reticentadj.

Brit.

/ˈrɛtᵻs(ə)nt/, U.S.

/ˈrɛdəs(ə)nt/

Origin: A borrowing from Latin. Etymons: Latin reticent-, reticēns, reticēre.

Etymology: < classical Latin reticent-, reticēns, present participle of reticēre to keep silent, to leave unsaid < re- re- prefix + tacēre to be silent (see tacit adj.). Compare earlier reticence n., reticency n.

a. Reluctant or disinclined to speak out or express personal thoughts and feelings freely; reserved in speech; given to silence or concealment.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > language > speech > taciturnity or reticence > [adjective]

unspeakinga1382

speechless1390

mutec1400

dumb1406

silenta1425

peaceablec1425

secretc1440

of few wordsa1500

tongue-tied1529

mum1532

closec1540

strait-laced1546

tongue-dumb1556

incommunicable1568

sparing1568

inconversable1577

retentive1599

wordless1604

mumbudget1622

uncommunicable1628

monastica1631

word-bound1644

on (also upon) the reserve1655

strait-mouthed1664

oyster-like1665

incommunicative1670

mumchance1681

speechless1726

taciturnous1727

tongue-tacked1727

monosyllabic1735

silentish1737

untalkative1739

silentious1749

buttoned-up1767

taciturn1771

close as wax1772

untittletattling1779

reticent1825

voiceless1827

say-nothing1838

unremonstrant1841

still1855

unvocal1858

inexpansive186.

short-tongued1864

non-communicating1865

tight-lipped1876

unworded1886

chup1896

tongue-bound1906

shut-mouthed1936

zip-lipped1943

shtum1958

1825 J. Quincy Mem. J. Quincy Jun. iv. 45 One one..was jovial, genial, and sparkling; the other was quiet, retired, and reticent.

1856 R. W. Emerson Eng. Traits xviii. 304 They are slow and reticent.

1860 ‘G. Eliot’ Mill on Floss I. i. xii. 236 Mr Glegg..was extremely reticent about his will.

1873 J. A. Symonds Stud. Greek Poets iii. 89 Theognis recommends Cyrnus to be reticent, and not to communicate the whole of his plans even to his friends.

1902 J. K. Jerome Paul Kelver 71 There were foolish voices about me less reticent.

1940 Auk 57 140 Quiet, almost reticent, he could at need speak or write most clearly and effectively.

1970 Geogr. Rev. 60 122 A reserved and reticent person, she nonetheless had a remarkable affinity for the young.

2002 B. Hoey Her Majesty xii. 178 She [sc. the Queen] is a devout Christian and a regular worshipper who is also very private and reticent about the practice of personal religion.

b. Of a thing: restrained in nature; subtle, muted.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > subjection > restraint or restraining > [adjective] > restrained

bridled1567

retent1568

restrained1578

controlled1581

snubbed1583

retained1592

retentive1599

curbed1600

repressed1606

stifleda1643

suspense1667

light1740

reined-in1740

checked1793

reined-up1835

reticent1877

snaffled1877

directed1891

1877 E. S. Phelps Story of Avis ix. 179 A blazing brown, a joyous gray, a restless green, a reticent red, a something never seen before.

1897 Scribner's Mag. Apr. 522/2 The drawing..is just, it is delicate, it is subtle, it is reticent in the use of material.

1904 Burlington Mag. Dec. 54/1 The charm of reticent spacing and of schemes of abstract colour.

1971 A. Munro Lives Girls & Women 132 Everyday he wore a blue-grey sweater, darned at the elbow, and this smokey colour, so ordinary, reticent, and mysterious.

1989 C. Clark Amer. Wines of Northwest i. iii. 61 The '85s..with deeper tannins and more reticent fruit.

2005 New Yorker 31 Oct. 71/3 The work was grave and humorous, newsily contemporary and yet deeply reticent.

2. Reluctant to perform a particular action; hesitant, disinclined. Chiefly with about, or to do something.

ΚΠ

1875 Rep. Sel. Comm. Condition of South (43rd U.S. Congr. 2 Sess.) 15 The State registrar was just as reticent to give us information.

1932 Daily Capital News & Post Tribune (Jefferson City, Missouri) 14 Feb. 11 a/6 They were reticent about leaving it [sc. home].

1948 Jrnl. Amer. Folklore 61 29 Dreams, promptings of the spirit, and peep-stones have all combined to make the reticent girl give in to the proposals of a polygamous suitor.

1959 Times 8 Oct. 13 Having..informed my employer of my impending call-up, he is naturally reticent to improve my position.

2008 F. Kellerman Mercedes Coffin xxxviii. 311 She knows he'd be reticent to hire a lawyer to defend her?

Derivatives

ˈreticently adv.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > language > speech > taciturnity or reticence > [adverb]

in silencea1382

without language?c1450

sub silentio1563

monkishly1595

wordlessly1840

pauciloquently1844

speechlessly1847

taciturnly1847

reticently1859

incommunicativelya1862

1859 Atlantic Monthly July 25/1 Alas! poor Sir Thomas, who must needs babble the foolish hopes which wiser men reticently keep cloistered in their own bosoms!

1902 W. Percy New Christians xii. 115 Eustace found Mrs. Palgrave in a neat black costume, which reticently suggested a pretty figure.

