请输入您要查询的英文单词:

 

单词 barren
释义 bar·ren
I. \ˈbarən also ˈber-\ adjective
(often -er/-est)
Etymology: Middle English bareyne, from Old French baraine, feminine of barain, brehaing, probably of non-Indo-European origin; akin to the source of Albanian beronjë sterile
1.
 a. : having produced or borne no young : seemingly incapable of pregnancy or reproduction : sterile
  < spinsters and barren women were not allowed to benefit under wills at all and their loss was the gain of their fruitful sisters — Robert Graves >
 b. of an animal : not with young : not pregnant at the usual season
 c. of a plant : not bearing fruit or seed
 d. of land or a region : deficient in producing vegetation : bare, desolate
  < obtain wretchedly poor crops … from the barren soil immediately round their cabins — Anthony Trollope >
 e. : producing ore in too small quantities to be commercially profitable
  < a barren mine >
2. : devoid, lacking — used with of
 < barren of all love — John Keats >
 < a sea barren of seals — Jack London >
 < barren of troublesome conventions and artificialities — Mark Twain >
3. : providing little or no aesthetic or intellectual stimulation or gratification : lacking interest, information, or charm
 < nameless millions performing barren office routines — Edmund Wilson >
 < religion … buried under an even narrower and more barren scholasticism — J.H.Randall >
4. : unproductive of results or gain : lacking the intended effect or force : fruitless, unprofitable
 < a barren conquest which brought him no special repute — John Buchan >
 < a high-sounding but barren title, which gratified the Duke's vanity and signified nothing — J.L.Motley >
5. : lacking inspiration or ideas : dull, unresponsive
 < a dull suspicion in leaden, opaque, and barren minds that wit, brilliancy, and imagination are incompatible with great mental power and solidity of judgment — J.J.Ingalls >
Synonyms: see bare, sterile
II. noun
(-s)
1. : a tract of barren land
2. barrens plural : an extent of usually level land that lacks trees, has an inferior growth of trees, or has little vegetation of any kind whether due to natural factors (as climate or poor soil) or to accident (as fire)
 < covered largely with stunted pine woods — the famous pine barrensAmerican Guide Series: New Jersey >
随便看

 

英语词典包含332784条英英释义在线翻译词条,基本涵盖了全部常用单词的英英翻译及用法,是英语学习的有利工具。

 

Copyright © 2004-2022 Newdu.com All Rights Reserved
更新时间:2025/2/5 23:07:04