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A minx is an attractive young woman who does not show much respect, and who is very good at getting what she wants — not by shouting, but by being clever. She may tease, smile, push a little, and somehow people let her have her way.
A minx is an attractive young woman who does not show much respectminx是一個不太懂得尊重人、很有魅力的年輕女生 and who is very good at getting what she wants而且很擅長達到自己想要的目的 not by shouting, but by being clever不是用大吼大叫，而是靠耍點小聰明 She may tease, smile, push a little她可能會逗人、微笑、稍微得寸進尺 and somehow people let her have her way然後不知怎麼地大家就順著她
When someone calls a girl a minx, they are often half telling her off and half smiling: she has been too sharp, and it worked.
When someone calls a girl a minx當有人說一個女生是minx they are often half telling her off and half smiling通常是半罵半笑 she has been too sharp, and it worked她太精明了，而且還真的奏效了
The word feels a little old now. You meet it more in books and in teasing talk than in ordinary conversation.
The word feels a little old now這個詞現在聽起來有點老派 You meet it more in books and in teasing talk比較常在書裡和調侃的對話裡看到它 than in ordinary conversation而不是在一般日常對話裡
Though actually, older English could use it more , closer to calling a woman badly behaved, so if you say it about a real person you do not know well, it can land less kindly than you meant.
Though actually, older English could use it more harshly不過其實早期英文用這個詞可以更嚴厲 closer to calling a woman badly behaved比較接近說一個女人行為不端 so if you say it about a real person you do not know well所以如果你拿它形容一個不太熟的真實對象 it can land less kindly than you meant聽起來可能比你原本想的更不客氣
組成The origin of the noun is uncertain. It may be an old pet form related to minikin (once “a young person, especially a young woman”) plus an -s ending used in nicknames, or it may come from old Dutch or Low German words for a woman, a long way from the same old root as man. Nobody has settled this.
原始詞典資料6 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。
minxnoun詞源 1/mɪŋks/
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A flirtatious, impudent, or pert young woman.
- In an other corner, Mistris Minx, a marchants wife, that will eate no cherries, forsooth, but when they are at twentie shillings a pound, that lookes as simperingly as if she were besmeard, and iets it as gingerly as if she were dancing the canaries, […]
- How Huſſie! was there ever ſuch a provoking Minx?
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derogatorydatedA promiscuous woman; also, a mistress (“the other woman in an extramarital relationship”) or a prostitute.
- Well, yet at length the houre came that flattered him with grace, / Who all too haſtie hide him ſelfe to his appointed place. / Arrived there, a pretie minx (directed wel before) / Unto a lodging brought this lord, and locked faſt the dore. / When he was ſafe, awaye ſhe went, for joy Alberto hopt, / But ſee, a chaunge! too late he ſpyde he was in priſon popt. / The windowes made of yron barres, the walles of ſtone and clay, / A bed he found, but farre unfit he thought for Venus play.
- [W]hat did you meane by that ſame handkercher, you gaue mee euen now? […] this is ſome minxes token, and I muſt take out the worke; there, giue it the hobby horſe, whereſoeuer you had it, I'le take out no worke on't.
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obsoleteA pet dog.
- And of doggues there ben diuerſe ſortes mo then one: For ther be hariers, or buckhoundes, there by ſpanyels made to the hawke, or for taking of foule, ther be ſhepeherdes curres, there are tye dogges or maſtifes for keepinge of houſes, there ben litle minxes, or pupees that ladies keepe in their chaumbers for eſpecial iewels to playe withall. And ſo, to one demaunding what maner a dogge he, for his part was, he feactely aunſwered and ſaied: when I am hungry I am a litle mynxe ful of play, and when my bealy is full, a maſtife.
minxverb詞源 1/mɪŋks/
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Used transitively when followed by it: to behave like a minx, that is, in a flirtatious and impudent manner.
- [He] knows the dress of every girl he meets— / In fact could cut you out the very plan, / Each article could name, and tell you every shade, / Whether adorning minxing miss or ancient maid!
- Alison might have, if she hadn't minxed herself out of a job.
- 2
To make (someone) like a minx; (intransitive) to become like a minx.
- Whether you're sipping fine bubbly from a crystal flute while having your nails minxed, or soaking in a heavenly milk bath, a visit to Miss Fox is your ticket to forget your worries and simply indulge.
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。