- 1
This word means "like something in a " — a being a short, well-known saying that teaches a lesson, like "the early bird catches the worm." People say "proverbial" to point at a well-known saying or image without quoting the whole thing, often to sound a little clever or funny. "He kicked the proverbial bucket" softly points at the saying "kick the bucket," meaning to die. It can also just mean "famous" or "well-known," as in "the proverbial last straw."
俗語裡常說的、眾所皆知的（那個）
組成proverb (a well-known wise saying) + -ial (adjective ending)
同家族的字
- proverbproverbial is the adjective form of proverb, describing something connected to a well-known saying
原始詞典資料5 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。
proverbialadj/pɹəˈvɜɹb.iː.əl/
- 1
Of, resembling, or expressed as a proverb, cliché, fable, or fairy tale.
- The busyness of a beaver is proverbial.
- The beaver in this instance upheld the reputation of the proverbial one: her output was prodigious.
- 2
Optionally placed before an element of a well-known proverb or metaphor to emphasize that the element is not being used in a literal sense (see Usage notes below)
- the proverbial smoking gun
- the proverbial spilled milk
- 3
Widely known; famous; stereotypical.
- I grew up in a prefab house on Main Street in 1950s suburbia, the second and last child of a proverbial nuclear family.
- Mr. Obama has presented himself as a fresh face, unsteeped in Washington and the proverbial “politics as usual.”
proverbialnoun/pɹəˈvɜɹb.iː.əl/
- 1
Used to replace a word that might be considered unacceptable in a particular situation, when using a well-known phrase.
- I think we should be prepared in case the proverbial hits the fan.
- Are you taking the proverbial?
- 2
The groin or the testicles.
- You'll find they've got you by the proverbials.
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。