X

英 [eks] 美

基本词汇

X: The entire entry for X in Johnson's dictionary (1756) is: "X is a letter, which, though found in Saxon words, begins no word in the English language." Most English words beginning in -x- are of Greek origin or modern commercial coinages. East Anglian in 14c. showed a tendency to use -x- for initial sh-, sch- (such as xal for shall), which didn't catch on but seems an improvement over the current system. As a symbol of a kiss on a letter, etc., it is recorded from 1765. In malt liquor, XX denoted "double quality" and XXX "strongest quality" (1827).

Algebraic meaning "unknown quantity" (1660 in English, from French), sometimes is said to be from medieval use, originally a crossed -r-, in that case probably from Latin radix (see root (n.)). Other theories trace it to Arabic (Klein), but a more prosaic explanation says Descartes (1637) took x, y, z, the last three letters of the alphabet, for unknowns to correspond to a, b, c, used for known quantities.

Used allusively for "unknown person" from 1797, "something unknown" since 1859. As a type of chromosome, attested from 1902 (first so called in German; Henking, 1891). To designate "films deemed suitable for adults only," first used 1950 in Britain; adopted in U.S. Nov. 1, 1968. The XYZ Affair in American history (1797) involved French agents designated by those letters.
x (v.): "cross out with an 'X'," 1942, from X.

In any case, despite so much evidence to the contrary, many managers still agree to theory X.

In graph 1, we see that the x-axis shows grades that students earned, and the y-axis shows bow many students earned each grade.

In the 1960s, Douglas Mcgregor, one of the key thinkers in the art of management, developed the mow famous theory X and theory Y.

Theory X is the idea that people instinctively dislike work and will do anything to avoid it.

I had to go back for my checkup; they'd lost my X-rays.: 我得回去再做一次体检。他们把我的X光片弄丢了。

They took my pulse, took my blood pressure, and X-rayed my jaw.: 他们给我量了脉搏、血压，还给我的下颌拍了X光片。

For a decade "X" was the pre-eminent punk band in Los Angeles.: 10年来，“X”乐队一直都是洛杉矶最杰出的朋克乐队。

The medical benefits of x-rays far outweigh the risk of having them.: X光在医学上的益处远甚于它带来的风险。

You'll mend. The X-rays show that your arm will heal all right.: 你会康复的。X光照片显示你的胳膊能够较好地复原。

The hospital staff held off taking Rosenbaum in for an X-ray.: 医院工作人员推迟了罗森鲍姆的X光检查。

This remarkable technology provides far greater clarity than conventional x-rays.: 这项卓越技术的清晰度比常规的X光高得多。

Filmmaking was transformed by digital editing, digital f/x, and digicams.: 数字剪辑、数码特效以及数码摄像机改变了电影摄制方式。