early 15c., "gentleness, lightness," from Middle French facilité "easiness, ease," from Latin facilitatem (nominative facilitas) "easiness, ease, fluency, willingness," from facilis "easy" (see facile). First in a medical book:
If it be nede forto smyte [the head] wiþ a malle, be it done with esynez or facilite [transl. Guy de Chauliac's "Grande Chirurgie"]
Its sense in English expanded to "opportunity" (1510s), to "aptitude, ease, quality of being easily done" (1530s). Meaning "place for doing something" which makes the word so beloved of journalists and fuzzy writers, first recorded 1872, via notion of "physical means by which (something) can be easily done."
实用例句
1. Your camcorder should have these basic features: autofocus, playback facility, zoom lens.
你的便携式摄像机应该具备以下基本功能：自动聚焦、回放功能、变焦镜头。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Every facility was laid on to ease their homecoming.
动用了一切设施以缓解他们的回乡之困。
来自柯林斯例句
3. This facility is open to both new and existing borrowers.
这套设备向新老借用者开放。
来自柯林斯例句
4. It is very useful to have an overdraft facility.
