单词 | ignis fatuus |
释义 | ignis fatuus (once / 30075 pages) n A glowing, mysterious light that you see at night in a swamp or marsh is an ignis fatuus. An ignis fatuus is caused by a chemical reaction, but it looks ghostly. The combination of methane gas and decaying plants that's found in bogs and swamps can result in a glow or pale fire that's visible at dusk or in the dark. One of many names for this is ignis fatuus — it's also known as a will o' the wisp or a friar's lantern. There are numerous myths explaining the ignis fatuus, holding ghosts, fairies, and devils responsible for the spooky lights. In modern Latin, ignis fatuus literally means "foolish fire." WORD FAMILYignis fatuus USAGE EXAMPLESThe ignis fatuus was sometimes supposed to be the soul of an unbaptised child. Lecky, William Edward Hartpole, History of European Morals From Aug...(2012) Never did a geographical entity seem so to play the ignis fatuus with the world as did the River. Lyman, William Denison, The Columbia River—Its History, Its...(2012) Many fortunes have been spent by the unscientific in the chase after this, to them, ignis fatuus. Various, Scientific American, Vol. XLIII.?No...(2012) 1n a pale light sometimes seen at night over marshy ground Syn|Hyper friar's lantern, jack-o'-lantern, will-o'-the-wisp light, visible light, visible radiation (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation 2n an illusion that misleads Syn|Hyper will-o'-the-wisp fancy, fantasy, illusion, phantasy something many people believe that is false |
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