1 a sudden disaster that causes great suffering or damage 大灾难: major catastrophes such as floods and earthquakes 洪水和地震之类的大灾难

2 an event that causes great difficulty, disappointment, etc （给人带来困难、失望等的）大败，惨败: It'll be a catastrophe if I fail the exam again. 要是我这次考试再不及格，那就惨了。 ➔catastrophic /ˌkætəˈstrɒfɪk ||; ˌkætəˈstrɑfɪk/ adj The war had a catastrophic effect on the whole country. 战争对整个国家产生灾难性的影响。