| 释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024ex•ple•tive /ˈɛksplɪtɪv/USA pronunciation n. [countable]- a word or expression, frequently profane, said suddenly to express anger, impatience, surprise, etc.:He muttered an expletive when he stubbed his toe.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024ex•ple•tive (ek′spli tiv),USA pronunciation n. - an interjectory word or expression, frequently profane; an exclamatory oath.
- Grammara syllable, word, or phrase serving to fill out.
- Grammara word considered as regularly filling the syntactic position of another, as it in It is his duty to go, or there in There is nothing here.
adj. Also, ex•ple•to•ry (ek′spli tôr′ē, -tōr′ē).USA pronunciation added merely to fill out a sentence or line, give emphasis, etc.:Expletive remarks padded the speech.- Late Latin explētīvus serving to fill out, equivalent. to Latin explēt(us) filled, filled up (past participle of explēre; see explement) + -īvus -ive
- 1600–10
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: expletive /ɪkˈspliːtɪv/ n - an exclamation or swearword; an oath or a sound expressing an emotional reaction rather than any particular meaning
- any syllable, word, or phrase conveying no independent meaning, esp one inserted in a line of verse for the sake of the metre
adj
Also: expletory /ɪkˈspliːtərɪ/ - expressing no particular meaning, esp when filling out a line of verse
Etymology: 17th Century: from Late Latin explētīvus for filling out, from explēre, from plēre to fill |