quword 趣词
Word Origins Dictionary
- alloy[alloy 词源字典]
- alloy: [16] The notion of ‘mixing’ in alloy originated in the idea of ‘binding’ in Latin ligāre ‘tie’ (source of English ligament, ligature, and lien – via Old French loien from Latin ligāmen ‘bond’). Addition of the prefix ad- gave alligāre ‘bind one thing to another’, hence ‘combine’. This passed into Old French as aleier, where it eventually became aloier – hence English alloy.
=> ally, lien, ligament, ligature[alloy etymology, alloy origin, 英语词源] - alloy (n.)
- early 14c. "relative freedom of a noble metal from alloy or other impurities," from Anglo-French alai, Old French aloi, from aloiier (see alloy (v.)). Meaning " base metal alloyed with a noble metal" is from c. 1400. Modern spelling from late 17c.
- alloy (v.)
- c. 1400, "mix with a baser metal," from Old French aloiier "assemble, join," from Latin alligare "bind to, tie to," compound of ad- "to" (see ad-) + ligare "to bind" (see ligament); hence "bind one thing to another." Related: Alloyed; alloying.