由 spank » 2009-06-08 16:14
Fritter----
noun: small quantity of fried batter containing fruit or meat or vegetables
(帶餡油炸麵糰batter)
例如,有人在部落格上寫到「最近很喜歡去 Starbucks 買 Apple Fritter 來吃,大概是這東西的味道讓我聯想到麻花捲吧…」)
verb: spend frivolously and unwisely ("Fritter away one's inheritance")
註:inheritance tax遺產稅
Origin
"whittle away," 1728, from fritters "fragment or shred," possibly alteration of 16c. fitters "fragments or pieces," perhaps ultimately from O.Fr. fraiture "a breaking," from L. fractura.
記法:
Fritter = fr+it+(t)er = fr(agment)(使成碎片) + it(時間) +(t)er(表示持續的動作)
=持續地將時間分割成碎片=浪費時間
To fritter away:
to diminish; to pare off;
to reduce to nothing by taking away a little at a time;
also, to waste piecemeal; as, to fritter away time, strength, credit, etc.
例句(參考:http://www.ichacha.net/search.aspx?q=fritter)
frittered his inheritance away.
慢慢把他繼承的遺產揮霍貽
The conspiracy frittered away to an ignominious conclusion.
那個陰謀以可恥的失敗而告終