| 释义 |
cat·a·ract
I. \ˈkad.əˌrakt, -atə-\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English cataracte floodgate, from Latin cataracta, catarractes waterfall, portcullis, floodgate, from Greek kataraktēs, katarrhaktēs, literally, sheer, abrupt, from katarassein to dash down, from kata- cata- + arassein to strike, smash
1. obsolete : floodgate — used in plural
< the rain descended for forty days, the cataracts … of heaven being opened — John Milton >
2. [Middle French or Medieval Latin; Middle French cataracte, from Medieval Latin cataracta; perhaps from its likeness to a portcullis in constituting an obstruction] : a clouding of the lens of the eye or of its capsule varying in degree from slight to complete opacity and obstructing the passage of light
3. [Latin cataracta, catarractes waterfall]
a. obsolete : waterspout
b. : waterfall; especially : a great fall of water over a precipice — compare cascade 1
c. : steep rapids in a large river
< the cataracts of the Nile >
d. : an overwhelming downpour or rush : flood
< cataracts of rain poured down — C.S.Forester >
< his cataract of eloquence — Herman Wouk >
• cat·a·ract·al \| ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷təl\ adjective
II. verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
transitive verb
: to cause to fall like a cataract
< the … rotor cataracts water over the top of the case — Flow Quarterly >
intransitive verb
: to fall like a cataract
< rain cataracting down the windowpanes > |