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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary ami·a·ble ETYMOLOGY Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin amicabilis friendly, from Latin amicus friend; akin to Latin amare to love DATE 14th century 1. archaic : pleasing , admirable 2. a. generally agreeable an amiable comedy b. being friendly, sociable, and congenial Synonyms. amiable , good-natured , obliging , complaisant mean having the desire or disposition to please. amiable implies having qualities that make one liked and easy to deal with an amiable teacher not easily annoyed good-natured implies cheerfulness or helpfulness and sometimes a willingness to be imposed upon a good-natured girl who was always willing to pitch in obliging stresses a friendly readiness to be helpful our obliging innkeeper found us a bigger room complaisant often implies passivity or a yielding to others because of weakness was too complaisant to protest a decision he thought unfair English Etymology amiable mid-14c., from O.Fr . amiable, from L.L. amicabilis "friendly," from amicus "friend," related to amare "to love" (see Amy). The form confused in http://O.Fr O.Fr . with amable "lovable," from L. amare. Reborrowed later in proper L. form as amicable.http://O.Fr Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 amiable ami·able / 5eimiEbl / adjective pleasant; friendly and easy to like 和蔼可亲的；亲切友好的 SYN agreeable :
an amiable tone of voice 亲切的声调 Her parents seemed very amiable. 她的父母好像很和蔼可亲。 • ami·abil·ity / 7eimiE5bilEti / noun [U] • ami·ably adv.: 'That's fine,' he replied amiably. "那很好。"他亲切友好地回答道。 Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English amiable adj. VERBS be, look, seem, sound ADV. very | perfectly a perfectly amiable young man | enough, quite I've only met Jane once but she seems amiable enough. OLT amiable adj. ⇨ friendly 1 Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged ami·a·ble \ˈāmēəbəl also -myəb-\ adjective (sometimes amia·bler \-blə(r)\ ; amia·blest \-blə̇st\) Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Late Latin amicabilis friendly, from Latin amicus friend + -abilis -able; akin to Latin amare to love — more at amateur 1. archaic : pleasing , lovely , attractive < how amiable are thy tabernacles — Ps 84:1 (Authorized Version) > 2. a. obsolete : amorous < lay an amiable siege to the honesty of this Ford's wife — Shakespeare > b. : generally agreeable : devoid of anything contentious or offensive : good-natured and well-intentioned < he has no improper pride. He is perfectly amiable — Jane Austen > c. : friendly, sociable, and congenial : civil and urbane : not stiff, cold, haughty, or stubborn < an amiable friend > < an amiable gathering > d. : praiseworthy especially as mild, lovable, socially beneficent, or unaggressive < an amiable character > < so amiable a virtue as moral honesty — Laurence Sterne > e. : enjoyable : affording ready easy pleasure < a genial comic swagger … very amiable to behold — Hilaire Belloc > Synonyms: good-natured , obliging , complaisant : amiable may suggest an easy congenial good humor, socially pleasant and unaggressive smoothness, or gracious acquiescence < an amiable neighborhood character > < the women … seemed to find a great deal of time for amiable empty gabbling — Edna Ferber > < their manners were more engaging, their tempers more amiable— T.B.Macaulay > < he considered a passive attitude in love more feminine and preferred an amiable softness to a tragic intensity — Ellen Glasgow > good-natured suggests a good-humored willingness to help or cooperate, sometimes an undue compliance < the crowd was good-natured and civil … all seemed desirous to welcome me with every sign of pleasure — C.B.Nordhoff & J.N.Hall > < “If you're sick of the job, I'll take her off your hands”, said the good-natured Fred — Anthony Trollope > < when he is good-natured … he will often pay her more than he is legally obliged to — G.B.Shaw > obliging suggests ready accommodation of others' wishes, usually with civility or friendliness < Dr. Armstrong, whose name the obliging young lady at the office allowed me to read upon the counterfoil of Staunton's urgent message — A. Conan Doyle > < he always had the courtesy to answer me, for he was a most obliging fellow — Agnes N. Keith > complaisant , less common than the others, suggests courteous amiability and willingness to accede, sometimes because of a weak lack of resistance < even if Mrs. Smith had been complaisant, Andrew's plan could not have been carried out — Margaret Deland > < her importunity prevailed with me and I am extremely glad I was so complaisant — Mary W. Montagu > |
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