- 1
Pusillanimous is the adjective: a pusillanimous person is of taking even small risks. They may have a good plan and still not move, because moving might bring blame, laughter, or loss. The word is formal and a little harsh. It does not mainly mean they shake in their shoes; it means their spirit is small when a choice must be made. Though actually, calling someone pusillanimous is itself a kind of attack, the sort you find in reviews and political writing, not in kind everyday talk. Daily English prefers , , or they won't stick their neck out. If you need this word, you are probably reading, not chatting. It sits next to the way kind sits next to kindness.
膽怯的、怯懦的(書面、偏嚴厲;口語多說「膽小的」)
組成From Latin pusillanimis (faint-hearted, timid) + English -ous. pusillus = puny, very small; animus = spirit.
同家族的字
- pusillanimitythe noun; the quality of being this way
- magnanimousshares animus (spirit); great-souled rather than small-souled
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。
pusillanimousadj/ˌpjuːsɪlˈænɪməs/
- 1
Showing ignoble cowardice, or contemptible timidity.
- The soldier deserted his troop in a pusillanimous manner.
- Therefore, the wise thing is for us diligently to train ourselves to lie thoughtfully, judiciously; to lie with a good object, and not an evil one; to lie for others' advantage, and not our own; to lie healingly, charitably, humanely, not cruelly, hurtfully, maliciously; to lie gracefully and graciously, not awkwardly and clumsily; to lie firmly, frankly, squarely, with head erect, not haltingly, tortuously, with pusillanimous mien, as being ashamed of our high calling.
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。