
siren
词源
源自希腊神话中的海妖塞壬(Seirēn),通过拉丁语siren和古法语sereine传入英语,最初指神话生物,后引申为警报装置。
noun
❶ 指一种会发出响亮警报声的装置,常用于警车、救护车或消防车,用来提醒人们注意紧急情况。
“The ambulance sped past with its siren blaring.”
(救护车鸣着警笛疾驰而过。)
“We could hear the police sirens from several blocks away.”
(我们在几个街区外就能听到警笛声。)
❶ 在希腊神话中,指一种会用美妙歌声引诱水手触礁的海妖,常用来比喻危险但有诱惑力的事物。
“The sailors were lured by the siren's song onto the rocks.”
(水手们被海妖的歌声引诱撞上了礁石。)
“Her voice was like a siren's call, impossible to resist.”
(她的声音像海妖的呼唤,令人难以抗拒。)
verb
❶ 指像警笛一样发出响亮的声音,或像海妖一样具有强烈的吸引力。
“The tornado siren sirened throughout the town.”
(龙卷风警报器在整个城镇鸣响。)
“Her laughter sirened through the quiet room.”
(她的笑声像警笛一样划破了安静的房间。)
常见短语
siren song — 指极具诱惑力但可能带来危险的事物,源自希腊神话中海妖的歌声。
“The promise of quick money was a siren song that led him to make bad investments.”
(快速赚钱的承诺像海妖的歌声一样,导致他做出了糟糕的投资。)
siren call — 形容难以抗拒的吸引力,通常暗示这种吸引力可能带来负面后果。
“The siren call of fame made her sacrifice her privacy.”
(成名的强烈诱惑使她牺牲了自己的隐私。)