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If someone is deferential, they behave in a polite, respectful way that shows they are willing to accept another person’s opinion or judgment. Their voice may be softer, they may wait before speaking, they may nod and give the other person the last word.
If someone is如果一個人 deferentialdeferential（恭敬），they behave in a polite, respectful way他們會表現得有禮貌、很尊重人，that shows they are willing to accept another person's opinion or judgment顯示出他們願意接受別人的意見或判斷。Their voice may be softer說話的聲音可能會比較柔和，they may wait before speaking可能會等別人先講完再開口，they may nod and give the other person the last word可能會點頭，讓對方有最後的發言權。
It describes the manner, not a delay. You might call a student deferential toward a teacher, or a junior worker deferential toward a boss.
It describes the manner這個字形容的是態度，not a delay不是拖延的意思。You might call你可以說 a student deferential toward a teacher一個學生對老師deferential（恭敬），or a junior worker deferential toward a boss或一個資淺員工對老闆deferential（恭敬）。
Used well, it sounds like good manners and respect. Used too much, it can sound as if the person is being overly humble, almost as if they have no view of their own.
Used well用得好的時候，it sounds like good manners and respect聽起來就是有禮貌、懂得尊重人。Used too much用過頭的時候，it can sound as if the person is being overly humble聽起來會像是這個人太過謙卑，almost as if they have no view of their own幾乎像是完全沒有自己的想法。
It is a fairly formal adjective; in casual speech people more often say respectful or polite. It does not mean you agree in your heart — only that you show you will yield.
It is a fairly formal adjective這是個滿正式的形容詞；in casual speech平常說話，people more often say大家比較常說 respectful or politerespectful或polite（尊重的、有禮貌的）。It does not mean這不代表 you agree in your heart你心裡真的同意 — only that只是 you show you will yield你表現出願意讓步的樣子。
組成From deference + -al (the same pattern as essence / essential, prudence / prudential). Walter Scott is credited with coining this English adjective. It is also traced to French déférentiel, from déférent + -iel.
同家族的字
- deferencethe noun: the respectful yielding itself
- deferentiallythe adverb form of this adjective
- deferthe verb “defer to”: to yield out of respect
原始詞典資料3 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。
deferentialadj詞源 1[ˌdɛfəˈɹɛnʃəɫ]
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Respectful and considerate; showing deference.
- In A v. UK, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights held that Part 4 of the 2001 Act was not a strictly necessary response to the acknowledged emergency evidenced by the attacks in the USA and that the detention of the applicants was in breach of Article 5. This conclusion is noteworthy given that the European Court has in the past adopted a deferential if not supine approach when assessing the legality of derogations under Article 15.
- The oscillations were getting so severe that painters on the bridge learned to tie down their tins before a train passed. They found holes and rents in the iron but never reported them as they were never asked, and it wasn't their job. These were deferential times, and few wanted to talk out of turn.
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Based on deference; based on the doctrine, ideology, or wishes of others rather than one's own conclusions.
deferentialadj詞源 2[ˌdɛfəˈɹɛnʃəɫ]
- 1
anatomymedicinesciencesOf or relating to the vas deferens.
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。