cherchez la femmephr.n.

Brit.

/ˌʃɛːʃeɪ la ˈfam/,

/ˌʃɛːʃeɪ lə ˈfam/, U.S.

/ˌʃɛrˌʃeɪ lə ˈfɛm/,

/ˌʃɛrˌʃeɪ lɑ ˈfɛm/,

/ˌʃɛrˌʃeɪ lə ˈfɑm/,

/ˌʃɛrˌʃeɪ lɑ ˈfɑm/

Forms: 1800s– chercher la femme, 1800s– cherchez la femme.

Origin: A borrowing from French. Etymon: French cherchez la femme.

Etymology: < French cherchez la femme (1854), literally ‘seek out the woman’ < cherchez , 2nd person plural imperative of chercher search v. + la the + femme woman (see femme n.).Alexandre Dumas père used the phrase in his novel Les mohicans de Paris, published in serial form from 1854 to 1859, and subsequently adapted by him as a play (first performed in 1864). In the novel and play the phrase is the motto of police inspector Jackal, a character modelled on Eugène-François Vidocq (1775–1857), the renowned French detective and founder of the Sûreté; quot. 1863 at sense A. attributes the phrase to Vidocq, but on a purely anecdotal basis. In form chercher la femme with substitution of the French infinitive chercher for the first element.

A. phr.

‘Look for the woman’: originally used to suggest that the key to solving a crime will be a woman, and that she need only be found for matters to become clear; later also used more generally to suggest the importance of romantic and sexual motivations in shaping people's actions or behaviour.Also in constructions with cherchez reinterpreted as an infinitive, as in ‘I would cherchez la femme’, ‘he set out to cherchez la femme’, etc.

ΚΠ

1863 Freeman's Jrnl. (Sydney) 15 July 4/3 The celebrated Vidocq, the prince of detectives, was accustomed to say, when any crime had been committed, cherchez la femme.

1898 G. B. Shaw Philanderer i. 95 Theres a quarrel—a scandal—cherchez la femme—always a woman at the bottom of it.

1928 E. D. Biggers Behind that Curtain v. 78 Someone connected with one of those cases is certainly here—someone who pulled that trigger last night. For myself, I would cherchez la femme.

1967 ‘E. Peters’ Black is Colour v. 100 ‘There's always the classic way,’ said Duckett disgustedly. ‘Cherchez la femme!’

2019 Indian Express (Nexis) 2 June He [sc. Charles Darwin] did hit upon the solution: Cherchez la femme! He formulated the theory of sexual selection.

B. n.

The action or practice of seeking a woman, originally as a means of solving a crime (see sense A.). Used esp. with the implication of romantic or sexual interest.

ΚΠ

1870 Daily Leader (Bloomington, Illinois) 8 July Cherchez la femme was evidently Mr. Marcy's mode of solving the mystery.

1892 E. Favenc in Bulletin (Sydney) 17 Dec. 19 The trouble was first caused by the Malingers, and, needless to say, it was a case of cherchez la femme.

1924 C. Mackenzie Heavenly Ladder (1960) xxiv. 266 Cherchez la femme was a safe explanation in the great majority of apostasies.

2000 J. Harris Blackberry Wine (2001) xxxvii. 188 ‘Been doing a bit of cherchez la femme, have you?’ He sounded amused. ‘Checking out the talent?’

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2020; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	cherchez la femme
释义	cherchez la femmephr.n. Brit. /ˌʃɛːʃeɪ la ˈfam/, /ˌʃɛːʃeɪ lə ˈfam/, U.S. /ˌʃɛrˌʃeɪ lə ˈfɛm/, /ˌʃɛrˌʃeɪ lɑ ˈfɛm/, /ˌʃɛrˌʃeɪ lə ˈfɑm/, /ˌʃɛrˌʃeɪ lɑ ˈfɑm/ Forms: 1800s– chercher la femme, 1800s– cherchez la femme. Origin: A borrowing from French. Etymon: French cherchez la femme. Etymology: < French cherchez la femme (1854), literally ‘seek out the woman’ < cherchez , 2nd person plural imperative of chercher search v. + la the + femme woman (see femme n.).Alexandre Dumas père used the phrase in his novel Les mohicans de Paris, published in serial form from 1854 to 1859, and subsequently adapted by him as a play (first performed in 1864). In the novel and play the phrase is the motto of police inspector Jackal, a character modelled on Eugène-François Vidocq (1775–1857), the renowned French detective and founder of the Sûreté; quot. 1863 at sense A. attributes the phrase to Vidocq, but on a purely anecdotal basis. In form chercher la femme with substitution of the French infinitive chercher for the first element. A. phr. ‘Look for the woman’: originally used to suggest that the key to solving a crime will be a woman, and that she need only be found for matters to become clear; later also used more generally to suggest the importance of romantic and sexual motivations in shaping people's actions or behaviour.Also in constructions with cherchez reinterpreted as an infinitive, as in ‘I would cherchez la femme’, ‘he set out to cherchez la femme’, etc. ΚΠ 1863 Freeman's Jrnl. (Sydney) 15 July 4/3 The celebrated Vidocq, the prince of detectives, was accustomed to say, when any crime had been committed, cherchez la femme. 1898 G. B. Shaw Philanderer i. 95 Theres a quarrel—a scandal—cherchez la femme—always a woman at the bottom of it. 1928 E. D. Biggers Behind that Curtain v. 78 Someone connected with one of those cases is certainly here—someone who pulled that trigger last night. For myself, I would cherchez la femme. 1967 ‘E. Peters’ Black is Colour v. 100 ‘There's always the classic way,’ said Duckett disgustedly. ‘Cherchez la femme!’ 2019 Indian Express (Nexis) 2 June He [sc. Charles Darwin] did hit upon the solution: Cherchez la femme! He formulated the theory of sexual selection. B. n. The action or practice of seeking a woman, originally as a means of solving a crime (see sense A.). Used esp. with the implication of romantic or sexual interest. ΚΠ 1870 Daily Leader (Bloomington, Illinois) 8 July Cherchez la femme was evidently Mr. Marcy's mode of solving the mystery. 1892 E. Favenc in Bulletin (Sydney) 17 Dec. 19 The trouble was first caused by the Malingers, and, needless to say, it was a case of cherchez la femme. 1924 C. Mackenzie Heavenly Ladder (1960) xxiv. 266 Cherchez la femme was a safe explanation in the great majority of apostasies. 2000 J. Harris Blackberry Wine (2001) xxxvii. 188 ‘Been doing a bit of cherchez la femme, have you?’ He sounded amused. ‘Checking out the talent?’ This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2020; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < phr.n.1863
随便看	θ125243 θ125244 θ125245 θ125246 θ125247 θ125248 θ125249 θ12525 θ125250 θ125251 θ125252 θ125253 θ125254 θ125255 θ125256 θ125257 θ125258 θ125259 θ12526 θ125260 θ125261 θ125262 θ125263 θ125264 θ125265