喜樂美語

核心畫面

The root idea under 'several' is 'separate — each one its own, distinct from the rest'. Picture a handful of items laid out side by side, each standing apart as its own unit. From that picture of distinct separate ones came the everyday meaning: 'several' = a number of those separate ones — more than two, but not many. So although the common modern use is the counting one ('a few'), its root is the older 'separate / each distinct', which is why we still meet phrases like 'they went their several ways' (each their own way).

several 底層的想法可以想成「各自分開——每一個都是獨立的一個，跟其餘的不一樣」。畫面比較像桌上並排擺著幾樣東…更多收起several 底層的想法可以想成「各自分開——每一個都是獨立的一個，跟其餘的不一樣」。畫面比較像桌上並排擺著幾樣東西，每樣都自成一個、彼此分開。正是從這「一個個分開的個體」的畫面，長出了日常的意思：several = 這些分開的個體有「好幾個」——比兩個多，但又不算多。所以雖然現代最常見的是「幾個」這個數量用法，它的根其實是較舊的「各自的、各別的」，也因此我們還會看到 they went their several ways（各走各的路）這種說法。

原始詞典資料9 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。

severaladj/ˈsɛv.(ə.)ɹəl/

  • 1

    obsoleteSeparate, distinct; particular.

    • Here is the will, and under Caesar's seal. To every Roman citizen he gives, to every several man, seventy-five drachmas.
    • He had a religion apart: a God severall unto himselfe, whom his subjects might no waies adore.
  • 2

    A number of different; various.

    • […]for several virtues Have I lik'd several women; never any With so full soul but some defect in her Did quarrel with the noblest grace she ow'd, And put it to the foil[…].
    • habits and faculties, several, and to be distinguished
  • 3

    lawSeparable, capable of being treated separately.

severaldet/ˈsɛv.(ə.)ɹəl/

  • 1

    Consisting of a number more than one (especially, more than two) but not very many.

    • The firm turns over several million a month.
    • Several cars were in the parking lot.

severaladv/ˈsɛv.(ə.)ɹəl/

  • 1

    By itself; severally.

    • Every kind of thing is laid up several in barns or storehouses.

severalnoun/ˈsɛv.(ə.)ɹəl/

  • 1

    obsoleteAn area of land in private ownership (as opposed to common land).

  • 2

    Each particular taken singly; an item; a detail; an individual.

  • 3

    archaicAn enclosed or separate place; enclosure.

  • 4

    archaicA woman's loose outer garment, capable of being worn as a shawl, or in other forms.

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。