| 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 > |