喜樂美語

核心畫面

Picture someone from a long-known, family standing at the top rank of society — high-born, looked up to. From that 'high, well-known' station the word spreads: to the fine character expected of such people, to a grand look, even to metals too 'aristocratic' to mix with common ones.

可以想成：一個出身自世代有名望的家族、站在社會最高一層的人——身份高、被人仰望。從這個「高而有名」的位置，這個字往外…更多收起可以想成：一個出身自世代有名望的家族、站在社會最高一層的人——身份高、被人仰望。從這個「高而有名」的位置，這個字往外長：長到那種人被期待該有的高尚品格、長到雄偉的氣派，甚至長到「太高貴而不屑跟凡物混」的金屬。

From the word’s history

From Latin nobilis, earlier *gnobilis 'knowable, well-known', from gnoscere 'to come to know' (PIE *gno- 'to know'). Rome's best-known families supplied its officials, so 'well-known' meant 'high-born'; from high birth the senses of high character and grandeur followed.

源自拉丁文 nobilis，更早是 *gnobilis「可知的、廣為人知的」，出自 gnoscere「認識、得知」（印歐字根 *gno-「知」）。羅馬最有名的那些家族供出了官員，所以「廣為人知」就等於「出身高」；再從高出身，才長出高品格與雄偉這些意思。

etymonline.com/word/noble

Four branches

出身高貴（貴族）

最貼近字源的一支：「有名望的高門」那個原始位置。

aristocratic · adjective · C1

Belonging to the highest social class, or coming from a family in that class.

貴族的

品格高尚

從「高門」滑到「高品」：本來是那種身份被期待該有的德行，後來脫離出身單指胸襟。

noble (honorable) · adjective · C1

Having or showing very good, honest, and unselfish feelings that make people admire you.

高尚的

氣派雄偉

把「高」用在外觀上：一望就令人仰視的宏偉氣勢。

grand, majestic · adjective · C1

Looking grand, impressive, and beautiful in a way that fills people with respect.

雄偉的

不易反應（化學）

化學借了貴族「不屑與凡物來往」那股味道，形容不肯跟別的物質結合的元素。

noble (gas/metal) · adjective · C1

Used about a gas or metal that does not easily join or react with other substances.

惰性的

原始詞典資料18 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。

Noblename

  • 1

    A surname.

  • 2

    A male given name.

    • A son, Atticus Noble Stewart, was born to Tracey Williams and Joseph Stewart of Silver Spring.
  • 3

    A number of places in the United States:

  • 4

    A number of places in the United States:

  • 5

    A number of places in the United States:

  • 6

    A number of places in the United States:

  • 7

    A number of places in the United States:

  • 8

    A number of places in the United States:

另外 1 個記錄的用法
  • 9

    A number of places in the United States:

noblenoun/ˈnəʊbəl/

  • 1

    An aristocrat; one of aristocratic blood.

    • This country house was occupied by nobles in the 16th century.
  • 2

    historicalA medieval gold coin of England in the 14th and 15th centuries, usually valued at 6s 8d.

    • I lyked no thynge his playe, / For yf I had not quyckely fledde the touche, / He had plucte oute the nobles of my pouche.
    • And who shall then stick closest to ye, and excite others? not he who takes up armes for cote and conduct, and his four nobles of Danegelt.

nobleadj/ˈnəʊbəl/

  • 1

    Having honorable qualities; having moral eminence and freedom from anything petty, mean or dubious in conduct and character.

    • He made a noble effort.
    • He is a noble man who would never put his family in jeopardy.
  • 2

    Grand; stately; magnificent; splendid.

    • a noble edifice
    • He was thinking; but the glory of the song, the swell from the great organ, the clustered lights, […], the height and vastness of this noble fane, its antiquity and its strength—all these things seemed to have their part as causes of the thrilling emotion that accompanied his thoughts.
  • 3

    Of exalted rank; of or relating to the nobility; distinguished from the masses by birth, station, or title; highborn.

    • noble blood; a noble personage
  • 4

    chemistrynatural-sciencesphysical-sciencesOf an element, unreactive.

  • 5

    beveragesfoodlifestyleBelonging to a class of grape cultivars traditionally considered most favorable for winemaking, usually encompassing the six: Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, and Riesling.

  • 6

    geometrymathematicssciencesBoth isohedral and isogonal.

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。