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Largesse is a rather grand word for giving freely — money, gifts, help — to people who have less than you, and also for the money or gifts themselves. It came into English from French, and it still sounds like it: a little formal, a little old, the sort of word you meet in newspapers and history books more than in the kitchen.
Largesse largesse is是 a rather grand word一個相當堂皇的詞 for giving freely指自由地給予 — money錢, gifts禮物, help幫助 — to people給 who have less than you比你擁有得少的人, and也 also for指 the money or gifts那些錢或禮物 themselves本身. It它 came into進入了 English英文 from French從法文, and而且 it它 still仍然 sounds聽起來 like it還是像法文: a little formal有點正式, a little old有點古老, the sort of word這種詞 you你 meet會遇到 in newspapers and history books在報紙和歷史書裡 more than比 in the kitchen在廚房裡多
Kings used to show largesse to the poor; a rich person today might be praised for their largesse after a storm or a fire.
Kings國王們 used to以前會 show展現 largesse largesse to the poor對窮人; a rich person一個有錢人 today今天 might be praised可能會因此被稱讚 for their largesse largesse after一場暴風雨或一場火災 a storm or a fire之後
Though actually, the word can carry a raised . Sometimes it means true kindness. Sometimes it means a show of giving, the powerful gifts and wanting to be seen doing it.
Though actually不過事實上, the word這個詞 can carry可能帶有 a raised eyebrow一絲質疑的眼神. Sometimes有時 it它 means指的是 true kindness真正的善意. Sometimes有時 it它 means指的是 a show of giving一種做給人看的施予, the powerful有權勢的人 scattering gifts撒出禮物 and而 wanting to be seen doing it想被人看見在做這件事
Do not mix it up with large. They are cousins — the old French large meant generous as well as big — but largesse is about the giving, not the size. You may also see the spelling largess.
Do not不要 mix it up把它 with large跟large搞混. They它們 are cousins是表親 — the old French古法文的 large large meant意思是 generous as well as big既大方也大 — but但 largesse largesse is about是關於 the giving給予這件事, not而不是 the size大小. You你 may also也可能會 see看到 the spelling拼法 largess largess
組成From Middle English larges / largess / largesse, from Anglo-Norman and Old French largesce, largesse (generous giving; a generous gift; generosity), from large, which meant big and also generous. The -esse ending is the French way of making that noun.
同家族的字
- largethe same old French large, which meant generous as well as big
原始詞典資料7 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。
largessenoun/lɑːˈ(d)ʒɛs/
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The trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time; generosity, liberality.
- There is no creature impure or vncleane, yf the conſcience of hym that vſeth it be pure and cleane. And albeit there were any impuritie in the meate, yet with himnes wherwith the larges of god is prayſed before meate and with holy wordes and prayers it ſhoulde be made holy and pure, that before was vncleane.
- But vvhere the Plea of the Receivers is equal, and yet the Diſpenſation of the Benefits vaſtly unequal, there Men are taught that the thing received is Grace; and that they have no claim to it, but the courteſy of the Diſpenſer, and the largeſs of Heaven; vvhich cannot be queſtion'd, […]
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Often preceded by do, give, or make: the generous or liberal giving of gifts or money, especially by someone of high standing on a special occasion; also, excessive or wasteful giving.
- In such case, certainly I would accept / Your bounty: better I than alien hearts / Should execute your planned benevolence / To man, your proposed largess to the Church.
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Money, etc., given in this way.
- [F]or our coffers vvith too great a court, / And liberall larges are grovven ſomevvhat light, / VVe are inforſt to farm our royall Realme, / The reuenevv vvhereof ſhall furniſh vs, / For our affaires in hand […]
- Yet half mankind maintain a churliſh ſtrife / VVith him, the donor of eternal life, / Becauſe the deed by vvhich his love confirms / The largeſs he beſtovvs, preſcribes the terms.
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Abundance of something (chiefly beneficial), regarded as having been given generously.
- The man to ſolitude accuſtomed long, / Perceives in every thing that lives a tongue; / […] / After long drought, vvhen rains abundant fall, / He hears the herbs and flovvers rejoicing all: / Knovvs vvhat the freſhneſs of their hue implies, / Hovv glad they catch the largeſs of the skies; […]
- I have not lacked thy mild reproof, / Nor golden largess of thy praise, / But life is full of weary days.
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obsoleteChiefly in the form at one's largesse: freedom or liberty to act.
- This captaine then falling in companie vvith a knot of Caualieros, and diſcourſing of the largeſſe & liberty, vvhich ſouldiers enjoy in Italie, in a certaine demand, vvhich one of them made him, he gaue him the you becauſe he vvas native of that place, and the ſonne of meane parents, born in a village of ſome fevv houſes: […]
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An act of donating or giving generously.
- So theſe loſing the true glory of virtue vvhich every one ought to have, flie to that vvhich depends upon complaiſance vvith others, courting vulgar applauſe vvith Largeſſes and feaſts.
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A specific gift of money, etc., given in this way, specifically (historical) at harvest time; a donation, a gratuity.
- Giue gloues to thy reapers, a larges to crie, / And dailie to loiterers haue a good eie.
- Then to our Pallace / Paſſe on in ſtate, let all raryeties / Showre downe from heauen a lardges, that theſe bridals / May exceede mortall pompe.
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。