• adj. 謙遜的；簡陋的；（級別或地位）低下的；不大的
• vt. 使謙恭；輕松打敗（尤指強(qiáng)大的對手）；低聲下氣

來自古法語humble,卑微的，來自拉丁語humilis,塵土一樣的，來自humus,土，塵土，詞源同humus.引申詞義卑微的，謙遜的。習(xí)語to eat humble pie,賠禮，道歉，來自umbles,動物內(nèi)臟，詞源同loin,lumbar.動物內(nèi)臟在過去屬于下等食品，是給仆人或奴仆等下等人吃的，因而引申該詞義，同時，由于umbles對大多數(shù)人來說都屬于陌生詞，詞義又恰好與humble吻合，因此，拼寫最終被humble所代替。插入字母b,比較number,numerate.

humble

humble: [13] Etymologically, humble means ‘close to the ground’. It comes via Old French umble from Latin humilis ‘low, lowly’. This was a derivative of humus ‘earth’, which is related to English chameleon and human and was itself acquired by English in the 18th century. In postclassical times the verb humiliāre was formed from humilis, and English gets humiliate [16] from it.
=> chameleon, human, humiliate, humus

humble (adj.)

mid-13c., from Old French humble, earlier humele, from Latin humilis "lowly, humble," literally "on the ground," from humus "earth." Senses of "not self-asserting" and "of low birth or rank" were both in Middle English Related: Humbly; humbleness.

Don't be so humble; you're not that great. [Golda Meir]

To eat humble pie (1830) is from umble pie (1640s), pie made from umbles "edible inner parts of an animal" (especially deer), considered a low-class food. The similar sense of similar-sounding words (the "h" of humble was not pronounced then) converged in the pun. Umbles, meanwhile, is Middle English numbles "offal" (with loss of n- through assimilation into preceding article).

humble (v.)

late 14c. in the intransitive sense of "to render oneself humble;" late 15c. in the transitive sense of "to lower (someone) in dignity;" see humble (adj.). Related: Humbled; humbling.

1. Now experts are extolling the virtues of the humble potato.

現(xiàn)在專家們都在贊美其貌不揚的馬鈴薯的種種好處。

來自柯林斯例句

2. There are restaurants, both humble and expensive, that specialize in them.

專門做這些菜的餐館既有毫不起眼的也有價格昂貴的。

來自柯林斯例句

3. Spyros Latsis started his career as a humble fisherman in the Aegean.

斯皮羅斯·拉齊斯的第一份職業(yè)是愛琴海上一名地位卑賤的漁夫。

來自柯林斯例句

4. He is still the butt of cruel jokes about his humble origins.

他仍然因出身低微而被人無情嘲笑。

來自柯林斯例句

5. Anson was forced to eat humble pie and publicly apologise to her.

安森被迫認(rèn)錯并公開向她道歉。

來自柯林斯例句