- 1不懈的、不減的(形容熱情、支持、努力一直維持在最強,從不變弱);常見說法:不遺餘力的支持、始終不渝的熱情。注意這裡的 flag 跟「旗子」沒有關係,是動詞「變弱、鬆懈」的意思。
Unflagging describes effort, energy, interest, or support that keeps going at full strength and never gets tired or weaker. The key is the word 'never' — it is not about being strong once, it is about being strong for a long time, hour after hour, year after year. So it almost always goes with words about long stretches of effort: unflagging support, unflagging energy, unflagging enthusiasm, unflagging determination, unflagging devotion.
Unflagging describesUnflagging形容的是 effort, energy, interest, or support努力、精力、興趣或支持, that keeps going at full strength一直保持在最強的狀態, and never gets tired or weaker從來不會變累或變弱。 The key is the word 'never'關鍵就在「never」這個字—— it is not about being strong once重點不是有一次很強, it is about being strong for a long time而是長時間都很強, hour after hour, year after year一小時接一小時、一年接一年。 So it almost always goes with words所以它幾乎都跟這些字搭配: about long stretches of effort描述長時間的努力, unflagging supportunflagging support(不間斷的支持)、 unflagging energyunflagging energy(不衰的精力)、 unflagging enthusiasmunflagging enthusiasm(不減的熱情)、 unflagging determinationunflagging determination(不變的決心)、 unflagging devotionunflagging devotion(始終如一的奉獻)。
Think of a nurse who works a twelve-hour night and is still gentle with the last patient, or a mother who has helped her son with homework every evening for six years. It is a warm word. When you call someone's effort unflagging, you are praising them, and you sound a little formal and a little moved.
Think of a nurse想像一個護理師, who works a twelve-hour night上了十二小時的夜班, and is still gentle with the last patient對最後一個病人還是很溫柔, or a mother或是一位媽媽, who has helped her son with homework幫兒子看功課, every evening for six years六年來每天晚上都是。 It is a warm word這是個溫暖的字。 When you call someone's effort unflagging當你說某人的努力是unflagging, you are praising them你是在稱讚他們, and you sound a little formal而且聽起來有點正式, and a little moved也有點感動。
You meet it in speeches, in thank-you letters, in newspaper writing, in the first page of a book where the writer thanks their family. In everyday talk people usually just say 'she never gives up' or 'he's always full of energy'.
You meet it你會在 in speeches演講裡、 in thank-you letters感謝信裡、 in newspaper writing報紙文章裡, in the first page of a book還有書的第一頁 where the writer thanks their family作者感謝家人的地方遇到它。 In everyday talk在日常對話裡, people usually just say大家通常只會說 'she never gives up'「she never gives up」 or 'he's always full of energy'或「he's always full of energy」。
One thing to notice: it describes the effort, not usually the person. We say 'his unflagging support', and 'an unflagging worker' is possible but much rarer.
One thing to notice有件事值得注意: it describes the effort它形容的是努力本身, not usually the person通常不是那個人。 We say 'his unflagging support'我們會說「his unflagging support」, and 'an unflagging worker'而「an unflagging worker」 is possible but much rarer雖然可以,但少見很多。
Also, it is one of those un- words where the positive form is nearly dead — English keeps 'unflagging' but almost never uses '' as a compliment, because '' by itself means getting weak ( sales, interest, my energy was by three o'clock). So the pair is a bit lopsided: '' is common enough, 'unflagging' is common enough, but they live in different kinds of sentences.
Also另外, it is one of those un- words它是那種un-開頭的字之一, where the positive form is nearly dead正面形式幾乎已經不用了—— English keeps 'unflagging'英文留下了「unflagging」, but almost never uses 'flagging' as a compliment但幾乎不會把「flagging」當成稱讚, because 'flagging' by itself means getting weak因為「flagging」單獨用就是變弱的意思 (flagging sales, flagging interest, my energy was flagging by three o'clock)(flagging sales銷售下滑、flagging interest興趣減退、my energy was flagging by three o'clock三點時我就沒精神了)。 So the pair is a bit lopsided所以這一對字有點不對稱: 'flagging' is common enough「flagging」夠常見, 'unflagging' is common enough「unflagging」也夠常見, but they live in different kinds of sentences但它們活在不同類型的句子裡。
core核心畫面
組成un- ('not') + flagging. The verb 'flag' here does not mean the cloth flag on a pole — it is a separate old verb meaning to droop, to lose strength, to hang down tired. Its origin is uncertain; scholars have not settled it, though it may be related to old Germanic words for hanging loosely. So 'unflagging' is literally 'not drooping'.
原始詞典資料1 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法,摘錄並精簡格式,我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的;有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
unflaggingadj
- 1
Never tiring or lacking energy; without rest; without slowing.
- His unflagging efforts have not gone unnoticed.
- He went on kissing her with unflagging industry, while she remained limply in his arms, in a species of satisfied trance.
摘錄自 英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary,已精簡格式;依 CC BY-SA 4.0 授權使用,改動後的內容同樣以此授權提供。