| 释义 |
carp
I. \ˈkärp, ˈkȧp\ verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
Etymology: Middle English carpen, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Icelandic karpa to dispute, wrangle, Old Norse karp arrogance, boasting; akin to Old Frisian kerp dispute, Old Norse korpr raven
intransitive verb
: to find fault ill-naturedly, complain querulously, or cavil sharply
< perhaps it would be wise not to carp or criticize — W.S.Gilbert >
— often used with at
< ancient critics were never at a loss for something to carp at — E.S.McCartney >
transitive verb
: to complain especially in a censorious or peevish manner
< lest anyone carp that such conditions are too ancient to mean anything — Eugene Burr >
II. noun
(plural carp or carps)
Etymology: Middle English carpe, from Middle French, from Late Latin carpa, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch carpe carp, Middle Low German karpe, Old High German karpfo, Old Norse karfi
1.
a. : a soft-finned freshwater fish (Cyprinus carpio) that inhabits ponds and sluggish streams feeding chiefly on vegetable matter, attaining a large size, and sometimes living to a great age and that is indigenous to Asia but was early introduced into Europe where it is extensively reared in artificial ponds and esteemed as food and later into America where it has escaped into natural waters and in many areas has become a pest destroying the growth of water plants and crowding out more valued fishes — see leather carp, mirror carp
b. : any of a number of other fishes of the family Cyprinidae — see crucian carp
2. : any of several somewhat carplike fishes that do not belong to the family Cyprinidae (as the carpsucker and the European sea bream)
III. abbreviation
carpenter
IV. \ˈkärp, ˈkȧp\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: carp (I)
: complaint |