
cuckoo
词源
源自13世纪古法语 cucu,模仿布谷鸟的叫声,与拉丁语 cuculus 同源。
noun
❶ 一种会发出特殊叫声的鸟类,常在其他鸟类的巢中产卵,让其他鸟代为孵化养育。
“I heard a cuckoo calling in the woods this morning.”
(今天早上我在树林里听到布谷鸟在叫。)
“The cuckoo lays its eggs in the nests of other birds.”
(布谷鸟会把蛋下在其他鸟的巢里。)
❶ 形容人或行为古怪、疯狂,像布谷鸟一样不按常理出牌。
“He's gone completely cuckoo after working too hard.”
(他工作太拼命后变得完全疯疯癫癫的。)
“Don't listen to her, she's cuckoo.”
(别听她的,她脑子不正常。)
verb
❶ 像布谷鸟一样重复发出单调的叫声,或指机械地重复某事。
“The clock cuckooed twelve times at midnight.”
(午夜时分,钟表布谷鸟报时响了十二下。)
“She kept cuckooing the same tune over and over.”
(她不停地重复哼着同一个调子。)
常见短语
cuckoo clock — 一种装饰有布谷鸟的挂钟,每到整点会有机械布谷鸟弹出并发出叫声报时。
“My grandmother has an antique cuckoo clock from Germany.”
(我奶奶有一个来自德国的古董布谷鸟挂钟。)
cuckoo's nest — 字面指布谷鸟的巢,常比喻混乱或疯狂的地方,源自著名小说《飞越疯人院》的英文名。
“This office is like a cuckoo's nest with all these crazy ideas.”
(这么多疯狂的想法,这个办公室简直像个疯人院。)