| Title | belittle |
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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary be·lit·tle DATE 1797 1. to speak slightingly of : disparage belittles her efforts 2. to cause (a person or thing) to seem little or less Synonyms: see decry English Etymology belittle 1781, "to make small," from be- + little; first recorded in writings of Thomas Jefferson (and probably coined by him), who was roundly execrated for it in England:"Belittle! What an expression! It may be an elegant one in Virginia, and even perfectly intelligible; but for our part, all we can do is to guess at its meaning. For shame, Mr. Jefferson!" ["European Magazine and London Review," 1787, reporting on "Notes on the State of Virginia"; to guess was considered another barbarous Yankeeism.]The figurative sense of "depreciate, scorn as worthless" (as the reviewers did to this word) is from 1797. Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 belittle be·lit·tle / bi5litl / verb[VN] to make sb or the things that sb does seem unimportant 贬低；小看: She felt her husband constantly belittled her achievements. 她觉得她的丈夫时常贬低她的成就。 Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged be·lit·tle \bə̇ˈlid.əl, bē-, -itəl\ transitive verb (belittled ; belittled ; belittling \-itliŋ, -id.əl-, -itəl-\ ; belittles) Etymology: be- + little 1. : to make small or make appear as small < the bulk of the warehouse belittles the houses around it > 2. : to speak of slightingly : disparage , depreciate < belittle a person's efforts > Synonyms: see decry |
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