We often hear of a person coming through some difficult circumstance, or dangerous endeavor, and “emerging unscathed,” yet we rarely hear of anyone “emerging scathed.” Why is this?Scathe is a word: it may function as a noun (“harm, injury”) or as a verb (“to do harm to,” “to assail with withering denunciation”). It is not as commonly found as it once was, and now primarily serves as the basis for the adjective scathing (“bitterly severe”) or for the latter portion of unscathed. So you can say that someone “emerged scathed” if you wish, but be advised that it will have a curiously archaic sound to it.
Example Sentences
She escaped from the wreckage unscathed. The administration was left relatively unscathed by the scandal.
Recent Examples on the WebMany companies shifted back to work-from-home routines, but residences weren’t unscathed. Tripti Lahiri, WSJ, 7 Sep. 2022 The grove's other stars, the California Tunnel Tree, the Bachelor and Three Graces, and Fallen Monarch, were so far unscathed. Dennis Romero, NBC News, 11 July 2022 Only the boys' father, Jason Roberts, was unscathed.Fox News, 8 July 2022 The dog, a German Shepherd named Roky, was unscathed. James Tarmy, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2022 The state was relatively unscathed in the highly active storm season, allowing emergency staff in Florida, who also needed to react to wildfires and the COVID-19 pandemic, to continue addressing lingering effects of past storms. Tom Urban, orlandosentinel.com, 23 Nov. 2021 Musk also lost his position as Tesla’s board chairman, but was otherwise relatively unscathed. Alan Ohnsman, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2021 The inventory glut will leave no apparel seller unscathed, but companies making the right customer diagnosis today could come out looking sharper. Jinjoo Lee, WSJ, 29 Aug. 2022 Musk could either sue Twitter for $1 billion in damages, or simply leave unscathed. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2022 See More
VERBS | ADVERB | PREPOSITIONVERBS➤be, be left, come out (of sth), emerge, escape, get away, remain, return, survive, walk away未受傷害;安然(從⋯)出現;平安逃離;毫髮未損;平安歸來;安然生還;安然脫身◇The children escaped unscathed.這些孩子平安脫險。ADVERB➤remarkably非常平安▸➤completely, entirely, totally絲毫未損;毫髮未傷◇Amazingly, the driver walked away from the accident completely unscathed.讓人吃驚的是,司機在車禍中毫髮無損,安然無恙。➤almost, virtually幾乎未受傷害;事實上沒有受傷▸➤largely基本上未受傷害▸➤relatively相對未受傷害▸➤apparently, seemingly看上去/似乎未受傷害◇The company came through the crisis apparently unscathed.公司挺過了危機,看來沒受什麼損失。➤miraculously奇跡般地未受傷害PREPOSITION➤by未遭傷害◇The old town was left unscathed by the riots.舊城沒有因暴亂而受破壞。