preface

英 ['pref?s] 美['pr?f?s]

CET4TEM4IELTSGRE考研CET6低頻詞常用詞匯

復數:?prefaces;

preface 前言，序言，作序

來自古法語preface,前奏，來自拉丁語praefitio,介紹，序言，來自praefari,在前面說的話，來自prae,在前面，fari,說話，來自PIE*bha,說話，詞源同fable,fame,fate.

preface: preface: [14] Preface is a misleading sort of word. It has no connection with face. It comes ultimately from Latin praefātiō, a derivative of praefārī ‘say beforehand’. This was a compound verb formed from the prefix prae- ‘before’ and fārī ‘speak’ (source of English fable, fate, etc). So etymologically, preface is virtually the equivalent of the native formation foreword.
=> fable, fame, fate
preface (n.): late 14c., from Old French preface "opening part of sung devotions" (14c.) and directly from Medieval Latin prefatia, from Latin praefationem (nominative praefatio) "fore-speaking, introduction," in Medieval Latin "prologue," noun of action from past participle stem of praefari "to say beforehand," from prae "before" (see pre-) + fari "speak" (see fame (n.)).
preface (v.): 1610s, from preface (n.). Related: Prefaced; prefacing.

2. Several pages of closely reasoned argument preface her account of the war.: 她那部關于戰爭的著述之前有幾頁論證嚴謹的序言.

4. The preface of the book includes an account of the author's life.: 該書前言記述了作者生平.

5. The subject has been referred to cursorily in the preface.: 這個問題在序言中已粗略地提到了.