小词详解 | toady

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小词详解 | toady
toady 英 [ˈtəʊdi] 美 [ˈtoʊdi]

SAT GRE

外刊例句

  • Many Americans and other friends of Britain will be appalled by its decision and fear that the country is being naive and toadying up to China.
    许多美国人和英国的其他盟友会为这个决定感到震惊,担心英国太过天真,是在讨好中国。
    ——《经济学人》
  • Some saw her as a toady who was given access because of her reputation for going easy on interviewees.
    有些人认为她是一个马屁精,因为她对受访者随和的名声而被允许接触。
    ——《纽约时报》

基本释义

[noun] a person who behaves obsequiously to someone important
[名词] 对重要人物表现谄媚的人

深入解读

Toady 是一个与熟词 today 十分形似且容易看混的单词。同时,这也是一个由常见动物蟾蜍(toad)发展而来的单词。

众所周知,蟾蜍作为“五毒”之一,其表面长满的皮脂腺疙瘩会分泌白色毒液。而在17世纪的欧洲,一些江湖骗子会让自己的下人吃下或者假装吃下一只蟾蜍,然后通过某种操作排出“毒物”来“拯救”受所谓蟾蜍毒性折磨的下人,从而展现自己的高超医术以便行骗。

为了讨好主人而敢于吃下蟾蜍的人,还有什么马屁是不敢拍的呢?因此从这个概念出发,人们就开始用 toad-eater (吃蟾蜍者)来称呼“谄媚者、马屁精”。

后来 toad-eater 缩写为现在的 toady ,主要作贬义词指对重要或权势人物表现谄媚的人,尤其是为了得到贵人的青睐、帮助或好处而趋炎附势向上爬的人,带有强烈的卑躬屈膝和势利意味。

用作动词时, toady 相应也是作贬义词表示“拍马、奉承、谄媚”,比如:

  • 这些女孩们都各有各的特点。她们随后来到后台,对他娇语谄媚。
    These girls had their own discrete traits. They came backstage afterward, cooing and toadying to him.

名著用例

He was too proud to toady, too keen not to strictly observe the plane he occupied when there were those present who did not appreciate him, but, in situations like the present, where he could shine as a gentleman and be received without equivocation as a friend and equal among men of known ability, he was most delighted.
如果在场的人中有不赏识他的,他很清高,不会去拍这些人的马屁,但他又很热心,依旧严格地履行着自己的职责。但是在像眼前这样的情况下,他就特别高兴。因为在这里他能像个绅士一样光彩照人,人们毫不含糊地把他视作名流的朋友同等看待。

出自美国现实主义作家西奥多·德莱赛(Theodore Dreiser)创作的长篇小说《嘉莉妹妹》(Sister Carrie)。

同近义词

  • sycophant: a person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage
  • creep: a person who behaves in an obsequious way in the hope of advancement
  • flatterer: a person who lavishes praise, often insincerely; a sycophant