| 释义 |
in·cho·ate
I. \(ˈ)in|kōə̇t, ənˈkō-, ˈinkəˌwāt\ adjective
Etymology: Latin inchoatus, incohatus, past participle of inchoare, incohare to begin (literally, to hitch up), from in- in- (II) + cohum strap fastening a plow beam to the yoke; perhaps akin to Breton morgo hame, Welsh mynci hame, Old English haga hedge — more at hedge
: being recently begun or undertaken : incipient : being partly but not fully in existence or operation : incomplete: as
a. : imperfectly formed or formulated : disordered, incoherent, unorganized
< the general plan is inchoate and incoherent, and the particular treatments disconnected — Hilary Corke >
< the solar system … far out from the hub of this great wheel of stars and inchoate dust and gas — L.C.Eiseley >
< vague consumer longings and inchoate needs — J.S.Gambs >
b. of a legal right or instrument or interest : not yet perfected : not yet made certain or specific : not yet vested : incipient, expectant, potential, contingent, imperfected
< an inchoate right of dower >
< an inchoate equity >
< an instrument that the law requires to be recorded is an inchoate instrument until it is recorded — Besse May Miller >
• in·cho·ate·ly adverb
• in·cho·ate·ness noun -es
II. \ˈinkəˌwāt, ə̇nˈkōˌāt\ verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
Etymology: Latin inchoatus, incohatus, past participle of inchoare, incohare
transitive verb
archaic : to cause to begin
intransitive verb
archaic : to make a beginning : start |