ostensible

英 [ɒ'stensɪb(ə)l] 美 [ɑ'stɛnsəbl]

解释

※ 提供单词"ostensible"的中文意思、发音示范及音标对照，中英文词源、例句和用法等。

ostensible 表面的，宣称的

os-,向前，朝向，-tens,伸出，延展，词源同extend,tense,content.引申词义宣称的，浮夸的，表面的。

ostensible: ostensible: [18] Ostensible means literally ‘that can be shown’. It comes via French from medieval Latin ostensibilis, a derivative of the Latin verb ostendere ‘show’ (itself a compound formed from the prefix ob- ‘in front of’ and tendere ‘stretch’, source of English extend, tend, tense etc). Its original meaning ‘showable’ survived into English (‘You should send me two letters – one confidential, another ostensible’, Jeremy Bentham, 1828), but seems to have died out by the mid-19th century.

Two metaphorical strands came with it, though. One, ‘vainly conspicuous’, goes right back to ostendere, and is still preserved in English ostentation [15], although it has disappeared as far as ostensible is concerned. The other, ‘presented as real but not so’, is today the central meaning of the adjective.
=> extend, ostentation, tend, tense
ostensible (adj.): 1762, "capable of being shown, presentable," from French ostensible, from Latin ostens-, past participle stem of ostendere "to show, expose to view; to stretch out, spread before; exhibit, display," from ob "in front of" (see ob-) + tendere "to stretch" (see tenet). Meaning "apparent, professed" is from 1771.

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3. The ostensible purpose of these meetings was to gather information on financial strategies.: 这些会议声称旨在收集有关金融策略的信息。

4. Morris Townsend though he was by no means ostensible, was the real occasion of the feast.: 尽管没有讲明,莫里斯·汤森德显然是这场宴请的真正目标.

5. He resigned secretaryship on the ostensible ground of health.: 他借口身体不好,辞去书记的职务.