incubus

• n. 夢魘；沉重的負擔

in-,進入，使，在上麵，-cub,躺，詞源同cubicle,succumb.古代傳說中的夢淫妖（男，男上女下），在夢中與女子交媾，會吸取女人的精氣。比較succubus,夢淫妖。

incubus (n.)

c. 1200, from Late Latin (Augustine), from Latin incubo "nightmare, one who lies down on (the sleeper)," from incubare "to lie upon" (see incubate). Plural is incubi. In the Middle Ages their existence was recognized by law.

1. Joyce regarded his US citizenship as a moral and political incubus.

喬伊斯把他的美國公民身份當做是一個道德和政治上的負擔。

來自辭典例句

2. He was at the problem confronting him, weighted down the incubus of his working - class station.

眼前麵臨的問題叫他恐怖了.他那 工人階級 的處境像夢寬一樣壓著他.

來自互聯網