calf: English has two distinct words calf, both of Germanic origin. Calf ‘young cow’ goes back to Old English cealf, descendant of a prehistoric West Germanic *kalbam, which also produced German kalb and Dutch kalf. Calf of the leg [14] was borrowed from Old Norse kálfi, of unknown origin.
calf (n.1)
"young cow," Old English cealf (Anglian cælf) "young cow," from Proto-Germanic *kalbam (cognates: Middle Dutch calf, Old Norse kalfr, German Kalb, Gothic kalbo), perhaps from PIE *gelb(h)-, from root *gel- "to swell," hence, "womb, fetus, young of an animal." Elliptical sense of "leather made from the skin of a calf" is from 1727. Used of icebergs that break off from glaciers from 1818.
calf (n.2)
fleshy part of the lower leg, early 14c., from Old Norse kalfi, source unknown; possibly from the same Germanic root as calf (n.1).
1. The snow, except where it drifted, was only calf-deep.
除了吹得堆积起来的地方,雪只有小腿肚深。
来自柯林斯例句
2. I rubbed the velvety grooves inside the calf's ears.
我摩挲着小牛耳朵里面柔软的凹槽。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Hillsden was complain-ing of cramp in his calf muscles.
希尔斯登说他小腿抽筋。
来自柯林斯例句
4. He suffered a pulled calf muscle.
他小腿肚肌肉拉伤。
来自柯林斯例句
5. I've torn a calf muscle.
我拉伤了小腿肌肉。
来自《权威词典》
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1
英 [kɑːf]
美 [kæf]
n. [解剖] 腓肠,小腿;小牛;小牛皮;(鲸等大哺乳动物的)幼崽
中文词源
calf 小腿肚,幼兽
来自PIE *gel, 鼓起,子宫,词源同child, dolphin.
英文词源
calf
calf: English has two distinct words calf, both of Germanic origin. Calf ‘young cow’ goes back to Old English cealf, descendant of a prehistoric West Germanic *kalbam, which also produced German kalb and Dutch kalf. Calf of the leg [14] was borrowed from Old Norse kálfi, of unknown origin.
calf (n.1)
"young cow," Old English cealf (Anglian cælf) "young cow," from Proto-Germanic *kalbam (cognates: Middle Dutch calf, Old Norse kalfr, German Kalb, Gothic kalbo), perhaps from PIE *gelb(h)-, from root *gel- "to swell," hence, "womb, fetus, young of an animal." Elliptical sense of "leather made from the skin of a calf" is from 1727. Used of icebergs that break off from glaciers from 1818.
calf (n.2)
fleshy part of the lower leg, early 14c., from Old Norse kalfi, source unknown; possibly from the same Germanic root as calf (n.1).
双语例句
1. The snow, except where it drifted, was only calf-deep.
除了吹得堆积起来的地方,雪只有小腿肚深。
来自柯林斯例句
2. I rubbed the velvety grooves inside the calf's ears.
我摩挲着小牛耳朵里面柔软的凹槽。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Hillsden was complain-ing of cramp in his calf muscles.