核心畫面

One way to hold this word: something a person has done so many times that it has settled in and become part of how they live. Not a decision made this morning — a groove worn smooth by repeating. When you meet wont, someone is pointing at an action and saying, quietly, "this one is not new; this one is how they always are."

可以這樣想這個字:一件事做了太多次,已經住進一個人的生活裡,變成他的一部分。不是今天早上才決定的——是重複久了磨出來更多收起可以這樣想這個字:一件事做了太多次,已經住進一個人的生活裡,變成他的一部分。不是今天早上才決定的——是重複久了磨出來的一條溝。看到 wont 的時候,通常有人正指著某個動作,輕輕地說一句:「這不是新鮮事,他一向就是這樣。」

From the word’s history

The source traces wont to Middle English wont, from Old English ġewunod, the past participle of ġewunian "to be accustomed to, to dwell" — the same family as German gewohnt and Dutch gewend. The old verb already joined being used to something with living in it.

資料來源記載 wont 來自中古英語 wont,再往前是古英語 ġewunod,也就是動詞 ġewunian(習慣於、居住)的過去分詞,與德語 gewohnt、荷蘭語 gewend 同源。那個古老的動詞本身就把「習慣」和「住下來」綁在一起,正好對上今天這個字的味道。

Wiktionary (kaikki extract) entries for wont (noun, etymology 1; adjective, etymology 2): "From Middle English wont, from Old English ġewunod, past participle of ġewunian (to be accustomed to, dwell)... Cognate with German gewohnt and Dutch gewend."

One branch

一向如此的習慣

兩個用法共用同一個意思,差別只在句子裡的位置和詞性。兩者在現代英文都很老派,多半出現在書面或帶點玩笑的正式語氣裡。

noun · C2

Added after you describe what someone did, to say that this is their habit and they usually do it.

一如某人的習慣