害”，这是《经济学人》中经常出现的用法，也让我们的表达更简洁、形象。dent后面常接表示热情、信心、自尊心这些表示情感的名词。这是dent最常见的用法。
比如某个公司惹上了官司，投资人对公司不再有信心，我们就可以说：
The lawsuit has dented investors' confidence for the company.
男孩向他心仪的女孩告白，被拒绝后自尊心受到打击，那种滋味就像是心里多了一道凹痕。
His pride was badly dented when he was turned down by his crush.
Facebook 爆出丑闻后，收益并没有减少。
Facebook scandals fail to dent its profits.
经济学人用例：
Sacrificing range and interior space in this way may dent brands built on luxury and technological prowess. 许多汽车厂商对新车做出的调整，这些调整可能会对品牌造成伤害。
Badly handled, the outbreak could dent the government's credibility. Even if giants do not copy startups outright, they can dent their prospects.
应用篇：
1) 翻译：由于接连失利，这支队伍失去了信心。
The team's confidence has been dented by a losing streak.
2) 造句：工作被拒并没有使她失去信心。
Being turned down for the job position failed to dent her confidence.
