- 1膽怯的、怯懦的（書面、偏嚴厲；口語多說「膽小的」）
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.
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，摘錄並精簡格式，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.
摘錄自 英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary，已精簡格式；依 CC BY-SA 4.0 授權使用，改動後的內容同樣以此授權提供。