faint
英 [feɪnt]
美 [fent]
- adj. 模糊的；頭暈的；虛弱的；[醫] 衰弱的
- vi. 昏倒；變得微弱；變得沒氣力
- n. [中醫] 昏厥，昏倒
助記提示
1. fingere (form root fig-) => Old French variant form feindre (pp. feint) "pretend, imitate, feign".
2. => feint: pretend, imitate, feign.
3. feint => faint (元音音變) "show weakness to avoid one's duty by pretending".
4. 該詞的本意是假裝虛弱、脆弱來逃避責任、逃避各種事情，後來的詞義演變卻因假變真，變成了真正的“虛弱、脆弱，微弱，懦弱”，甚至是“昏厥，昏倒”。
5. 諧音“昏(方言化拚音: fen)特、昏倒”。
6. 區分：faint, feint: pain => faint => 因為太痛了，以至於痛昏過去了。
中文詞源
faint 微弱的，虛弱的來自古法語feint, 來自feign, 假裝，虛構，欺騙。引申詞義底氣不足的，微弱的，虛弱的。
英文詞源
- faint
- faint: [13] Faint comes from Old French faint, which was originally the past participle of the verb faindre, feindre ‘pretend, shirk’ (whence English feign). This meant ‘pretended, simulated’, ‘lazy, shirking’, and ‘cowardly’, and all these senses were originally taken over by English. None now survives except the last, in the phrase faint heart, but in their place the underlying notion of ‘feebleness’ has produced ‘not bright, dim’ and ‘weak and dizzy’. The verb, based on the second of these, developed in the late 14th century. The variant spelling feint, used of printed lines, was introduced in the mid 19th century.
=> feign - faint (adj.)
- c. 1300, "enfeebled; wearied, exhausted," from Old French faint, feint "false, deceitful; sham, artificial; weak, faint, lazy, indolent, cowardly," past participle of feindre "hesitate, falter, be indolent, show weakness, avoid one's duty by pretending" (see feign). Also from c. 1300 as "deceitful; unreliable; false." Meaning "wanting in spirit or courage, cowardly" (a sense now mostly encountered in faint-hearted) is from early 14c. From early 15c. of actions, functions, colors, etc., "weak, feeble, poor." Meaning "producing a feeble impression upon the senses" is from 1650s.
- faint (v.)
- c. 1300, "grow weak, become enfeebled," also "lack courage or spirit, be faint-hearted," and "to pretend, feign;" from faint (adj.). Sense of "swoon, lose consciousness" is from c. 1400. Also used in Middle English of the fading of colors, flowers, etc. Related: Fainted; fainting. For Chaucer and Shakespeare, also a transitive verb ("It faints me").
- faint (n.)
- c. 1300, "faintness, faint-heartedness," from faint (adj.). From 1808 as "a swoon."
雙語例句
- 1. It's a film about a serial killer and not for the faint-hearted.
- 這部電影是講一個連環殺手的，不適合膽小的人看。
來自柯林斯例句
- 2. Their instruments detected very faint radiowaves at a frequency of 3 kilohertz.
- 他們的儀器檢測到一個3千赫的微弱無線電波。
來自柯林斯例句
- 3. Don't be faint-hearted when things seem a bit slow or boring.
- 事情變得有點沉悶無聊的時候，不要膽怯。
來自柯林斯例句
- 4. A faint smile crossed the Monsignor's face and faded quickly.
- 一絲敷衍的微笑從那位大人臉上掠過，很快就消失了。
來自柯林斯例句
- 5. A faint smile of reminiscence appeared on her face..
- 一絲懷舊的微笑浮現在她的臉上。
來自柯林斯例句