ostrich: [13] Greek strouthós seems originally to have meant ‘sparrow’. Mégas strouthós ‘great sparrow’ – the understatement of the ancient world – was used for ‘ostrich’, and the ‘ostrich’ was also called strouthokámelos, because of its long camel-like neck. Eventually strouthós came to be used on its own for ‘ostrich’. From it was derived strouthíōn ‘ostrich’, which passed into late Latin as strūthiō (source of English struthious ‘ostrich-like’ [18]).
Combined with Latin avis ‘bird’ (source of English augur, aviary, etc) this produced Vulgar Latin *avistrūthius, which passed into English via Old French ostrusce as ostrich. => struthious
ostrich (n.)
early 13c., from Old French ostruce "ostrich" (Modern French autruche) and Medieval Latin ostrica, ostrigius, all from Vulgar Latin avis struthio, from Latin avis "bird" (see aviary) + Late Latin struthio "ostrich," from Greek strouthion "ostrich," from strouthos megale "big sparrow," perhaps from PIE *trozdo- "thrush" (see thrush (n.1)). The Greeks also knew the bird as strouthokamelos "camel-sparrow," for its long neck. Among its proverbial peculiarities are indiscriminate voracity (especially a habit of swallowing iron and stone to aid digestion), want of regard for its eggs, and a tendency to hide its head in the sand when pursued.
Like the Austridge, who hiding her little head, supposeth her great body obscured. [1623, recorded in OED]
Ostriches do put their heads in the sand, but ostrich farmers say they do this in search of something to eat.
中文解释
1. o (联想圈地养殖) + st- + rich => 有钱人才可以在大街上圈个圈养鸵鸟。2. 有钱人在大街上圈养鸵鸟。
实用例句
1. I've eaten ostrich meat on the continent.
我在欧洲大陆时吃过鸵鸟肉。
来自柯林斯例句
2. An ostrich can kick a man to death.
鸵鸟能把人踢死。
来自柯林斯例句
3. The dancer wore a headdress of pink ostrich plumes.
那位舞蹈演员戴着粉色鸵鸟毛制作的头饰.
来自《简明英汉词典》
4. Ostrich is the fastest animal on two legs.
驼鸟是双腿跑得最快的动物.
来自《简明英汉词典》
5. The short - distance runner wishes he could run as fast as the ostrich.
