food chainn.

Brit.

/ˈfuːd tʃeɪn/, U.S.

/ˈfud ˌtʃeɪn/

Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: food n., chain n.

Etymology: < food n. + chain n.

Ecology.

a. A series of organisms, each of which is dependent on the next for food, esp. by direct consumption or predation.

ΘΚΠ

the world > life > biology > balance of nature > organisms in interrelationship > [noun] > food chain

food cycle1881

food chain1920

food web1932

trophic level1942

trophic chain1946

1920 Sci. Monthly Oct. 295 Each such fish has its ‘food-chain’..leading back from the food of man to invertebrates upon which it preys and then to the food of these.

1980 R. Mabey Common Ground i. 32 The accumulation in the birds of toxic agricultural pesticides, passed down the food chain from dressed grain to seed-eater to bird-of-prey.

2005 New Scientist 12 Nov. 44/1 Food chains here [sc. at deep ocean vents] are based not on photosynthesis, but on a process called chemosynthesis.

b. figurative. A hierarchical series of units of production or management.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > command > [noun] > line or chain of command

line of command1930

chain of command1957

food chain1989

1989 Atlantic Dec. 60/1 The industries further down the technical ‘food chain’ that supports aerospace, from electronics and composite materials to machine tools.

1993 Spy (N.Y.) Mar. 14/3 As economic-policy ‘coordinator’ Rubin is considerably down the food chain from Treasury secretary, the job he wanted.

2000 Sydney Morning Herald 31 May 15/1 Single, sassy, climbing the legal food chain, McBeal was a contemporary self-empowered woman, if a tad clucky.

2. The system or sequence of events by which food comes to be consumed by human beings.

ΚΠ

1951 Ecology 32 351 The base of the human food chain is the production of plant organic matter.

1993 Independent 23 Oct. (Weekend section) 35/1 An elongated food chain involving numerous intermediate links—processors, packers, hauliers.

2003 Observer 5 Jan. i. 8/1 Defences against a bioterrorist attack involving animal diseases such as foot and mouth are to be stepped up to prevent rogue groups targeting Britain's food chain.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	food chain
释义	food chainn. Brit. /ˈfuːd tʃeɪn/, U.S. /ˈfud ˌtʃeɪn/ Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: food n., chain n. Etymology: < food n. + chain n. Ecology. 1. a. A series of organisms, each of which is dependent on the next for food, esp. by direct consumption or predation. ΘΚΠ the world > life > biology > balance of nature > organisms in interrelationship > [noun] > food chain food cycle1881 food chain1920 food web1932 trophic level1942 trophic chain1946 1920 Sci. Monthly Oct. 295 Each such fish has its ‘food-chain’..leading back from the food of man to invertebrates upon which it preys and then to the food of these. 1980 R. Mabey Common Ground i. 32 The accumulation in the birds of toxic agricultural pesticides, passed down the food chain from dressed grain to seed-eater to bird-of-prey. 2005 New Scientist 12 Nov. 44/1 Food chains here [sc. at deep ocean vents] are based not on photosynthesis, but on a process called chemosynthesis. b. figurative. A hierarchical series of units of production or management. ΘΚΠ society > authority > command > [noun] > line or chain of command line of command1930 chain of command1957 food chain1989 1989 Atlantic Dec. 60/1 The industries further down the technical ‘food chain’ that supports aerospace, from electronics and composite materials to machine tools. 1993 Spy (N.Y.) Mar. 14/3 As economic-policy ‘coordinator’ Rubin is considerably down the food chain from Treasury secretary, the job he wanted. 2000 Sydney Morning Herald 31 May 15/1 Single, sassy, climbing the legal food chain, McBeal was a contemporary self-empowered woman, if a tad clucky. 2. The system or sequence of events by which food comes to be consumed by human beings. ΚΠ 1951 Ecology 32 351 The base of the human food chain is the production of plant organic matter. 1993 Independent 23 Oct. (Weekend section) 35/1 An elongated food chain involving numerous intermediate links—processors, packers, hauliers. 2003 Observer 5 Jan. i. 8/1 Defences against a bioterrorist attack involving animal diseases such as foot and mouth are to be stepped up to prevent rogue groups targeting Britain's food chain. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < n.1920
随便看	turn of the market turn of the scale turn of the scales turn of the screw turn of the tide turn of the year turn off turn off steam turn on turn on a dime turn on a sixpence turn on its head turn on one's heel turn on the heat turn on the main turn on the toe turn on the water turn on the waterworks turn on, tune in, and drop out turn one's arms against turn one's arms occasionally towards turn one's back turn one's back on turn one's back to turn one's back unto