demure: [14] Etymologically, someone who is demure is quiet and settled, not agitated. The word comes from demore, the past participle of Old French demorer ‘stay’ (source of English demur), and so semantically is a parallel formation to staid. One of its earliest recorded uses in English was actually to describe the sea as ‘calm’, and it was not until the late 17th century that its modern slightly pejorative connotations of coyness began to emerge. => demur
demure (adj.)
late 14c. (early 14c. as a surname), from Old French meur "mature, fully grown, ripe," hence "discreet," from Latin maturus "mature" (see mature (v.)) [OED]. The de- in this word is of uncertain meaning. Or possibly from Anglo-French demuré (Old French demoré), past participle of demorer "stay," and influenced by meur [Barnhart]. Or from Old French de (bon) murs "of good manners," from murs (Modern French moeurs) [Klein].
实用例句
1. The luscious Miss Wharton gave me a demure but knowing smile.
性感迷人的沃顿小姐对我羞涩地会心一笑。
来自柯林斯例句
2. a demure young lady
娴静的年轻女士
来自《权威词典》
3. She's very demure and sweet.
她非常娴静可爱。
来自辞典例句
4. There she was , grey - suited , sweet - faced , demure, but scowling.
她就在那里, 穿着灰色的衣服, 漂亮的脸上显得严肃而忧郁.
来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
5. Rather pale she looked and Londony; and her blue eyes were demure.
