constancy
/ˈkɒnstənsi/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkɑːnstənsi/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkän(t)-stən(t)-sē/ (ame, mw)
constancy — 名詞
1. the fact that something stays at the same level or in the same condition over ti
恆定；穩定
事物長時間維持同一水準的性質
the fact that something stays at the same level or in the same condition over time, without going up or down or shifting.
The constancy of the desert temperature surprised Darius during his week of fieldwork.
沙漠氣溫的恆定讓 Darius 在田野工作的那一週感到意外。
constancy of + noun (a measurable property)
Farmers in the valley rely on the constancy of the spring water through the dry months.
山谷裡的農民在乾季時，靠的就是泉水水量的穩定不變。
subject of 'rely on' — talking about a dependable level
Yael admired the constancy of her grandfather's daily walk to the bakery.
Yael 很欣賞祖父每天走到麵包店這個習慣的恆定。
Engineers test the constancy of the signal before sending any data through the cable.
工程師在資料送進電纜之前，會先測試訊號的穩定度。
There is a strange comfort in the constancy of the tide along this stretch of coast.
這段海岸潮汐的恆定，帶有一種奇妙的安慰感。
- steadiness
more everyday; often about pace or hand movement
- stability
wider scope — covers economic, political, or structural systems too
- uniformity
stresses sameness across space, not only across time
- variability
scientific register — opposite when describing measurements
- fluctuation
implies repeated small ups and downs
文法句型
constancy of + noun
用法筆記
Subject is usually a measurable or observable property (temperature, supply, rhythm, signal). Distinguish from sense 2, which is about a person's loyal feelings, not a level that stays the same.
常見錯誤
2. the quality of staying loyal to a person, a promise, or a cause, especially when
忠貞；堅守
對人、承諾或信念長久不變的忠誠
the quality of staying loyal to a person, a promise, or a cause, especially when it would be easier to give up or change sides.
Ravindra was moved by the constancy of his old teacher, who wrote to him every month for years.
Ravindra 深受老師那份忠貞所感動，對方多年來每個月都寫信給他。
constancy of + person (about their loyalty)
The novel celebrates the constancy of a wife waiting twenty years for her husband to return from war.
這部小說頌揚一位妻子的堅貞不渝，她等待丈夫從戰場歸來等了二十年。
Christopher questioned his own constancy after meeting someone new at the conference in Lisbon.
Christopher 在里斯本的會議上認識新對象後，開始懷疑自己的忠貞。
Members of the order swore constancy to their vows of silence and poverty.
教會成員發誓堅守緘默與安貧的誓言。
Élise valued the constancy of her two oldest friends above any new social connection.
比起任何新的社交關係，Élise 更看重兩位老友對她的忠貞。
- loyalty
the everyday word; 'constancy' is the literary register
- fidelity
narrower — often implies sexual or marital faithfulness
- devotion
stresses active emotional commitment rather than just not changing
- steadfastness
stresses staying firm under pressure or temptation
- fickleness
changing one's mind or affections often
- betrayal
active opposite — breaking faith, not just drifting away
文法句型
constancy of + person
constancy to + person/cause
用法筆記
Often appears in literary, ethical, or religious contexts — rare in everyday speech, where 'loyalty' or 'being faithful' is more natural. Distinguish from sense 1 by the subject: a person or relationship, not a measurable property.