1
a vulture
字面义，指秃鹫这种鸟。
A vulture circled high above the dead animal.
一只秃鹫在死去的动物上方高高盘旋。
秃鹫；兀鹫
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
秃鹫；兀鹫
Any of various large birds that feed chiefly on carrion
A vulture circled high above the dead animal.
一只秃鹫在死去的动物上方高高盘旋。
Any of several carrion-eating birds of the families Accipitridae and Cathartidae.
各种大型昼行性猛禽,头裸爪弱,以腐肉为食
any of various large diurnal birds of prey having naked heads and weak claws and feeding chiefly on carrion
为劫掠而攻击的人
someone who attacks in search of booty
As we drove through the mountains, we saw two vultures circling high above the valley.
我们开车穿过群山时，看到两只秃鹫在河谷上空高高盘旋。
The vulture perched on the dead tree, waiting patiently for its next meal.
那只秃鹫栖息在枯树上，耐心地等待下一顿饭。
In the wildlife documentary, a vulture used its sharp beak to tear at the carcass.
在野生动物纪录片里，一只秃鹫用尖嘴撕扯动物尸体。
字面义，指秃鹫这种鸟。
A vulture circled high above the dead animal.
一只秃鹫在死去的动物上方高高盘旋。
特指某只秃鹫。
The vulture waited for its turn to feed on the carcass.
那只秃鹫等着轮到它吃腐肉。
比喻贪婪或伺机而动。
He hovered around the buffet table like a vulture.
他像秃鹫一样在自助餐桌旁徘徊。
Not this
He vultured over the dead animal.
Use this
He was a vulture feeding on the dead animal.
'vulture' 是名词，不能用作动词。应改为名词形式 'be a vulture' 或使用动词短语如 'feed like a vulture'。
Not this
I saw a flock of vulture circling overhead.
Use this
I saw a flock of vultures circling overhead.
可数名词 'vulture' 的复数形式为 'vultures'，在此语境中应使用复数。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
盘旋的秃鹫
Circling vultures warned us that something had died nearby.
盘旋的秃鹫提醒我们附近有动物死了。
一群秃鹫
A wake of vultures was gathered around the dead goat.
一群秃鹫围在死山羊周围。
秃鹫以腐肉为食
Vultures feed on carrion that other predators leave behind.
秃鹫以其他捕食者留下的腐肉为食。
秃鹫基金
The vulture fund bought up the debt of the bankrupt airline.
这家秃鹫基金买下了这家破产航空公司的债务。
掠夺成性的资本家
The media branded him a vulture capitalist who strips companies for profit.
媒体称他是为获利而拆解企业的掠夺成性资本家。
（喻）趁火打劫者虎视眈眈；伺机而动的人蠢蠢欲动
After the CEO resigned, the vultures were circling, ready to pick apart the company.
首席执行官辞职后，那些趁火打劫者虎视眈眈，随时准备把公司拆解分食。
秃鹫基金
The vulture fund profited by buying the bankrupt airline's debt at a huge discount.
这家秃鹫基金以极低折扣购入破产航空公司的债务，从中获利。
秃鹫资本家
Workers called the new owner a vulture capitalist after he sold off all the assets.
工人们称新老板为秃鹫资本家，因为他变卖了公司所有资产。
（《马太福音》24:28）哪里有尸体，哪里就有秃鹫聚集。
Vultures play a vital role in the food chain by cleaning up dead animals.
秃鹫通过清理动物尸体在食物链中发挥重要作用。
Use vulture naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
想象一只秃鹫：头秃、爪弱，却贪婪守着腐肉，像伺机掠夺的人——记住 vulture 就是‘秃鹫/掠夺者’。
语域：mixed 常见场景：wildlife/nature writing、news or critical commentary (figurative) ‘vulture’ 字面指秃鹫，多用于动物或自然类语境，属于普通中性词；比喻义指像秃鹫一样为掠夺而攻击他人的人，通常带贬义，多见于新闻或评论中。
真正与 vulture /ˈvʌltʃɚ/ 押韵的是 culture /ˈkʌltʃɚ/，两者重读元音及之后都是 /ʌltʃɚ/。其余 -ture 结尾的词如 sculpture、capture、nature、picture、future 拼写相似，但发音并不相同，注意不要按拼写类推。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.