好词典

age

UK //eɪdʒ//US //eɪdʒ//

词源

源自中古英语 'age', 古法语 'aage', 最终来自拉丁语 'aetas'(意为'时间、时期、生命时期')。

noun

❶ 指人或事物存在的时间长度,通常以年为单位计算。用于描述生命阶段(如童年、老年)或历史时期(如青铜时代)。

“She looks young for her age.”

(她看起来比实际年龄年轻。)

“The legal drinking age is 21 in this country.”

(这个国家的法定饮酒年龄是21岁。)

❶ 表示某事物存在或持续的很长时间,常带有'漫长'的隐含意义。

“I haven't seen you for ages!”

(我好久没见到你了!)

“It took ages to download the large file.”

(下载这个大文件花了很长时间。)

同义词:era, period, time, years, generation

verb

❶ 指随着时间推移而变老或成熟的过程,可用于人或物品(如酒、奶酪等)。

“Fine wine ages well in proper conditions.”

(优质葡萄酒在适当条件下会很好地陈化。)

“He has aged gracefully over the years.”

(这些年来他优雅地老去。)

同义词:mature, ripen, develop, weather, season

常见短语

come of age — 达到法定成年年龄或成熟阶段,常用来表示重要的发展里程碑。

“The novel describes a young man coming of age in wartime.”

(这本小说描述了一个年轻人在战争时期的成长过程。)

age before beauty — 幽默用语,表示年长者优先,常用于让年长者先行的礼貌场合。

“"Age before beauty," he said, holding the door for his elderly aunt.”

(他一边为年长的姑妈扶着门,一边说"年长者优先"。)