| 释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024por•poise /ˈpɔrpəs/USA pronunciation n., pl. (esp. when thought of as a group) -poise, (esp. for kinds or species) -pois•es, v., -poised, -pois•ing. n. [countable] - Mammalsa marine mammal having a blunt, rounded snout and resembling a dolphin.
v. [no object] - Nautical, Naval Terms(of a speeding motorboat) to leap clear of the water after striking a wave.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024por•poise (pôr′pəs),USA pronunciation n., pl. (esp. collectively) -poise, (esp. referring to two or more kinds or species) -pois•es, v., -poised, -pois•ing. n. - Mammalsany of several small, gregarious cetaceans of the genus Phocoena, usually blackish above and paler beneath, and having a blunt, rounded snout, esp. the common porpoise, P. phocoena, of both the North Atlantic and Pacific.
- Mammalsany of several other small cetaceans, as the common dolphin, Delphinus delphis.
v.i. - Nautical, Naval Terms(of a speeding motorboat) to leap clear of the water after striking a wave.
- (of a torpedo) to appear above the surface of the water.
- to move forward with a rising and falling motion in the manner of a porpoise:The car has a tendency to porpoise when overloaded.
- Vulgar Latin *porcopiscis hog fish, for Latin porcus marīnus sea hog
- Middle French porpois
- Middle English porpoys 1275–1325
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: porpoise /ˈpɔːpəs/ n ( pl -poises, -poise)- any of various small cetacean mammals of the genus Phocaena and related genera, having a blunt snout and many teeth: family Delphinidae (or Phocaenidae)
- (not in technical use) any of various related cetaceans, esp the dolphin
Etymology: 14th Century: from French pourpois, from Medieval Latin porcopiscus (from Latin porcus pig + piscis fish), replacing Latin porcus marīnus sea pig |