核心畫面

One way to hold this word: picture a candle that is still burning, but the flame will not sit still. It is not going out and nobody has knocked it over — it just keeps drifting a little this way, a little that way. Two things are true at once: the flame is still there, and it is not steady. English then takes that flame and puts it inside people. A voice does it, attention does it, loyalty does it, and a decision caught between two choices does it too. Whenever you meet waver, look for something that ought to be holding still and is not.

可以想成一支還亮著的蠟燭,但火焰就是定不住:一下往這邊飄,一下往那邊飄。它沒有熄滅,也沒有被吹倒。所以同時有兩件事是更多收起可以想成一支還亮著的蠟燭,但火焰就是定不住:一下往這邊飄,一下往那邊飄。它沒有熄滅,也沒有被吹倒。所以同時有兩件事是真的——火還在,而且它不穩。英文接著把這支蠟燭搬進人的身體裡。聲音會這樣,注意力會這樣,忠誠會這樣,卡在兩個選項之間的決定也會這樣。看到 waver 的時候,就去找那個「本來該穩住、現在卻在晃」的東西。

From the word’s history

Wiktionary traces the verb to Middle English waveren, "to move back and forth, swing; to move unsteadily, totter", and figuratively "to be changeable or unstable", related to Old English wafian, "to wave". The physical drifting and the figurative unsteadiness are recorded side by side from early on, which is why one word still covers both today.

Wiktionary 把這個動詞追到中古英語 waveren,意思是「來回擺動、搖晃、站不穩」,而且很早就同時帶著「反覆無常」的比喻用法;它跟古英語 wafian(揮動)是同一家。看得見的晃動和心裡的動搖,從很早就並排記錄著,所以今天一個字還能同時管兩邊。

Wiktionary entry for waver (verb, etymology 1), supplied in this packet (source_ref kaikki:3f6f69a190036ae4:466382436:56262)

Two branches

看得見的晃動

這一家就是那支蠟燭本身:真的有東西在眼前小幅度地飄。

verb · C1

To move or shine unsteadily, shifting a little this way and that instead of holding still — used about a flame, a light, a shadow, or something light moving in the air.

搖曳;閃動

心裡的晃動

把燭火換成信心、注意力或決心,畫面完全一樣:本來穩穩的東西開始飄。所以英文說 his voice wavered 和 his faith wavered,用的是同一個字,一句你聽得見,一句你看不見。

verb · B2

If something such as your belief, loyalty, attention, courage or voice wavers, it becomes weaker or less steady, so it no longer holds as firmly as it did before.

動搖;變得不穩

原始詞典資料22 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。

Wavername

  • 1

    A river in northern Cumbria, England, which flows into the Solway Firth.

waververb詞源 1/ˈweɪvə/

  • 1

    To swing or wave, especially in the air, wind, etc.; to flutter.

    • Flowers wavered in the breeze.
    • There was neuer ſuche aſſemble made in Bretayne before⸝ for if the frenchmen were puyſſãt [puissant]⸝ in lyke wiſe ſo were the engliſſhmen⸝ and eche parte thought to fyght⸝ for euery day they ſhewed them ſelfe in the felde⸝ with baners and penons waueryng with the wynde⸝ it was great pleaſure to behold thẽ [them].
  • 2

    datedTo move without purpose or a specified destination; to roam, to wander.

    • [T]here vvere tvvo Channels, one on the North, another on the South, vvhere through the fiſher-men did vvander and vvauer vp to Norvvitch, and diuers parts of Suffolke and Norfolke, […]
    • Michael watched him down the corridor, saw him waver into the dusky street.
  • 3

    archaicTo sway back and forth, as if about to fall; to reel, to stagger, to totter.

    • […] Oza for puttyng his hande to the holy ſhryne⸝ that vvas called Archa federis [the Ark of the Covenant]⸝ whan it was broughte by kyng Dauid frõ [from] the citie of Baba [i.e., Ba'alah or Kiriath-Jearim]⸝ though it were wauerynge and in daunger to fall⸝ yet was he ſtryken of god⸝ and fell deed [dead] immediately.
    • The Fins [of a fish] made of griſtly Spokes or Rays connected by Membranes, ſo that they may be contracted or extended like VVomens Fans, and furniſhed vvith Muſcles for motion, ſerve partly for progreſſion, but chiefly to hold the Body upright; vvhich appears in that vvhen they are cut off, it vvavers to and fro, and ſo ſoon as the Fiſh dies, the Belly turns upvvard.
  • 4

    To begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve; to falter, to flinch, to give way.

    • Despite all the terrible things that happened to her, she never wavered from her beliefs.
    • The capitayn […], to thentent to ſhewe hymſelfe valiante and not willyng to breake hys othe, neither to wauer frõ [from] hys allegeance, boſted that he would rather dye in the defence then frely yeld the caſtle.
  • 5

    To feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices; to vacillate.

    • […] I ſhall not much vvaver to affirm that thoſe vvords vvhich are made to intimate, as if they forbad all divorce but for adultery […] thoſe vvords tak'n circumſcriptly, […] are as much againſt plain equity, and the mercy of religion, […]
    • Let not that man think that he shall obtain anything from the Lord. What man? Why, he that doubteth or wavereth in his mind, about the truth of the mercy of God in Christ; […]
  • 6

    Of a body part such as an eye or hand, or the voice: to become unsteady; to shake, to tremble.

