核心畫面

Picture the cat on the sofa that you chose to keep and fuss over — fed, stroked, given a name. Two things travel out of that picture: the hand moving gently over fur, and the idea of 'the one I specially keep for myself', which English then attaches to plans and even to dislikes.

可以想成:沙發上那隻你選擇養在身邊、時時疼著的貓——餵牠、摸牠、給牠取名字。從這個畫面延伸出兩條路:一條是那隻手輕輕更多收起可以想成:沙發上那隻你選擇養在身邊、時時疼著的貓——餵牠、摸牠、給牠取名字。從這個畫面延伸出兩條路:一條是那隻手輕輕滑過毛皮的動作,另一條是「特別留給自己疼的那一個」這個想法。第二條路後來被英文套到計畫、理論上(pet project),甚至套到討厭的事情上(pet hate)。

From the picture

對人的親暱稱呼

把疼愛動物的那份口吻轉向人:稱呼對方的方式本身就傳達了親近。這是英國某些地區日常的招呼用語,聽起來友善而不特別浪漫。

affectionate address · noun · A1

A friendly word used in Britain when you speak to someone you like or love.

親愛的 / 寶貝

特別留給自己的那一個(pet + 名詞)

「特別養在身邊、時時放在心上的那一個」這個想法離開了動物,黏到名詞前面。有趣的是,它套到討厭的事情上也一樣成立——你「養著」的那份不爽。

favorite thing · adjective · A1

Used before a noun to describe a plan, idea, or subject that you especially like and care about.

特別喜愛的 / 最愛的

Also in this word

pet animal · noun · A1

An animal such as a cat or dog that you keep at home and take care of.

寵物

stroke affectionately · verb · A1

To touch and move your hand gently over an animal or a child in a kind, loving way.

撫摸 / 摸摸

原始詞典資料23 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。

petnoun詞源 1/pɛt/

  • 1

    An animal kept as a companion or otherwise for pleasure, rather than for some practical benefit or use.

    • family pet, pet cat, pet dog, pet store
    • My dog Fido has been a loyal pet for ten years.
  • 2

    Something kept as a companion, including inanimate objects.

    • pet plant, pet rock
    • Papyrus: This is my brother's pet rock. He always forgets to feed it. As usual, I have to take responsibility.
  • 3

    One who is excessively loyal to a superior and receives preferential treatment.

  • 4

    Any person or animal especially cherished and indulged; a darling.

    • At first she sat silent; but that could not last: she had resolved to make a pet of her little cousin, as she would have him to be; and she commenced stroking his curls, and kissing his cheek, and offering him tea in her saucer, like a baby.
    • the love of cronies, pets, and favourites

petverb詞源 1/pɛt/

  • 1

    To stroke or fondle (an animal).

    • I really love to pet cute puppies.
  • 2

    informalTo stroke or fondle (another person) amorously.

    • We started petting each other the moment we were alone.
    • So we kissed + petted for about 15 mins. + he still wasn't hard, altho he acted like he was enjoying himself.
  • 3

    datedTo keep or treat (an animal) as a pet.

    • Deer are often tamed and petted, and their flesh is so much esteemed by all Malays, that it is very natural they should endeavour to introduce them into the remote islands in which they settled, and whose luxuriant forests seem so well adapted for their subsistence.
  • 4

    datedTo treat (someone) as a pet; to fondle; to indulge.

    • His daughter was petted and spoiled.
    • […] the American dramatist has had to waste most of his first act elaborately planting the information that his Mister Quex is rich, petted by Society, and altogether more spectacular than the common run of men.
  • 5

    archaicTo be a pet.

  • 6

    archaicTo be peevish; to sulk.

    • He sure is queasie stomach't that must pet, and puke, at such a trivial circumstance

petadj詞源 1/pɛt/

  • 1

    Favourite; cherished; the focus of one's (usually positive) attention.

    • a pet project
    • a pet child
  • 2

    Kept or treated as a pet.

    • pet rock
  • 3

    obsoleteGood; ideal.

    • “Now,” said Hands, “look there; there’s a pet bit for to beach a ship in. Fine flat sand, never a cat's paw, trees all around of it, and flowers a-blowing like a garding on that old ship.”

petnoun詞源 2/pɛt/

  • 1

    A fit of petulance, a sulk, arising from the impression that one has been offended or slighted.

    • His genius at this time was of a decidedly gloomy cast. He brought his mother a tragedy, in which, though he killed sixteen people before the second act, it made her laugh so, that he thrust the masterpiece into the fire in a pet.
    • There was something ludicrous, even more, unbecoming a gentleman, in leaving a friend's house in a pet, with the host's reproaches sounding in his ears, to be matched only by the bitterness of the guest's sneering retorts.

petverb詞源 2/pɛt/

  • 1

    To be petulant or upset; to have a problem with.

    • Got suttin' in the glove compartment and I won't pet to use it

petnoun詞源 4/pɛt/

  • 1

    A term of endearment usually applied to women and children.

資料來源:英文維基詞典 English WiktionaryCC BY-SA 4.0)。 原文照列,未經改寫。