核心畫面

One way to picture swank: someone walking slowly across a room so that everyone can see the coat. The whole point is being looked at. From there the word splits in two directions — the person doing it (the verb and the noun), and the place that does the same thing with marble and gold taps (the adjective).

可以想成:一個人慢慢橫過房間,就為了讓大家看見那件外套。重點不在外套,而在被看見。這個畫面往兩邊分。一邊是做這件事的更多收起可以想成:一個人慢慢橫過房間,就為了讓大家看見那件外套。重點不在外套,而在被看見。這個畫面往兩邊分。一邊是做這件事的人:動詞 swank(擺架子)和名詞 swank(擺派頭的作風)。另一邊是做同一件事的地方:形容詞 swank,講一家飯店、一間公寓把錢擺出來給人看。兩邊共用同一個動作——把自己展示出去。差別只在主角是人還是場所。

From the word’s history

The supplied etymology derives swank from a dialect verb meaning 'to strut, behave ostentatiously', possibly related to Germanic roots for swaying and for being lithe or slender.

供應的字源說 swank 來自方言動詞「大搖大擺地走、招搖」,可能連到日耳曼語裡表示「搖擺」「柔軟修長」的字根。資料本身用的是 perhaps,所以這條線要當成可能,不是定論。不過「身體晃著走給人看」這個底層動作,跟今天三個用法都對得上。

Wiktionary entry for swank (adj/noun/verb), source_ref kaikki:3f6f69a190036ae4:625212961

One branch

人把自己展示出去

核心畫面裡的那個人:走路、說話、穿著都在說「看我」。動詞是動作本身,名詞是把這個動作當成一種作風。

verb · C2

To talk or behave in a way that shows you think you are better than other people. Old-fashioned British English.

擺架子、耀武揚威地炫耀