| 释义 |
dwarf
I. \ˈdwȯ(ə)r]f, -ȯ(ə)]\ noun
(plural dwarfs \]fs\ ; or dwarves \]vz\)
Etymology: Middle English dwerg, dwerf, from Old English dweorg, dweorh; akin to Old Frisian dwerch dwarf, Old High German twerg, Old Norse dvergr, and perhaps to Sanskrit dhvaras demon, dhvarati he bends, injures — more at fraud
1.
a. : an abnormally small person; especially : one of markedly atypical proportions
b. : a person of small or negligible powers or endowments
< a literary dwarf … writing in something that resembles, however inadequately, your style — Osbert Sitwell >
2. : an animal or plant much below the normal size of its species or kind: as
a. : a small fruit tree reaching a height at maturity of as little as four or five feet and bearing early but normal fruit
b. : a plant of abnormally small size developed by root pruning, starving, pruning of leaders, or other measures that restrict growth
3. : a legendary manlike being of small stature usually misshapen and ugly and skilled as an artificer
4. also dwarf star : a star (as the sun) of ordinary or low luminosity and relatively small mass and size
II. verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
transitive verb
1.
a. : to make dwarf in size : stunt in growth
< malnutrition had dwarfed these children >
< an arid climate dwarfing oaks into mere shrubs >
specifically : to make (a plant) dwarf by grafting a scion of standard size to a dwarf stock
b. : to cause the intellectual or moral development of (a person) to be hindered or stunted
< incessant repetition of the same handwork dwarfs the man — R.W.Emerson >
2. : to cause to appear smaller or inferior in any way in relation to some other individual or thing
< dwarfed the chair in which he sat >
< dwarf the achievements of his predecessors >
intransitive verb
: to become dwarf
III. adjective
(-er/-est)
1. of a plant or animal : extremely small as contrasted with related species or varieties
2. : resembling a dwarf : characterized by smallness or insignificance of size, proportion, scope, strength, or power : diminutive
< the farmer on a dwarf holding … must supplement his income by working off his own land — J.M.Mogey >
< what is man but a species … dominant over other species on a dwarf planet — W.R.Inge >
IV. noun
also dwarf disease
(-s)
: any of various diseases of plants characterized by shortened internodes and generally reduced size of the plants
< rice dwarf is a virus disease known chiefly from Japan > |