2007 Mail on Sunday (Nexis) 16 Dec. fb71 Clarence House reticently granted me an exclusive sneak preview of the renovated Royal residence.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2010; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	reticent
释义	reticentadj. Brit. /ˈrɛtᵻs(ə)nt/, U.S. /ˈrɛdəs(ə)nt/ Origin: A borrowing from Latin. Etymons: Latin reticent-, reticēns, reticēre. Etymology: < classical Latin reticent-, reticēns, present participle of reticēre to keep silent, to leave unsaid < re- re- prefix + tacēre to be silent (see tacit adj.). Compare earlier reticence n., reticency n. 1. a. Reluctant or disinclined to speak out or express personal thoughts and feelings freely; reserved in speech; given to silence or concealment. ΘΚΠ the mind > language > speech > taciturnity or reticence > [adjective] unspeakinga1382 speechless1390 mutec1400 dumb1406 silenta1425 peaceablec1425 secretc1440 of few wordsa1500 tongue-tied1529 mum1532 closec1540 strait-laced1546 tongue-dumb1556 incommunicable1568 sparing1568 inconversable1577 retentive1599 wordless1604 mumbudget1622 uncommunicable1628 monastica1631 word-bound1644 on (also upon) the reserve1655 strait-mouthed1664 oyster-like1665 incommunicative1670 mumchance1681 speechless1726 taciturnous1727 tongue-tacked1727 monosyllabic1735 silentish1737 untalkative1739 silentious1749 buttoned-up1767 taciturn1771 close as wax1772 untittletattling1779 reticent1825 voiceless1827 say-nothing1838 unremonstrant1841 still1855 unvocal1858 inexpansive186. short-tongued1864 non-communicating1865 tight-lipped1876 unworded1886 chup1896 tongue-bound1906 shut-mouthed1936 zip-lipped1943 shtum1958 1825 J. Quincy Mem. J. Quincy Jun. iv. 45 One one..was jovial, genial, and sparkling; the other was quiet, retired, and reticent. 1856 R. W. Emerson Eng. Traits xviii. 304 They are slow and reticent. 1860 ‘G. Eliot’ Mill on Floss I. i. xii. 236 Mr Glegg..was extremely reticent about his will. 1873 J. A. Symonds Stud. Greek Poets iii. 89 Theognis recommends Cyrnus to be reticent, and not to communicate the whole of his plans even to his friends. 1902 J. K. Jerome Paul Kelver 71 There were foolish voices about me less reticent. 1940 Auk 57 140 Quiet, almost reticent, he could at need speak or write most clearly and effectively. 1970 Geogr. Rev. 60 122 A reserved and reticent person, she nonetheless had a remarkable affinity for the young. 2002 B. Hoey Her Majesty xii. 178 She [sc. the Queen] is a devout Christian and a regular worshipper who is also very private and reticent about the practice of personal religion. b. Of a thing: restrained in nature; subtle, muted. ΘΚΠ society > authority > subjection > restraint or restraining > [adjective] > restrained bridled1567 retent1568 restrained1578 controlled1581 snubbed1583 retained1592 retentive1599 curbed1600 repressed1606 stifleda1643 suspense1667 light1740 reined-in1740 checked1793 reined-up1835 reticent1877 snaffled1877 directed1891 1877 E. S. Phelps Story of Avis ix. 179 A blazing brown, a joyous gray, a restless green, a reticent red, a something never seen before. 1897 Scribner's Mag. Apr. 522/2 The drawing..is just, it is delicate, it is subtle, it is reticent in the use of material. 1904 Burlington Mag. Dec. 54/1 The charm of reticent spacing and of schemes of abstract colour. 1971 A. Munro Lives Girls & Women 132 Everyday he wore a blue-grey sweater, darned at the elbow, and this smokey colour, so ordinary, reticent, and mysterious. 1989 C. Clark Amer. Wines of Northwest i. iii. 61 The '85s..with deeper tannins and more reticent fruit. 2005 New Yorker 31 Oct. 71/3 The work was grave and humorous, newsily contemporary and yet deeply reticent. 2. Reluctant to perform a particular action; hesitant, disinclined. Chiefly with about, or to do something. ΚΠ 1875 Rep. Sel. Comm. Condition of South (43rd U.S. Congr. 2 Sess.) 15 The State registrar was just as reticent to give us information. 1932 Daily Capital News & Post Tribune (Jefferson City, Missouri) 14 Feb. 11 a/6 They were reticent about leaving it [sc. home]. 1948 Jrnl. Amer. Folklore 61 29 Dreams, promptings of the spirit, and peep-stones have all combined to make the reticent girl give in to the proposals of a polygamous suitor. 1959 Times 8 Oct. 13 Having..informed my employer of my impending call-up, he is naturally reticent to improve my position. 2008 F. Kellerman Mercedes Coffin xxxviii. 311 She knows he'd be reticent to hire a lawyer to defend her? Derivatives ˈreticently adv. ΘΚΠ the mind > language > speech > taciturnity or reticence > [adverb] in silencea1382 without language?c1450 sub silentio1563 monkishly1595 wordlessly1840 pauciloquently1844 speechlessly1847 taciturnly1847 reticently1859 incommunicativelya1862 1859 Atlantic Monthly July 25/1 Alas! poor Sir Thomas, who must needs babble the foolish hopes which wiser men reticently keep cloistered in their own bosoms! 1902 W. Percy New Christians xii. 115 Eustace found Mrs. Palgrave in a neat black costume, which reticently suggested a pretty figure. 2007 Mail on Sunday (Nexis) 16 Dec. fb71 Clarence House reticently granted me an exclusive sneak preview of the renovated Royal residence. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2010; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < adj.1825
随便看	reawakens reawakes reawaking reawoke reawoken reb rebab reback rebacked rebacking rebacks rebadge rebadged rebadges rebadging rebail rebait rebaited rebaiting rebaits rebake rebalance rebalanced rebalances rebalancing