faint
英 [feɪnt]
美[fent]
- adj. 模糊的；头晕的；虚弱的；[医] 衰弱的
- vi. 昏倒；变得微弱；变得没气力
- n. [中医] 昏厥，昏倒
词态变化
复数: faints;第三人称单数: faints;过去式: fainted;过去分词: fainted;现在分词: fainting;比较级: fainter;最高级: faintest;副词: faintly;
助记提示
1. fingere (form root fig-) => Old French variant form feindre (pp. feint) "pretend, imitate, feign".
2. => feint: pretend, imitate, feign.
3. feint => faint (元音音变) "show weakness to avoid one's duty by pretending".
4. 该词的本意是假装虚弱、脆弱来逃避责任、逃避各种事情，后来的词义演变却因假变真，变成了真正的“虚弱、脆弱，微弱，懦弱”，甚至是“昏厥，昏倒”。
5. 谐音“昏(方言化拼音: fen)特、昏倒”。
6. 区分：faint, feint: pain => faint => 因为太痛了，以至于痛昏过去了。
2. => feint: pretend, imitate, feign.
3. feint => faint (元音音变) "show weakness to avoid one's duty by pretending".
4. 该词的本意是假装虚弱、脆弱来逃避责任、逃避各种事情，后来的词义演变却因假变真，变成了真正的“虚弱、脆弱，微弱，懦弱”，甚至是“昏厥，昏倒”。
5. 谐音“昏(方言化拼音: fen)特、昏倒”。
6. 区分：faint, feint: pain => faint => 因为太痛了，以至于痛昏过去了。
中文词源
faint 微弱的，虚弱的
来自古法语feint, 来自feign, 假装，虚构，欺骗。引申词义底气不足的，微弱的，虚弱的。
英英释意
- 1. a spontaneous loss of consciousness caused by insufficient blood to the brain
英文词源
- faint
- faint: [13] Faint comes from Old French faint, which was originally the past participle of the verb faindre, feindre ‘pretend, shirk’ (whence English feign). This meant ‘pretended, simulated’, ‘lazy, shirking’, and ‘cowardly’, and all these senses were originally taken over by English. None now survives except the last, in the phrase faint heart, but in their place the underlying notion of ‘feebleness’ has produced ‘not bright, dim’ and ‘weak and dizzy’. The verb, based on the second of these, developed in the late 14th century. The variant spelling feint, used of printed lines, was introduced in the mid 19th century.
=> feign - faint (adj.)
- c. 1300, "enfeebled; wearied, exhausted," from Old French faint, feint "false, deceitful; sham, artificial; weak, faint, lazy, indolent, cowardly," past participle of feindre "hesitate, falter, be indolent, show weakness, avoid one's duty by pretending" (see feign). Also from c. 1300 as "deceitful; unreliable; false." Meaning "wanting in spirit or courage, cowardly" (a sense now mostly encountered in faint-hearted) is from early 14c. From early 15c. of actions, functions, colors, etc., "weak, feeble, poor." Meaning "producing a feeble impression upon the senses" is from 1650s.
- faint (v.)
- c. 1300, "grow weak, become enfeebled," also "lack courage or spirit, be faint-hearted," and "to pretend, feign;" from faint (adj.). Sense of "swoon, lose consciousness" is from c. 1400. Also used in Middle English of the fading of colors, flowers, etc. Related: Fainted; fainting. For Chaucer and Shakespeare, also a transitive verb ("It faints me").
- faint (n.)
- c. 1300, "faintness, faint-heartedness," from faint (adj.). From 1808 as "a swoon."
同义词辨析
vague, dim, indefinite, obscure, ambiguous, faint
这些形容词均含"不明确的，模糊的"之意。
vague： 多指因语言不确切，太笼统或因构思含糊、不完善而造成模糊难解。
dim： 侧重指或因光线暗淡，或因年代久远、身体欠佳等因素而产生视觉或察觉方面的困难。
indefinite： 指无明确定义或限定，重点或总体轮廓不明确。
obscure： 语气最强，指晦涩难懂。
ambiguous： 指文章或讲话中，意思可能有多种理解，令人捉摸不定。
faint： 指对某事物印象不深，或指声音微弱或希望的渺茫等。
考试真题
- As a description of the next music director of an orchestra that has hitherto been led by musicians like Gustav Mahler and Pierre Boulez, that seems likely to have struck at least some Times readers as faint praise.
出自-2011年考研阅读原文
- And perhaps faintly, they hint that people should look to intangible qualities like character and intellect rather than dieting their way to size zero or wasp-waist physiques.
出自-2016年考研阅读原文
- As a description of the next music director of an orchestra that has hitherto been led by musicians like Gustav Mahler and pierre Boulez, that seems likely to have struck at least some times readers as faint praise.
2011年考研真题（英语一）阅读理解 Section Ⅱ
词组搭配
not have the faintest
(informal)have no idea
(非正式)一点也不知道（或不明白）
I haven't the faintest what it means.
我完全不懂这是什么意思。
实用场景例句
- a faint glow/glimmer/light
- 微弱的光亮 / 闪光 / 光
牛津词典
- a faint smell of perfume
- 淡淡的香水味
牛津词典
- We could hear their voices growing fainter as they walked down the road.
- 他们沿路走远时我们听见他们的说话声逐渐模糊。
牛津词典
- His breathing became faint.
- 他的呼吸变得微弱了。
牛津词典
- There is still a faint hope that she may be cured.
- 她的病还有一点点希望可以治愈。
牛津词典
- They don't have the faintest chance of winning.
- 他们毫无获胜的可能。
牛津词典
- a faint show of resistance
- 软弱无力装模作样的抵抗
牛津词典
- a faint smile
- 淡淡一笑
牛津词典
- She suddenly felt faint.
- 她突然感到快要昏倒。
牛津词典
- The walkers were faint from hunger.
- 步行者饿得头昏眼花。
牛津词典
- She smiled faintly.
- 她淡淡地笑了一下。
牛津词典
- He looked faintly embarrassed.
- 他显得有点难堪。
牛津词典
- I didn't have the faintest idea what you meant.
- 我一点也不明白你的意思。
牛津词典
- to faint from hunger
- 饿昏过去
牛津词典
- Suddenly the woman in front of me fainted.
- 我面前的女人突然昏倒了。
牛津词典
- (informal)I almost fainted (= I was very surprised) when she told me.
- 她告诉我时我吃惊得差点昏过去。
牛津词典
- He fell to the ground in a dead faint.
- 他跌倒在地，昏死过去。
牛津词典
- I thought he'd faint when I kissed him.
- 我以为吻他的时候他会晕倒呢。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- Other signs of angina are nausea, sweating, feeling faint and shortness of breath.
- 心绞痛的其他征兆有恶心、出汗、头昏和气短。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- She suddenly fell forward on to the table and fainted...
- 她突然向前栽倒在桌上，晕了过去。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- A faint smile crossed the Monsignor's face and faded quickly...
- 一丝敷衍的微笑从那位大人脸上掠过，很快就消失了。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- Caroline made a faint attempt at a laugh...
- 卡罗琳敷衍地笑了一下。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- He became aware of the soft, faint sounds of water dripping...
- 他开始注意到轻微的水滴声。
柯林斯高阶英语词典
- The room held the faint, sweet odour of pipe tobacco...
- 房间内有烟斗烟丝的淡淡馨香。
柯林斯高阶英语词典