difficileadj.

Brit.

/dɪfᵻˈsiːl/, U.S.

/ˌdɪfəˈsil/

Forms: late Middle English defycel, late Middle English dyficyle, late Middle English–1500s dyfficyle, late Middle English– difficile, 1500s dyffycyle, 1500s dyfycyle, 1500s–1600s defficile, 1500s–1600s deficile, 1500s–1600s difficil, 1500s–1600s difficill, 1500s–1600s difficille, 1500s–1600s dificile, 1500s–1600s dificill.

Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from French. Partly a borrowing from Latin. Etymons: French difficile; Latin difficilis.

Etymology: Originally < (i) Anglo-Norman and Middle French difficile (a1380; French difficile ) and its etymon (ii) classical Latin difficilis hard to deal with, troublesome, difficult, intractable, inflexible, in post-classical Latin also hard to understand (4th cent.) < dif- dif- prefix + facilis facile adj. In later uses in senses 1 and 3 (in representations of the speech of a native speaker of French) reborrowed < (iii) French difficile. Compare Catalan difícil (14th cent.), Spanish difícil (late 14th cent.), Portuguese dificil (15th cent.), Italian difficile (second half of the 13th cent. as †dificile ). Compare earlier difficul adj., difficult adj. N.E.D. (1895) gives the pronunciation as (difi·sil, di·fisil) /dɪˈfɪsɪl/, /ˈdɪfɪsɪl/.

Now rare.

1. Requiring great effort or skill to do or accomplish; not easy to manage or deal with; = difficult adj. 1.In later use sometimes representing the speech of a French speaker.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > difficulty > [adjective]

arvethc885

uneathOE

arvethlichc1000

evilc1175

hardc1175

deara1225

derfa1225

illc1330

wickeda1375

uneasy1398

difficul?a1450

difficile?1473

difficulta1527

unready1535

craggy1582

spiny1604

tough1619

uphill1622

shrewda1626

spinousa1638

scabrous1646

spinose1660

rugged1663

cranka1745

tight1764

thraward1818

nasty1828

upstream1847

awkward1860

pricklyc1862

bristling1871

sticky1871

rocky1873

dodgy1898

challengeful1927

solid1943

ball-busting1944

challenging1975

?1473 W. Caxton tr. R. Le Fèvre Recuyell Hist. Troye (1894) II. lf. 273^v Certes hit is not so dyfficyle and hard to vs that ben more puyssante to take vengeance on the Troians.

1477 Earl Rivers tr. Dictes or Sayengis Philosophhres (Caxton) (1877) lf. 72 It is a difficile thing to aman to be long in helth.

1533 J. Bellenden tr. Livy Hist. Rome (1822) ii. 205 The Romanis..finalie wan the difficillest and maist strate parte of the said montane.

1568 in J. Small Poems W. Dunbar (1893) II. 309 Thocht luve be grene in gud curage, And be difficill till asswage.

1621 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy ii. i. iv. ii. 302 They..make it most dangerous and difficill to be cured.

1677 T. Herbert Some Years Trav. (rev. ed.) 88 Hope oft fancies that to be facile in the attainment, which reason in the event shews difficile.

1707 J. Stevens tr. J. de Avila Evening's Intrigue i, in Spanish Libertines 176 It is difficile, Gentlemen, to approach the Politesse of my Lady Airy.

1778 F. G. Waldron Maid of Kent iv. 70 It vil be ver difficile—but I will try all my possibilité.

1878 J. H. Stirling Burns in Drama iii. ii. 22 It's no sae difficile to be a doctor.

1899 C. R. Beazley & E. Prestage tr. G. E. de Zurara Chron. Discov. Guinea II. xciv. 283 The boat lay near the beach waiting for a reply, the which was very difficile to come at.

