- 1
If people, a place, or an idea are benighted, they have little knowledge or understanding — as if left in the dark. It is a literary, rather old-fashioned word, and it can sound superior, as if the speaker is looking down. Writers use it for views or “dark” times: a benighted opinion, benighted . Though actually, the older sense was more literal: overtaken by night, caught out after dark. That night picture is still hiding in the word. Today, in books, you almost always meet the “no understanding” sense. From benight + -ed; benight itself is built on night.
愚昧的；蒙昧無知的（書面、帶點看輕的味道）
組成From benight + -ed. Benight is built on night: to cover with night or darkness.
同家族的字
- nightthe root: darkness, and then “no light in the mind”
- benightedlythe adverb from this adjective
原始詞典資料5 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
benightedadj/bɪˈnaɪtɪd/
- 1
obsoleteOvertaken by night; especially of a traveller, etc.: caught out by oncoming night before reaching one's destination.
- The Porter anſwered, This Man is in a Journey from the City of Deſtruction to Mount Zion, but being weary, and benighted, he asked me if he might lodge here to night; ſo I told him I would call for thee, who after diſcourſe had with him, mayeſt do as ſeemeth thee good, even according to the Law of the Houſe.
- The Moon (that roves like thee) ſhou'd fail, / The Stars benighted prove, / The Sun (that burns like me) ſhou'd ceaſe / To ſhine, ere thou to love?
- 2
obsoletePlunged into darkness.
- Rob the Spheare of lines vnited, / Make a ſuddaine voide in nature: / Force the day to be benighted, / Reaue the cauſe of time and creature.
- Still we wait for thine Appearing, / Life and Joy thy Beams impart, / Chaſing all our Fears, and chearing / Ev'ry poor benighted Heart: […]
- 3
Lacking education or knowledge; unenlightened; also, lacking morality; immoral, unscrupulous.
- [I]t would be difficult to name any writers who have contributed so much to promote the progress of civilization as "these illustrious authors—these friends of human nature—these kind instructers of human errors and frailties—these benevolent spirits, who held up the torch of science to a benighted world."
- Where art thou, poor benighted Traveller! / The Stars will light thee; tho' the Moon ſhould fail. / Where art Thou, more benighted! more aſtray! / In Ways immoral? The Stars call thee back; / And, if obey'd their Counſel, ſet thee right.
- 4
obsoleteDifficult to understand; abstruse, obscure.
- [O]thers, held very good men, are at a dead ſtand, not knovving vvhat to doe or ſay; and are therefore called Seekers, looking for nevv Nuntio's from Chriſt, to aſſoil theſe benighted queſtions, and to give nevv Orders for nevv Churches.
這個拼法也被記錄為下列字的變化形：
資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。