喜樂美語

核心畫面

Picture someone standing several steps above you on a staircase. They can stay up there, or they can come down a few steps to reach you. Condescend is that coming down, and the person never lets you forget which step they started on. Sometimes the coming down is real: they agree to do the thing, slowly, as a favour. Sometimes only the voice comes down while the person stays up there, and you can hear it in how carefully they choose their words.

可以想成一個人站在樓梯的高處，你在下面。他有兩種「走下來」的方式。一種是真的走下來把事情做了，但每一步都在告訴你他覺…更多收起可以想成一個人站在樓梯的高處，你在下面。他有兩種「走下來」的方式。一種是真的走下來把事情做了，但每一步都在告訴你他覺得委屈。另一種是人不下來，話卻朝下面丟，語氣裡帶著「我比你高」。不管哪一種，他都不會讓你忘記他原本站在哪一階。condescend 的兩個意思，就像從這個往下走的畫面長出來的。

From the word’s history

Latin condēscendere is con- plus dēscendō, to come down. Middle English took it through Old French condescendre, where it also meant to agree or assent. The downward step is still inside every modern use.

拉丁文 condēscendere 由 con- 加上 dēscendō（走下來）組成，經古法文 condescendre 進入中古英文，當時還帶有「同意、答應」的意思。今天的用法裡，那個「往下走」的動作仍然留著。

Wiktionary entry for condescend, source_ref kaikki:3f6f69a190036ae4:609457774:46989, as supplied in the evidence packet

Two branches

放下身段去做

這一支最貼近字面：人真的從高處走下來了，只是走得很不情願。

verb · C1

To agree to do something while showing that you think it is below your position, so the action itself looks like a favour. The word says the manner is unpleasant.

屈尊去做

人在高處，話往下丟

同樣的高低差，但這次人沒有真的走下來，只有語氣往下走。

verb · C1

To speak or act towards someone as if you are better, cleverer or more important than they are, in a way the other person can feel. The word says the behaviour is unpleasant.

擺高姿態、看輕對方

原始詞典資料11 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。

condescendverb/ˌkɒndɪˈsɛnd/

  • 1

    obsoleteTo come down or go down; to descend.

    • To ſtoop to any ſordid lovv Action, is to imitate the Kite, vvhich flyeth high in the Air, yet vouchſafes to condeſcend to Carrion upon the Ground.
  • 2

    To come down from a superior position and do something; to deign; (with a negative connotation) to stoop.

    • The boss condescended not to sack him after much persuasion from his coworkers.
    • Truli I knowe him [the Devil] to wel, and haue obeyed him a little to much in condiſcenting to ſome folies.
  • 3

    To treat someone as though inferior; to talk down to someone; to patronize.

    • Miss Crawley's graciousness was also remarkable. She continued her raptures about little Amelia, talked about her before her face as if she were a doll, or a servant, or a picture, and admired her with the most benevolent wonder possible. I admire that admiration which the genteel world sometimes extends to the commonalty. There is no more agreeable object in life than to see May Fair folks condescending.
    • "You must know," said Estella, condescending to me as a brilliant and beautiful woman might, "that I have no heart—if that has anything to do with my memory."
  • 4

    Chiefly followed by on or upon: to go into detail; to particularize, to specify.

    • The whole of his work consists of digested and transformed experience presented to you under arrangements new to himself. It is all true, except as to "the way it is put," and you feel that it is true—that is, if the work be good of the kind; but you can not "condescend upon particulars" as to when and where it all happened.
  • 5

    obsoleteTo agree to something; to accede, to assent, to consent; also, to reach an agreement.

    • Than were they condeſended that Kyng Arthure and syr mordred ſhold mete betwyxte bothe theyr hooſtes and eueryche of them shold brynge fourtene persones […]
    • Careles and shamlesse, / Thriftles and gracelesse, / Together are bended, / And so condyscended, / That the commune welth / Shall neuer haue good helth, […]
  • 6

    obsoleteTo give way or yield in a deferential manner; to be amenable or compliant.

    • Henricus the Emperour [Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor] fearing þᵉ vaine thūderbolt of the Popes curse, talking with his princes, and perswaded by his frendes, was fain to condescend to the vnreasonable conditions of the Pope: […]
    • Theodoſius gave eare & condiſcended to his vvords, […]
  • 7

    obsoleteTo graciously give; to vouchsafe.

    • [W]hen John [the author of the Gospel of John] asks thee [Jesus] a queſtion […] thou condeſcendeſt to a mild and full (though ſecret) ſatisfaction.
  • 8

    obsoleteTo reach a certain point; to settle on.

    • [H]is Ho[liness] hath, & contynually doth deſire them vvith ſpede to condeſcend to oon opinion, or other, & to ſhevv their ſentence in theſe Articles, VVhether in ther opinions the cauſes vvherupon the Matrimony ſhold be declared nought, & the Diſpenſation void, be ſufficient in the lavv, or not.
    • [T]hereafter our cavalier condescendeth again to matters of fact.
另外 3 個記錄的用法
  • 9

    obsoleteTo secretly make plans, usually to bring about a bad or illegal result; to conspire, to plot.

    • [S]he perſwaded the Duke of Clarence, that it was neyther naturall, nor honorable to him eyther to condiſcende or take parte againſt the houſe of Yorke, (of which he was lineally diſcended) and to ſet vp agayne the houſe of Lancaſtre, […]
  • 10

    rareTo treat (someone) as though inferior; to talk down to (someone); to patronize.

    • I didn't mean to condescend you, Mr. Shreck.
    • I'm not trying to condescend you, Ben.
  • 11

    obsoleteOften preceded by the dummy pronoun it: to agree to (something); to consent.

    • It was condescended by the warring parties that they should lay down their arms and seek peace.
    • And furthermore, we commit the adminiſtration & vſe of policie and iuſtice ouer the foreſaid vnited prouinces, and aſſociat cities and members of the ſame into his hands, […] with eſpeciall power to collect profits, and receiue, and adminiſtrat all the contributions which are agreed and condeſcended, or ſhall hereafter he conſented or agreed, to the maintenance of the warres: […]

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。