| 例句 |
fey adjective •his work has been dismissed as fey, frivolous, and insubstantial. See whimsical (sense 1). USAGE fey, fay Fey derives from the Old English fæge (“doomed to die”) and carries the related sense “in an unusually excited state (like one about to die).” By an extension, the word came to mean “whimsical, otherworldly, eccentric,” perhaps from confusion with fay (= a fairy or elf). This shift in meaning was noticed as early as 1950. Today the word's original meaning is all but forgotten—e.g.: “An upsurge of book sales in cyberspace could have dramatic effects on the fortunes of the already fey and contradictory world of book publishing.” ( Washington Post, Aug. 4, 1997.).Usage notes show additional guidance on finer points of English usage. |