1910 H. J. Smith Enchanted Ground viii. 86 De fish, he eez difficile—ver' difficile! He tak' a good cook.

2008 D. Marvelle Mistress of Pleasure ii. 19 That made it even more difficile for the ton to accept.

†2. Not easy to understand or solve; = difficult adj. 1c. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > unintelligibility > depth, obscurity > [adjective]

higheOE

dighela1000

deepc1000

darkOE

starkOE

dusk?c1225

subtle1340

dimc1350

subtilea1393

covert1393

mystica1398

murka1400

cloudyc1400

hard?c1400

mistyc1400

unclearc1400

diffuse1430

abstractc1450

diffused?1456

exquisitec1460

obnubilous?a1475

obscure?a1475

covered1484

intricate?a1500

nice?a1500

perplexeda1500

difficilea1513

difficult1530

privy1532

smoky1533

secret1535

abstruse?1549

difficul1552

entangled1561

confounded1572

darksome1574

obnubilate1575

enigmatical1576

confuse1577

mysteriousa1586

Delphic1598

obfuscatea1600

enfumed1601

Delphicala1603

obstruse1604

abstracted1605

confused1611

questionable1611

inevident1614

recondite1619

cryptic1620

obfuscated1620

transcendent1624

Delphian1625

oraculous1625

enigmatic1628

recluse1629

abdite1635

undilucidated1635

clouded1641

benighted1647

oblite1650

researched1653

obnubilated1658

obscurative1664

tenebrose1677

hyperbyssal1691

condite1695

diffusive1709

profound1710

tenebricose1730

oracular1749

opaque1761

unenlightening1768

darkling1795

offuscating1798

unrecognizable1817

tough1820

abstrusive1848

obscurant1878

out-of-focus1891

unplumbable1895

inenubilable1903

non-transparent1939

a1513 J. Irland Meroure of Wyssdome (1926) I. 71 Ansuerand to this questioun richt difficill, I say [etc.]

1543 G. Joye George Ioye confuteth Winchesters Articles f. iiij^v Isaye prophecyed of Christe that..he shulde not be derke and difficile or harde in his doctryne.

1597 J. Skene De Verborum Significatione (title page) The Exposition of the Termes and Difficill Wordes, conteined in the Foure Buikes of Regiam Majestatem.

1637 G. Gillespie Dispute against Eng.-Popish Ceremonies iii. viii. 196 If the matter be doubtfull and difficille.

1687 T. Kemeys Veritas Evangelica 58 To imbrace and practice Religiously the Holy Difficil and deep Religion of the Messias.

1731 E. Thomas Pylades & Corinna sig. K5 Whence Rays diverge, and how they strike, In lines direct, or Lines oblique, And many a difficile Perplexion.

3. Of a person: hard to persuade, please, or satisfy; unaccommodating, unreasonable; awkward. Cf. difficult adj. 2.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > will > decision > obstinacy or stubbornness > [adjective] > perverse

wharfedc1175

thwart-over?c1225

fromwardc1275

thwarta1325

wilgernc1325

contrariousa1340

froward1340

rebours1340

awaywarda1375

overthwartc1384

protervec1384

waywardc1384

arsewardc1386

wrawc1386

wrawfulc1386

crabbeda1400

ungraitha1400

wraweda1400

awklyc1400

perversec1425

awkc1440

perversiosec1475

crooked1508

wrayward1516

awkward1530

difficilec1533

peevish1539

protervous1547

overthwarting1552

untowardly1561

difficult1589

cross1594

cama1600

frowish1601

awkwardish1613

haggardly1635

pigheadeda1637

cross-grained1647

wry1649

crossfulc1680

thwarting1718

kim-kama1734

wronghead1737

piggish1742

witherly1790

top-thrawn1808

contrary1850

cussed1858

three-cornered1863

thwarteous1890

bloody-minded1935

c1533 King Henry VIII Let. 4 May in Camden Misc. (1992) XXXI. 45 We have found him very difficile.

1536 in J. Strype Eccl. Memorials (1822) I. App. lxxvi. 183 The Kings highnes..wold not shew himself very difficile.

1622 F. Bacon Hist. Raigne Henry VII 200 This Cardinall..finding the Pope difficile in granting thereof.

1633 J. Done tr. ‘Aristeas’ Aunc. Hist. Septuagint 146 Some race of Women are deficile and troublesome.

1855 C. Fox Let. 31 Jan. in Mem. Old Friends (1882) xxi. 301 There is no end to our scrupulosities, and we surely are considered the most difficile and bizarre body in Christendom (if we are to be found there).