    • His voice wavered when the reporter brought up the controversial topic.
    • "No," replied the old man, wavering in his voice, no less than in his manner. "No. Let us go on. I am ready. I am quite ready, Nell."
  • 7

    Of light, shadow, or a partly obscured thing: to flicker, to glimmer, to quiver.

    • For I took at once tvvo Triangular Glaſſes, and one of them being kept fixt in the ſame Poſture, that the Iris it projected on the Floor might not VVaver, I caſt on the ſame Floor another Iris vvith the other Priſm, and Moving it too and fro to bring vvhat part of the ſecond Iris I pleas'd, to fall upon vvhat part of the firſt I thought fit, vve did ſometimes (for a ſmall Errour ſuffices to hinder the Succeſs) obtain by this means a Green Colour in that part of the more Stable Iris, […]
    • [U]nder the Roman empire, men's notions of mechanical relations became faint, wavered, and disappeared, […]
  • 8

    Chiefly of a quality or thing: to change, to fluctuate, to vary.

    • [T]he Englyſhe affaires (as you haue heard) within yͤ realme began to wauer, and waxe variable, whyche cauſed the Engliſhe capitaines, to be of diuerſe opinions.
    • [D]uring the whole space of time just mentioned, Mr. Benjamin Allen had been wavering between intoxication partial and intoxication complete.
另外 4 個記錄的用法
  • 9

    obsoleteFollowed by from: to deviate from a course; to stray, to wander.

    • And gif it be ane beaſt, ane buke being placed betvvix the hornes of the beaſt, or vpon his forehead, and he and his vvitnes, at the leaſt tvva, ſall ſvveare that, that beaſt did vvaver avvay from him, as he affirmed in his clame; and that he vvas not given, nor ſauld be him to any man, in any maner of vvay.
  • 10

    obsoleteOf the wits: to become confused or unsteady; to reel.

    • I am hungry, and I am vveary, and I cannot find him. / Keep my wits heaven, I feele 'em wavering, / O God my head.
  • 11

    obsoleteTo cause (someone or something) to move back and forth.

    • [I]f the Admirall ſhall happen to hull in the night: then to make a wauering light ouer his other light, wauering the light vpon a pole.
    • A third wauered and wagled his head, like a proud horſe playing with his bridle, or as I haue ſeene ſome fantaſticall ſwimmer, at euerie ſtroke train his chin ſide-long ouer his left ſhoulder.
  • 12

    obsoleteTo cause (someone) to begin to or show signs of weakening in resolve; also (rare), to weaken in resolve due to (something).

    • Th'vnconſtant Barrons, vvauering euery houre, / The fierce encounter of this raging tyde, / No ſtrategem yet ſtrongly policied; […]

wavernoun詞源 1/ˈweɪvə/

  • 1

    An act of moving back and forth, swinging, or waving; a flutter, a tremble.

    • No a bit butterflee on its silent waver, meeting the murmur of the straightforward bee.
    • By turns she sat watching the waver of the candles in the draught, and walked to and fro between the bed and the washhand-stand to keep herself warm.
  • 2

    A state of beginning to weaken or showing signs of weakening in resolve; a falter.

    • I hear the soldiers talk as I ride by, "There goes the old man. All's right." Not a waver, doubt, or hesitation when I order, and men march to certain death without a murmur if I call on them, because they know I value their lives as much as my own.
  • 3

    A state of feeling or showing doubt or indecision; a vacillation.

    • "Does she mean to accept him?" asked Travice. "Well, she's on the waver. She does not dislike him, and she does not particularly like him. He's too old for her; he's twenty years older than Liz; but it's her first offer, and young women are apt to think when they get that, they had better accept it, lest they may never get another."

wavernoun詞源 2/ˈweɪvə/

  • 1

    One who waves their arms, or causes something to swing or wave.

    • I felt encouraged by all the enthusiastic wavers in the crowd.
    • The Fourth of July brings out all the flag wavers.
  • 2

    artscraftshairdressingA person who specializes in treating hair to make it wavy.

  • 3

    artscraftshairdressingA tool used to make hair wavy.

  • 4

    historicalmediaprintingpublishingIn full waver roller: a roller which places ink on the inking table of a printing press with a back and forth, waving motion.

  • 5

    obsoleteSynonym of waverer (“one who feels or shows doubt or indecision; a vacillator”).

    • [N]o waver in Judgment, have I, though Gods mercy, ever been; but a conſtant aſſertor of, and ſufferer for my ſatisfiedneſs in, and adheſion to, the piety and probity of my breeding and belief, vvhich vvas ever, yet is, and I hope, through Gods grace, to death ſhall be, in point of Religion according to the Doctrine and Diſcipline of the Church of England.

wavernoun詞源 3/ˈweɪvə/

  • 1

    dateddialectalA sapling or other young tree left standing when other trees around it have been felled.

    • It is a very ordinary Copſe vvhich vvill not afford three or four Firſts, that is, Beſts; fourteen Seconds; tvvelve Thirds; eight VVavers, &c. according to vvhich proportions the ſizes of young Trees in Copſing are to ſucceed one another.
    • In some parts of this County, considerable pains seem to be taken in the use of the Falling Axe[…], to form the stools or stumps left in the ground in Spring Woods, rather round at top, to shoot off the wet and preserve the butt from decay, where young shoots or wavers are expected from them: […] the sooner the young waver, or wavers especially, if more than one are left for Trees, attaches itself to and entirely depends on one of the healthy lateral roots[…], by the entire decay of the core or centre, the better is the future prospect of such wavers, as to making good Trees, […]

資料來源:英文維基詞典 English WiktionaryCC BY-SA 4.0)。 原文照列,未經改寫。