古英語のladde, foot soldier, young manservantから。おそらくladの過去分詞で、導かれる者、導かれる者、後に若い若者を指すようになった。
英語の語源
lad
lad: [13] Lad originally meant ‘male of low status or social rank’, and hence ‘male servant’, but by the 14th century its progression to the presentday ‘young male’ was well under way. It is not known where it came from, but there seems to be a strong likelihood of a Scandinavian origin (Norwegian has -ladd in compounds referring to ‘(male) persons’).
lad (n.)
c. 1300, ladde "foot soldier," also "young male servant" (attested as a surname from late 12c.), possibly from a Scandinavian language (compare Norwegian -ladd, in compounds for "young man"), but of obscure origin in any case. OED hazards a guess on Middle English ladde, plural of the past participle of lead (v.), thus "one who is led" (by a lord). Liberman derives it from Old Norse ladd "hose; woolen stocking." "The development must have been from 'stocking,' 'foolish youth' to 'youngster of inferior status' and (with an ameliorated meaning) to 'young fellow.'" He adds, "Words for socks, stockings, and shoes seem to have been current as terms of abuse for and nicknames of fools." Meaning "boy, youth, young man" is from mid-15c. Scottish form laddie, a term of endearment, attested from 1540s.
例文
1. Come along， lad .Time for you to get home.
さあ、若者。あなたは家に帰るべきです。
2.He was a nice lad -bright and with a sunny disposition.
彼はいい若者です——聡明で明るい性格です。
3.He 's a sensitive lad and some of the criticism has stung him.
彼は敏感な若者で、少し批判が彼を刺した。
4.Burns is a big lad with a rolling gait.
バーンズは歩くとふらふらする背の高い若者だ。
5.He 's a mere slip of a lad compared to his brother.