1881 W. H. Mallock Romance 19th Cent. I. 248 No jealousy..made her in the least cold or difficile.

1908 R. W. Chambers Younger Set v. 183 We are not too difficile in our choice of intimates as long as they can stand the pace!

1952 K. Amis Let. 18 June (2000) 286 A girl makes a remark about the eccentricities of Poles, that they are notoriously difficile etc.

Derivatives

† difficileness n. Obsolete

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > difficulty > [noun]

arvethnessc1000

painc1330

difficultya1382

hardnessc1384

wondsome?a1400

hardheada1425

painfulnessa1530

difficult?1532

difficultness1549

awkness1587

uneasiness1594

difficileness1612

arduity1623

problem1641

difficacity1656

going1678

arduousness1731

catch-arse1970

the mind > will > decision > obstinacy or stubbornness > [noun] > perverseness

frowardnessa1300

waywardnessc1384

wrawnessc1386

frowardship14..

perversity?a1425

frowardheadc1470

overthwartnessc1475

adversity1489

perversednessa1500

thrawnness1499

untowardnessa1525

protervitya1527

repugnancy1557

thrawardness1567

contrariousness1571

crookedness1576

thwartness1577

pervertness1581

peevishness1582

awkness1587

crabbedness1598

untowardliness1598

crossness1600

difficileness1612

contrariness1642

perverseness1644

cross-grainedness1652

wrong-headedness1740

pigheadedness1801

cussedness1852

orneriness1880

bloody-mindedness1910

difficultness1934

1612 F. Bacon Ess. (new ed.) 17 A crossenesse, or frowardnesse, or aptnesse to oppose, or difficilenesse.

1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. viii. 373 Doubting of his passage, and the difficilnesse of the Countrey.

