词汇 | peacock |
词源 | peacock. Although the word is now used for both male and female of the species, the peacock is strictly speaking the male of the peafowl, distinguished by the long, green iridescent tail that it spreads out like a fan. The name derives ultimately from the Latin pavo for the peafowl, plus the Old English coc, cock. The male peacock’s beauty and bearing led to its name becom- ing a synonym for a vain, self-conscious person and to the ex- pression proud as a peacock. Britain’s George III, during one of his attacks of insanity, insisted on ending every sentence in all of his speeches with the word peacock. His ministers cured him of this by telling him that peacock was a beautiful word but a royal one that a king should whisper when speaking before his subjects so they couldn’t hear it. As a result the speeches of George III were less absurd. |
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