abeyance
英 [?'be??ns]
美 [?'be?ns]
中文詞源
來自中世紀法語 abeiance（期待），源于拉丁語 batare（張口）， 來自 a-（同 ad-，這里表示“at”）+ bey-（張嘴，詞源同 bay，想想海灣是不是很像張開的嘴，實在太形象了）+ -ance（名詞后綴）→ 字面意思就是“處于張嘴期待的狀態(tài)”，這在法語中原本是一個法律術語，在法語中表示“某人有望獲得某份財產(chǎn)”，因此這個人就會“張嘴期待”，相當于我們中國人的習慣說法“翹首期待”，進入英語后表示“某份財產(chǎn)處于歸屬待定的狀態(tài)”，現(xiàn)在在日常生活中表示某一工作或活動處于擱置、停頓狀態(tài)。同源詞：bay（海灣）。
英文詞源
- abeyance (n.)
- 1520s, from Anglo-French abeiance "suspension," also "expectation (especially in a lawsuit)," from Old French abeance "aspiration, desire," noun of condition of abeer "aspire after, gape" from à "at" (see ad-) + ba(y)er "be open," from Latin *batare "to yawn, gape" (see abash).
Originally in French a legal term, "condition of a person in expectation or hope of receiving property;" it turned around in English law to mean "condition of property temporarily without an owner" (1650s). Root baer is also the source of English bay (n.2) "recessed space," as in "bay window."
雙語例句
- 1. The matter was left in abeyance until Haig saw French.
- 事情被擱置了起來，直到黑格見到法國人。
來自柯林斯例句
- 2. The question is in abeyance until we know more about it.
- 問題暫時擱置,直到我們了解更多有關情況再行研究.
來自《簡明英漢詞典》
- 3. The law was held in abeyance for well over twenty years.
- 這項法律被擱置了二十多年.
來自《簡明英漢詞典》
- 4. The decision is in abeyance until the returns from holiday.
- 那項決議在他度假回來之前一直擱置著.
來自《簡明英漢詞典》
- 5. The sanctions againt the country fell into abeyance yesterday.
- 對那個國家的制裁昨天中止.
來自《簡明英漢詞典》