| 释义 |
peo·ple
I. \ˈpēpəl\ noun
(plural people or peoples ; see numbered senses)
Etymology: Middle English peple, poeple, from Old French pueple, from Latin populus — more at popular
1. people plural
a. : human beings not individually known or considered as individuals
< people say >
< tell people about his luck >
b.
(1) : human beings who form a segment of humanity usually sharing a common characteristic
< stupid people >
< met all sorts of people on the trip >
< people who live in glass houses >
(2) : human beings distributively as individuals or constituting a numerable group
< we saw many people on our walk >
< shelter for thousands of people >
c. : human beings as distinguished from the lower animals
< diseases that people catch from their pets >
< it is hard to avoid thinking of some dogs as people >
< we heard cows lowing but saw no people >
2.
a. people plural : human beings making up a group or assembly : persons linked by a common factor: as
(1) : the members of a geographically distinct community
< the people of the next town >
(2) : persons who share in common a point of origin or residence
< city people >
< mountain people >
(3) : members of a racial or national group or of a common ancestry
< Chinese people >
< the Slavic people in the U.S. >
< Negro people >
(4) : the members of a caste, class, or other isolable or identifiable group
< illiterate people of the community >
(5) : persons sharing a common occupation or interest
< academic people >
(6) : the members of an organization (as a society or congregation)
< the people of the new synagogue >
b. plural peoples, obsolete : a concourse of persons : throng, multitude
3. people plural
a. : human beings that constitute an organized body subordinate to a superior: as
(1) : the subjects of a ruler
< a king's duty to his people >
(2) : a body of retainers, servants, or followers
< the family and the people of the household >
(3) : the crew of a ship as distinguished from the officers
b. : the members of a family or kinship : ancestors
< his people have been farmers for generations >
< her people are all dead >
4. people plural
a. : the mass of a community as distinguished from a special class: as
(1) : the common crowd : commonalty, populace
< disputes between the people and the nobles >
(2) : laity 2
< the priest shall say to the people >
b. : plain-mannered persons of unassuming and friendly nature : folks
< real people, kind and unpretentious >
c. usually capitalized : the common people of a country as distinguished from a privileged minority — used especially by Communists to distinguish Communists or those under Communist control from other people
< if one compares the situation in the People's Democracies … with that in the capitalist countries — Hilary Minc >
< in other Communist states … justice is administered by People's Courts — N.D.Palmer >
< the Bulgarian People's Republic was proclaimed by the national assembly — Statesman's Year Book >
5. plural peoples
a. : a body of persons that are united by a common culture, tradition, or sense of kinship though not necessarily by consanguinity or by racial or political ties and that typically have common language, institutions, and beliefs
< many European nations are populated by several distinct peoples >
< primitive peoples >
< each people builds a culture adapted to its peculiar needs >
b. : a body of persons constituting a politically organized or consanguineous group (as a tribe, nation, or race)
< the peoples of Europe >
< the Caucasian people gradually populated Europe and much of northern Africa >
< the military genius of the German people >
6.
a. : lower animals usually of a specified kind or situation
< squirrels, mice, and other mischievous little peoples of field and forest >
< the clever bee people >
b. : supernatural beings that are thought of as similar to humans in many respects
< the little people >
< kobolds, trolls, and such peoples are not to be trusted >
7. : the body of enfranchised citizens of a state : electorate; broadly : the body of persons in whom is vested the sovereignty of a nation or who are capable of expressing their general wish — usually used with the and plural in constr.
8. slang : a human being
Synonyms: see race
II. verb
(peopled ; peopled ; peopling \-p(ə)liŋ\ ; peoples)
Etymology: Middle French peupler, from Old French, from peuple, n.
transitive verb
1. : to supply, stock, or fill with or as if with people
< settlers were peopling the new lands >
also : to represent or picture as full of inhabitants
2. : to be the inhabitants of : dwell in : inhabit
< dreams that people idle hours >
< a winter sky peopled with stars >
intransitive verb
: to become inhabited
< the drier lands peopled slowly > |