gossip: [OE] The Anglo-Saxons’ term for a ‘godparent’ was godsibb, a compound formed from god ‘god’ (just as in modern English godmother, godfather, etc) and sib ‘relative’ (a word of unknown origin from which modern English gets sibling). It denotes one’s ‘relative in God’, one’s ‘spiritual relative’. By Middle English times, however, it had come down in the world somewhat, to mean simply ‘close friend’, and by the 16th century it was being used for ‘one who indulges in idle talk’. The modern sense ‘idle talk’ developed from the verb in the 19th century. => god, sibling
gossip (n.)
Old English godsibb "sponsor, godparent," from God + sibb "relative" (see sibling). Extended in Middle English to "a familiar acquaintance, a friend, neighbor" (c. 1300), especially to woman friends invited to attend a birth, later to "anyone engaging in familiar or idle talk" (1560s). Sense extended 1811 to "trifling talk, groundless rumor." Similar formations in Old Norse guesifja, Old Saxon gutziff.
gossip (v.)
"to talk idly about the affairs of others," 1620s, from gossip (n.). Related: Gossiped; gossiping.
雙語例句
1. It provided some juicy gossip for a few days.
這制造了一些非常八卦的流言蜚語，足夠說上幾天的。
來自柯林斯例句
2. We read the gossip written about them with prurient interest.
我們翻看他們的八卦時帶著不潔的想法。
來自柯林斯例句
3. The jet-setting couple made frequent appearances in the gossip columns.
這對穿梭于各國的富豪夫婦經常出現在八卦專欄。
來自柯林斯例句
4. There has been much gossip about the possible reasons for his absence.
關于他缺席的原因有很多傳言。
來自柯林斯例句
5. Customers pay to log on and gossip with other users.