Adumbrate
Adumbrate 是一个动词。它通常表示对某事进行初步的、不完整的描述或预示,或者是像阴影一样部分地掩盖某物。
- The project’s basic principles were adumbrated in the initial proposal. (项目的基本原则在最初的建议书中得到了初步的勾勒。)
- Recent events adumbrate a major change in government policy. (最近发生的事件预示着政府政策将发生重大变化。)
- The mist adumbrated the distant mountains. (薄雾遮蔽了远处的群山。)
- 词根:
-umbr-(阴影,如 umbrella, umbrella) - 前缀:
ad-(去,向) - 含义:投下阴影 -> 模糊地勾勒或预示。
联想 umbrella (雨伞)。雨伞的作用是投下阴影 (shadow)。Adumbrate 就是在事情还不明朗时,投下一点点“阴影”般的轮廓。
The director adumbrated the plot of his new movie, but refused to reveal the shocking ending. (导演初步勾勒了他新电影的情节,但拒绝透露令人震惊的结局。)