If something catalyses a thing or a situation, it makes it active.
例句
Any unexpected circumstance that arises may catalyze a sudden escalation of violence.任何突如其來的情況都可能造成暴力驟然升級。
VERB
(化學)催化
In chemistry, if something catalyses a reaction or event, it causes it to happen.
例句
It had been known for some time that chemical reactions can be catalyzed by materials with large surface areas...人們早已知道，如果材料的表面積足夠大，可引起催化反應。The wires do not have a large enough surface to catalyse a big explosion.這些導線覆蓋的面積不夠大，不足以引發大爆炸。