net: English has two distinct words net. The commoner and more ancient, ‘mesh’ [OE], is a widespread Germanic word: German has the related netz, Dutch and Danish net, and Swedish nät. Its ultimate origins are not known, although a link with Latin nassa ‘wicker basket for catching fish’ has been suggested. Net ‘without deductions’ [14] comes from French net, which was borrowed into English again two centuries later as neat.
It was originally used, like its French source, for ‘trim, clean’, but this developed via ‘unadulterated, unmixed’ to, by the early 16th century, ‘free from any (further) deduction’. The alternative spelling nett dates from the 16th century. => neat
net (n.)
Old English net "netting, network, spider web, mesh used for capturing," also figuratively, "moral or mental snare or trap," from Proto-Germanic *natjan (cognates: Old Saxon net, Old Norse, Dutch net, Swedish nät, Old High German nezzi, German Netz, Gothic nati "net"), originally "something knotted," from PIE *ned- "to twist, knot" (cognates: Sanskrit nahyati "binds, ties," Latin nodus "knot," Old Irish nascim "I bind, oblige").
net (adj.)
"remaining after deductions," 1510s, from earlier sense of "trim, elegant, clean, neat" (c. 1300), from Old French net "clean, pure," from Latin nitere "to shine, look bright, glitter" (see neat). Meaning influenced by Italian netto "remaining after deductions." As a noun, 1910.
net (v.2)
"to gain as a net sum," 1758, from net (adj.). Related: Netted; netting.
net (v.1)
"to capture in a net," early 15c., from net (n.). Related: Netted; netting.
双语例句
1. And a number of African countries, too, are slipping through the net.
并且一些非洲国家也被漏掉了。
来自柯林斯例句
2. The group had a net profit margin of 30% last year.
去年，这个集团的纯利润率为30%。
来自柯林斯例句
3. There was a net outflow of about £50m in short-term capital.
短期资金净流出额大约为5,000万英镑。
来自柯林斯例句
4. I threw aside my mosquito net and jumped out of bed.
我把蚊帐甩到一边，跳下床来。
来自柯林斯例句
5. He volleyed the ball spectacularly into the far corner of the net.