1886 R. A. King Shadowed Life III. iii. 58 In love..with her person, her pleasantness, her fortune..and last, though not least, her difficileness.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	difficile
释义	difficileadj. Brit. /dɪfᵻˈsiːl/, U.S. /ˌdɪfəˈsil/ Forms: late Middle English defycel, late Middle English dyficyle, late Middle English–1500s dyfficyle, late Middle English– difficile, 1500s dyffycyle, 1500s dyfycyle, 1500s–1600s defficile, 1500s–1600s deficile, 1500s–1600s difficil, 1500s–1600s difficill, 1500s–1600s difficille, 1500s–1600s dificile, 1500s–1600s dificill. Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from French. Partly a borrowing from Latin. Etymons: French difficile; Latin difficilis. Etymology: Originally < (i) Anglo-Norman and Middle French difficile (a1380; French difficile ) and its etymon (ii) classical Latin difficilis hard to deal with, troublesome, difficult, intractable, inflexible, in post-classical Latin also hard to understand (4th cent.) < dif- dif- prefix + facilis facile adj. In later uses in senses 1 and 3 (in representations of the speech of a native speaker of French) reborrowed < (iii) French difficile. Compare Catalan difícil (14th cent.), Spanish difícil (late 14th cent.), Portuguese dificil (15th cent.), Italian difficile (second half of the 13th cent. as †dificile ). Compare earlier difficul adj., difficult adj. N.E.D. (1895) gives the pronunciation as (difi·sil, di·fisil) /dɪˈfɪsɪl/, /ˈdɪfɪsɪl/. Now rare. 1. Requiring great effort or skill to do or accomplish; not easy to manage or deal with; = difficult adj. 1.In later use sometimes representing the speech of a French speaker. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > [adjective] arvethc885 uneathOE arvethlichc1000 evilc1175 hardc1175 deara1225 derfa1225 illc1330 wickeda1375 uneasy1398 difficul?a1450 difficile?1473 difficulta1527 unready1535 craggy1582 spiny1604 tough1619 uphill1622 shrewda1626 spinousa1638 scabrous1646 spinose1660 rugged1663 cranka1745 tight1764 thraward1818 nasty1828 upstream1847 awkward1860 pricklyc1862 bristling1871 sticky1871 rocky1873 dodgy1898 challengeful1927 solid1943 ball-busting1944 challenging1975 ?1473 W. Caxton tr. R. Le Fèvre Recuyell Hist. Troye (1894) II. lf. 273^v Certes hit is not so dyfficyle and hard to vs that ben more puyssante to take vengeance on the Troians. 1477 Earl Rivers tr. Dictes or Sayengis Philosophhres (Caxton) (1877) lf. 72 It is a difficile thing to aman to be long in helth. 1533 J. Bellenden tr. Livy Hist. Rome (1822) ii. 205 The Romanis..finalie wan the difficillest and maist strate parte of the said montane. 1568 in J. Small Poems W. Dunbar (1893) II. 309 Thocht luve be grene in gud curage, And be difficill till asswage. 1621 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy ii. i. iv. ii. 302 They..make it most dangerous and difficill to be cured. 1677 T. Herbert Some Years Trav. (rev. ed.) 88 Hope oft fancies that to be facile in the attainment, which reason in the event shews difficile. 1707 J. Stevens tr. J. de Avila Evening's Intrigue i, in Spanish Libertines 176 It is difficile, Gentlemen, to approach the Politesse of my Lady Airy. 1778 F. G. Waldron Maid of Kent iv. 70 It vil be ver difficile—but I will try all my possibilité. 1878 J. H. Stirling Burns in Drama iii. ii. 22 It's no sae difficile to be a doctor. 1899 C. R. Beazley & E. Prestage tr. G. E. de Zurara Chron. Discov. Guinea II. xciv. 283 The boat lay near the beach waiting for a reply, the which was very difficile to come at. 1910 H. J. Smith Enchanted Ground viii. 86 De fish, he eez difficile—ver' difficile! He tak' a good cook. 2008 D. Marvelle Mistress of Pleasure ii. 19 That made it even more difficile for the ton to accept. †2. Not easy to understand or solve; = difficult adj. 1c. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > unintelligibility > depth, obscurity > [adjective] higheOE dighela1000 deepc1000 darkOE starkOE dusk?c1225 subtle1340 dimc1350 subtilea1393 covert1393 mystica1398 murka1400 cloudyc1400 hard?c1400 mistyc1400 unclearc1400 diffuse1430 abstractc1450 diffused?1456 exquisitec1460 obnubilous?a1475 obscure?a1475 covered1484 intricate?a1500 nice?a1500 perplexeda1500 difficilea1513 difficult1530 privy1532 smoky1533 secret1535 abstruse?1549 difficul1552 entangled1561 confounded1572 darksome1574 obnubilate1575 enigmatical1576 confuse1577 mysteriousa1586 Delphic1598 obfuscatea1600 enfumed1601 Delphicala1603 obstruse1604 abstracted1605 confused1611 questionable1611 inevident1614 recondite1619 cryptic1620 obfuscated1620 transcendent1624 Delphian1625 oraculous1625 enigmatic1628 recluse1629 abdite1635 undilucidated1635 clouded1641 benighted1647 oblite1650 researched1653 obnubilated1658 obscurative1664 tenebrose1677 hyperbyssal1691 condite1695 diffusive1709 profound1710 tenebricose1730 oracular1749 opaque1761 unenlightening1768 darkling1795 offuscating1798 unrecognizable1817 tough1820 abstrusive1848 obscurant1878 out-of-focus1891 unplumbable1895 inenubilable1903 non-transparent1939 a1513 J. Irland Meroure of Wyssdome (1926) I. 71 Ansuerand to this questioun richt difficill, I say [etc.] 1543 G. Joye George Ioye confuteth Winchesters Articles f. iiij^v Isaye prophecyed of Christe that..he shulde not be derke and difficile or harde in his doctryne. 