belittle
英 [bɪ'lɪt(ə)l]
美 [bɪ'lɪtl]
英語の語源
- belittle (v.)
- 1781, "to make small," from be- + little (v.); first recorded in writings of Thomas Jefferson (and probably coined by him), who was roundly execrated for it in England:
Belittle! What an expression! It may be an elegant one in Virginia, and even perfectly intelligible; but for our part, all we can do is to guess at its meaning. For shame, Mr. Jefferson! ["European Magazine and London Review," 1787, reporting on "Notes on the State of Virginia"; to guess was considered another barbarous Yankeeism.]
Jefferson used it to characterize Buffon's view that American life was stunted by nature, which he was refuting. The figurative sense of "depreciate, scorn as worthless" (as the reviewers did to this word) is from 1797. Related: Belittled; belittling.
例文
- 1. Already，both sides are jockeying to belittle the other side.
- 双方はすでに全力を尽くして相手をけなしている。
- 2.We mustn 't belittle her outstanding achievement.
- 彼女が成し遂げた傑出した成果を見くびってはいけない。
- 3.It is wrong to belittle or neglect popularization.
- 普及活動を軽視し無視する態度は間違っている。
- 4.Do not belittle what he has achieved.
- は彼の成績を軽視することはできない。
- 5.It makes no sense to belittle the enormity of the disaster which has occurred.
- すでに発生している災害に対して、その重大性は軽視すべきではない。
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