喜樂美語

核心畫面

You can hold the picture of something kept inside sensible limits — not going to either extreme. Not too big, not too small; not too hot, not too cold. It sits comfortably in the middle band, held back from going too far.

比較像：把一個東西維持在合理的範圍內，不往任何一端衝過去。不會太大也不會太小、不會太熱也不會太冷，就穩穩落在中間那一…更多收起比較像：把一個東西維持在合理的範圍內，不往任何一端衝過去。不會太大也不會太小、不會太熱也不會太冷，就穩穩落在中間那一段，被拉住、不讓它走到極端。

From the word’s history

Moderate comes from Latin moderari 'to keep within measure, to restrain, to temper,' built on modus 'a measure.' The whole word is about staying inside due measure — which is exactly the middle-band picture the modern senses share.

moderate 來自拉丁文 moderari「維持在分寸之內、加以節制、調和」，字根是 modus「尺度、分量」。整個字講的就是「守在該有的分量裡」——正好就是現代各義共用的那個「落在中段、不過頭」的畫面。

etymonline.com/word/moderate

Three branches

適中·不過頭

最貼近核心的一支：直接描述一個量或程度落在中間、沒衝到極端。

medium, average · adjective · C1

Not too big or too small, not too much or too little — somewhere in the middle.

適中的；中等的

立場溫和·不極端

把「守在中段」搬到意見和政治光譜上：不站在最左或最右的極端，而是靠近多數人覺得合理的中間。

politically moderate · adjective · C1

Having opinions, especially about politics, that are not extreme and that most people think are sensible.

溫和的（立場）

使緩和·主持

動詞用法：不是「本來就在中段」，而是「主動把某個過頭的東西拉回中段」——把 modus（分量）加回去的動作。

tone down · verb · C1

To make something less strong, less extreme, or less angry, or to become like this.

緩和；節制

原始詞典資料13 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。

moderateadj詞源 1/ˈmɒdəɹət/

  • 1

    Not excessive; acting in moderation.

    • moderate language
    • a moderate Calvinist
  • 2

    medicinepathologysciencesMore than mild but less than severe.

  • 3

    Mediocre.

  • 4

    Average or middling, for example in price.

  • 5

    Not violent or rigorous; temperate; mild; gentle.

    • a moderate winter
    • These are called the Islands of the Blest; rains fall there seldom, and in moderate showers, but for the most part they have gentle breezes, bringing along with them soft dews
  • 6

    governmentpoliticsHaving an intermediate position between liberal and conservative.

moderatenoun詞源 2/ˈmɒdəɹət/

  • 1

    One who holds an intermediate position between extremes, as in politics.

    • While the moderates usually propose political compromise, it's often only achieved when the extremists allow them so
    • The moderates are the natural advocates of ecumenism against the fanatics of their churches.
  • 2

    historicalChristianityOne of a party in Scottish Church history dominant in the 18th century, lax in doctrine and discipline, but intolerant of evangelicalism and popular rights. It caused the secessions of 1733 and 1761, and its final resultant was the Disruption of 1843.

moderateverb詞源 3/ˈmɒdəɹeɪt/

  • 1

    To reduce the excessiveness of (something).

    • to moderate rage, action, desires, etc.
    • By its astringent Quality, it moderates the relaxing quality of warm Water.
  • 2

    To become less excessive.

    • He used to be an extremist but moderated later in life.
  • 3

    To preside over (something) as a moderator.

    • to moderate a synod
  • 4

    To act as a moderator; to assist in bringing to compromise.

    • We need more users to volunteer to moderate the comment section of our forum.
  • 5

    natural-sciencesphysical-sciencesphysicsTo supply with a moderator (substance that decreases the speed of neutrons in a nuclear reactor and hence increases likelihood of fission).

    • a graphite-moderated reactor

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。