1597 J. Skene De Verborum Significatione (title page) The Exposition of the Termes and Difficill Wordes, conteined in the Foure Buikes of Regiam Majestatem. 1637 G. Gillespie Dispute against Eng.-Popish Ceremonies iii. viii. 196 If the matter be doubtfull and difficille. 1687 T. Kemeys Veritas Evangelica 58 To imbrace and practice Religiously the Holy Difficil and deep Religion of the Messias. 1731 E. Thomas Pylades & Corinna sig. K5 Whence Rays diverge, and how they strike, In lines direct, or Lines oblique, And many a difficile Perplexion. 3. Of a person: hard to persuade, please, or satisfy; unaccommodating, unreasonable; awkward. Cf. difficult adj. 2. ΘΚΠ the mind > will > decision > obstinacy or stubbornness > [adjective] > perverse wharfedc1175 thwart-over?c1225 fromwardc1275 thwarta1325 wilgernc1325 contrariousa1340 froward1340 rebours1340 awaywarda1375 overthwartc1384 protervec1384 waywardc1384 arsewardc1386 wrawc1386 wrawfulc1386 crabbeda1400 ungraitha1400 wraweda1400 awklyc1400 perversec1425 awkc1440 perversiosec1475 crooked1508 wrayward1516 awkward1530 difficilec1533 peevish1539 protervous1547 overthwarting1552 untowardly1561 difficult1589 cross1594 cama1600 frowish1601 awkwardish1613 haggardly1635 pigheadeda1637 cross-grained1647 wry1649 crossfulc1680 thwarting1718 kim-kama1734 wronghead1737 piggish1742 witherly1790 top-thrawn1808 contrary1850 cussed1858 three-cornered1863 thwarteous1890 bloody-minded1935 c1533 King Henry VIII Let. 4 May in Camden Misc. (1992) XXXI. 45 We have found him very difficile. 1536 in J. Strype Eccl. Memorials (1822) I. App. lxxvi. 183 The Kings highnes..wold not shew himself very difficile. 1622 F. Bacon Hist. Raigne Henry VII 200 This Cardinall..finding the Pope difficile in granting thereof. 1633 J. Done tr. ‘Aristeas’ Aunc. Hist. Septuagint 146 Some race of Women are deficile and troublesome. 1855 C. Fox Let. 31 Jan. in Mem. Old Friends (1882) xxi. 301 There is no end to our scrupulosities, and we surely are considered the most difficile and bizarre body in Christendom (if we are to be found there). 1881 W. H. Mallock Romance 19th Cent. I. 248 No jealousy..made her in the least cold or difficile. 1908 R. W. Chambers Younger Set v. 183 We are not too difficile in our choice of intimates as long as they can stand the pace! 1952 K. Amis Let. 18 June (2000) 286 A girl makes a remark about the eccentricities of Poles, that they are notoriously difficile etc. Derivatives † difficileness n. Obsolete ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > [noun] arvethnessc1000 painc1330 difficultya1382 hardnessc1384 wondsome?a1400 hardheada1425 painfulnessa1530 difficult?1532 difficultness1549 awkness1587 uneasiness1594 difficileness1612 arduity1623 problem1641 difficacity1656 going1678 arduousness1731 catch-arse1970 the mind > will > decision > obstinacy or stubbornness > [noun] > perverseness frowardnessa1300 waywardnessc1384 wrawnessc1386 frowardship14.. perversity?a1425 frowardheadc1470 overthwartnessc1475 adversity1489 perversednessa1500 thrawnness1499 untowardnessa1525 protervitya1527 repugnancy1557 thrawardness1567 contrariousness1571 crookedness1576 thwartness1577 pervertness1581 peevishness1582 awkness1587 crabbedness1598 untowardliness1598 crossness1600 difficileness1612 contrariness1642 perverseness1644 cross-grainedness1652 wrong-headedness1740 pigheadedness1801 cussedness1852 orneriness1880 bloody-mindedness1910 difficultness1934 1612 F. Bacon Ess. (new ed.) 17 A crossenesse, or frowardnesse, or aptnesse to oppose, or difficilenesse. 1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. viii. 373 Doubting of his passage, and the difficilnesse of the Countrey. 1886 R. A. King Shadowed Life III. iii. 58 In love..with her person, her pleasantness, her fortune..and last, though not least, her difficileness. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < adj.?1473
随便看	ziggetyzaggety zigging ziggurat ziggurats zigs zigzag zigzag clover zigzag connection zigzag fashion zigzag it zigzag machine zigzag one's way zigzag trefoil zigzag-shaped zigzag-wise zigzagest zigzagged zigzaggedly zigzaggedness zigzagger zigzaggeries zigzaggery zigzaggest zigzagging zigzaggy