释义 |
span·iel I. \ˈspanyəl, chiefly archaic or dial -nəl\ noun Etymology: Middle English spaynel, spaniell, from Middle French espaignol, literally, Spaniard, from Old Provençal espanhol, from Old Italian spagnuolo — more at spagnuolo 1. a. usually capitalized : any of numerous breeds of small or medium-sized mostly short-legged dogs usually having long wavy hair, feathered legs and tail, and large drooping ears — see english toy spaniel, field spaniel, water spaniel b. -s sometimes capitalized : a dog of one of these breeds 2. -s : a cringing servile fawning person < office seekers, … spaniels well-trained to carry and fetch — Walt Whitman > II. verb (-ed/-ing/-s) intransitive verb : to play about like a spaniel : frolic, sport transitive verb : to follow especially fawningly after < the hearts that spanieled me at heels — Shakespeare > |