| 释义 |
▪ I. savvy, n. and a. slang.|ˈsævɪ|
Also 8 scavey, 9 savey (Sc. savie), savvey.
[The Sc. savie is perh. a. F. savez(-vous) do you know? The later slang use is f. savvy v.: see also sabe n.]
A. n. Practical sense, intelligence; ‘nous’, gumption.
1785[see savvy v.]. 1825–82Jamieson, Savie, knowledge, experience, sagacity, Loth. 185.B. Harte Chiquita 9 Hedn't no savey—hed Briggs. 1884E. Ingersoll in Harper's Mag. Sept. 508/2 They don't need much savvey for that. 1890‘R. Boldrewood’ Col. Reformer (1891) 47 He could ride the best, but the black boy had twice as much savey. 1923R. Cummins Sky-High Corral 31, I don't just get the savvy of this. 1936W. R. Titterton Chesterton ii. iii. 138 Which idea..Armstrong actively disliked because, having more savvy than I had, he saw it meant death to his doctrine. 1951K. Crichton Marx Brothers x. 134 He had bounce, stage savvy, and the optimism of a Rotarian. 1964E. B. White Let. 1 Feb. (1976) 515, I felt deeply envious of their skills, their savvy, their self reliance, and their general deportment. 1974Publishers Weekly 11 Feb. 58/1 Full of baseball savvy, the book is also at times very funny. 1978J. Carroll Mortal Friends v. i. 496 Kennedy's reputation was for more savvy than that. He knew his history, didn't he, and its humbling lesson?
B. adj. Of persons, etc.: having practical sense, quick-witted; knowledgeable, wily, experienced. Also wise to (something).
1905K. Inglewood Patmos i. ix. 124 ‘How very savvy of you to think of that,’ he said. 1946Calif. Folklore Q. Oct. 377 From the safe landing of an airplane which has followed the homing radio beam (beacon), a person who is thinking clearly, performing an act correctly, that is, who is savvy, is in the groove or on the beam. 1964H. Waugh Missing Man xiii. 65 The kid might give himself away and Lambert's savvy enough to pick it up. 1974Publishers Weekly 27 May 65/1 Norman Two Bull is a modern and savvy 15-year-old Sioux. 1975Byfield & Tedeschi Solemn High Murder iv. 77 She's older and been around and savvy to a lot of things the rest of them aren't. 1978Guardian Weekly 5 Feb. 15/5 They are savvy hands, and if they do not speak persuasively they do speak precisely. 1980Economist 16 Aug. 51/3 A savvy tenant putting a deposit on his house gains a 12-month option to buy at the price ruling when he made the deposit.
▪ II. savvy, v. slang.|ˈsævɪ|
Also 8 scavey, savey, savvey, 20 savee.
[Orig. Negro-Eng. and Pigeon-Eng., after Sp. sabe usted you know: see also sabe v.]
trans. To know; to understand, comprehend. Freq. used in the interrogative (= ‘do you understand?’) following an explanation to a foreigner or to one considered slow-witted. Also absol.
1785Grose Dict. Vulgar Tongue, Scavey, sense, knowledge; ‘massa me no scavey’, master I don't know, (negroe language) perhaps from the French scavoir. 1828Life Planter Jamaica 137 Dey hab not savey dat de store⁓keeper hab be deir broder Joseph. 1833Mrs. Carmichael West Indies II. 131 As I went on, I paused and asked them if they ‘savey’ what I said, (comprehended me). Ibid. 135 Misses, you no peak lie, me savey dat well. 1850L. H. Garrard Wah-to-Yah 105 You've got so much ‘fofarraw’ stuck 'bout you, this child didn't savvy at fust! 1890‘R. Boldrewood’ Col. Reformer (1891) 51 Now do you savey? 1897A. H. Lewis Wolfville 45 You've got to quit; savey? 1908E. J. Banfield Confessions of Beachcomber ii. iii. 315 ‘You savee?’ The ‘savee’ touched Harry's dignity. ‘What for you say savee? You take me for a blurry Chinaman?’ 1914S. Lewis Our Mr. Wrenn iv. 59 Gotta do what I say, savvy? 1917[see chair n.1 1 d]. 1920D. H. Lawrence Touch & Go ii. 49 Gerald. Yes, I want to be told. Anabel. That's rather mean of you. You should savvy, and let it go without saying. Gerald. Yes, but I don't savvy. 1933M. Lowry Ultramarine iii. 128 Let's have two starboard lights. Savee starboard lights? 1949True Jan. 61/3 When there are ladies present, we say it in Mexican. The hounds savvy either. 1955Times 27 July 10/6 The secretary was a literate man who ‘savvied book’. 1964E. Palmer tr. Martinet's Elem. Gen. Linguistics v. 155 Everywhere we find the word savvy ‘know’, which..is automatically used by a monoglot English speaker who tries to make himself understood by a foreigner. |