好词典

upstart

UK //ˈʌpstɑːt//US //ˈʌpstɑːrt//

词源

源自中古英语 up+start,字面意思为"突然站起的人",14世纪后期开始用于形容社会地位骤升者。

noun

❶ 指突然获得财富或地位的人,常带有贬义,暗示其傲慢或缺乏根基。多用于形容暴发户或新贵阶层。

“The old aristocracy looked down upon the upstarts who made their fortune in trade.”

(古老的贵族阶层看不起那些通过贸易发家的暴发户。)

“He was dismissed as an upstart by the senior executives.”

(他被高管们轻蔑地称为不知天高地厚的新人。)

同义词:parvenu, nouveau riche, social climber

adjective

❶ 形容突然崛起的人或事物,通常带有自负或缺乏底蕴的负面含义。

“The upstart politician made bold promises without experience.”

(这个自命不凡的政客在毫无经验的情况下做出大胆承诺。)

“Critics mocked the upstart fashion brand for copying established designers.”

(评论家嘲笑这个新锐时尚品牌抄袭知名设计师的作品。)

同义词:presumptuous, overambitious, self-important

常见短语

upstart crow — 莎士比亚时代的贬义用语,指傲慢的新晋作家或演员,源自对莎士比亚的讽刺。

“Robert Greene famously called Shakespeare an "upstart crow" in his pamphlet.”

(罗伯特·格林在其小册子中著名地将莎士比亚称为"自命不凡的乌鸦"。)