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Omnipotence is a noun for power that has no end: the power to do everything. People use it first about God.
Omnipotence isOmnipotence是 a noun for power that has no end一個指「沒有極限的力量」的名詞: the power to do everything也就是能做一切事的力量. People use it people最先 first about God是用來講上帝。
In many religions, God has omnipotence — no job is too big, and nobody can say no. That is the old, serious use, and it still lives in church, in religion class, and in books that talk about God.
In many religions在許多宗教裡, God has omnipotence上帝擁有全能 — no job is too big沒有任何事情大到做不到, and nobody can say no也沒有人能拒絕祂. That is這是 the old, serious use古老、嚴肅的用法, and it still lives而它至今仍存在於 in church, in religion class, and in books that talk about God教會裡、宗教課裡,還有談論上帝的書裡。
Though actually, the tidy line “able to do everything” hides a fight that has gone on for a very long time. If God can do everything, can God make a stone so heavy that God cannot lift it? People who love this word still argue about that.
Though actually不過其實, the tidy line “able to do everything”「無所不能」這個看似簡單的說法 hides a fight that has gone on for a very long time底下藏著一場延燒很久的爭論. If如果 God can do everything上帝能做一切事, can God make a stone so heavy that God cannot lift it那上帝能不能造出一顆重到自己也舉不起來的石頭? People who love this word喜歡討論這個字的人 still argue about that至今還在爭論這個問題。
Outside church, writers stretch it. A newspaper may talk about the omnipotence of a leader, a court, or money. That is loose. It means the power feels huge, not that it is magic. No human has omnipotence.
Outside church在教會之外, writers stretch it作家會把這個字用得更寬. A newspaper may talk about報紙可能會談到 the omnipotence of a leader, a court, or money某個領袖、法院,或金錢的「全能」. That is這是 loose比較鬆散的用法. It means它的意思是 the power feels huge那份力量感覺很龐大, not that it is magic而不是說它真的有魔法. No human has omnipotence沒有任何人類擁有全能。
Younger speakers almost never say the word in the street; they say can do anything, or all-powerful. You will meet omnipotence when the writing wants to sound heavy. The adjective is omnipotent.
Younger speakers年輕人 almost never say the word in the street幾乎不會在日常對話裡說這個字; they say他們會說 can do anything或all-powerful「什麼都做得到」,或「無所不能」. You will meet omnipotence你會在 when the writing wants to sound heavy文章想要顯得沉重、有份量時遇到omnipotence這個字. The adjective is形容詞是 omnipotentomnipotent。
組成From Late Middle English omnipotens, from Old French omnipotence, from Latin omnipotentia: omni- “all” + potentia “power”.
同家族的字
- omnipotentthe adjective; same Latin pieces
- potentshares the Latin “power” piece
- potencyshares the Latin “power” piece
- omniscienceshares omni- “all”; that one is about knowing
- omnipresenceshares omni- “all”; that one is about being everywhere
原始詞典資料1 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。
omnipotencenoun/ɒmˈnɪpətəns/
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Unlimited power; commonly attributed to a deity or deities.
- One purpose of the Freedom of Information Act is to make our society less of a police state. Until the CIA's omnipotence is seriously challenged, however, the xeroxed papers in my hand have little meaning. For now, they remind me of nothing less than the simple fact that evil forces still control our society.
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。