byword
/ˈbaɪwɜːd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈbaɪwɜːrd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbī-ˌwərd/ (ame, mw)
byword — 名詞
- bywordsingular
- bywordsplural
1. a person, place, or thing that people instantly associate with one striking qual
代名詞
常被拿來代表某種特質
a person, place, or thing that people instantly associate with one striking quality, often an unpleasant one
After the scandal, the company became a byword for corporate greed.
那場醜聞後，這家公司成了企業貪婪的代名詞。
pattern: become a byword for + quality
For years, the bridge project was a byword for delays in the city.
多年來，這座橋梁工程一直是這座城市延誤問題的代名詞。
Among local fans, Hugo is a byword for calm leadership.
在本地球迷眼中，Hugo 是沉著領導力的代名詞。
The old hotel had become a byword for poor service and broken lifts.
那家老旅館早已成了服務差與電梯常壞的代名詞。
In our office, that cracked printer is a byword for daily frustration.
在我們辦公室裡，那台裂開的印表機就是每日挫折感的代名詞。
- epitome
suggests a perfect example, often with a more literary tone
- embodiment
emphasizes that the quality seems to take visible form in a person or thing
- symbol
broader and less tied to repeated public talk about the quality
文法句型
be a byword for + quality
用法筆記
Most often used in the pattern "a byword for + noun." It commonly points to a bad reputation, though a positive quality is also possible.
2. a traditional short saying that people pass on as shared wisdom
諺語
流傳已久的短句
a traditional short saying that people pass on as shared wisdom
The old farmer taught the children a byword about planting after rain.
那位老農夫教孩子們一句關於雨後播種的諺語。
teaching context: teach someone a byword
At lunch, Anjali repeated a byword her grandmother still says at home.
吃午飯時，Anjali 重複了一句她祖母在家裡常說的諺語。
The novel opens with a byword warning young traders against easy money.
那本小說以一句警告年輕商人別輕信快錢的諺語開場。
Our guide shared a mountain byword about patience before the steep climb.
在陡坡前，我們的嚮導分享了一句山裡關於耐心的諺語。
Hugo copied a village byword into his notebook after the festival.
Hugo 在節慶後把一句村裡的諺語抄進了筆記本。
文法句型
repeat a byword
a byword about + topic
用法筆記
This sense is mostly found in older writing or when discussing traditional language. In ordinary modern English, people usually say "proverb" or "saying" instead.
3. a word or expression that people repeat so often that it becomes strongly tied t
流行語
常被反覆提起的詞語
a word or expression that people repeat so often that it becomes strongly tied to a time, group, or public debate
After the flood season, 'resilience' became the year's byword in local news.
洪水季過後，resilience 成了本地新聞裡這一年的流行語。
quoted word as the byword of a period
During the campaign, 'change' was the byword on every bright poster.
競選期間，change 是每張亮眼海報上的流行語。
At the conference, 'AI safety' was the byword in panel after panel.
在那場會議上，AI safety 是一場又一場座談中的流行語。
For one summer, 'quiet quitting' was a byword across office chat rooms.
有整整一個夏天，quiet quitting 都是辦公室聊天室裡的流行語。
Among students, 'gap year' became the campus byword after exam week.
在學生之間，gap year 在考試週後成了校園裡的流行語。
- buzzword
often suggests a fashionable term used heavily for effect
- catchphrase
usually refers to a memorable repeated line rather than a general public term
- watchword
often points to a guiding slogan or principle rather than simple popularity
文法句型
be the byword in + group
be the byword of + period
用法筆記
This sense focuses on the repeated word or phrase itself. Distinguish it from sense 1, where a person or thing stands for a quality.