| 单词 | self-effacing |
| 释义 | self-effacing (once / 15271 pages) adj Someone who's self-effacing is shy and likes to stay out of the spotlight, shunning attention and praise. To efface something is to erase it, so to be self-effacing is to try to remove yourself from various situations, especially ones that draw attention. If someone says you did a great job and you say, "It was nothing," that's self-effacing. It is usually considered a positive quality, since it's the opposite of being cocky, egotistical, and attention-hogging. The root of effacing is the Old French word esfacier, which means "to wipe out or destroy," literally "to remove the face." WORD FAMILYeffacing: self-effacing+/efface: effaceable, effaced, effacement, effaces, effacing/effacement: effacements, self-effacement USAGE EXAMPLESKozak was self-effacing and reserved, and did not even tell his children of his actions until late in his life. The Guardian(Dec 14, 2016) In “Certain Women,” a much better movie, she slouches onto the screen with self-effacing diffidence. New York Times(Dec 08, 2016) The quiet self-effacing 82-year-old says the system does not allow for rigging. BBC(Dec 08, 2016) adj reluctant to draw attention to yourself Syn reticent, retiring unassertive inclined to timidity or lack of self-confidence |
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