ribald: [13] Ribald was originally a noun, a derogatory term meaning ‘retainer or dependent of low status’. It was borrowed from Old French ribaut, a derivative of the verb riber ‘sleep around’. This is turn went back to Old High German rīban ‘rub’, hence ‘copulate’. It was not used as an adjective until the early 16th century.
ribald (adj.)
c. 1500, from ribald, ribaud (n.), mid-13c., "a rogue, ruffian, rascall, scoundrell, varlet, filthie fellow" [Cotgrave], from Old French ribaut, ribalt "rogue, scoundrel, lewd lover," also as an adjective, "wanton, depraved, dissolute, licentious," of uncertain origin, perhaps (with suffix -ald) from riber "be wanton, sleep around, dally amorously," from a Germanic source (compare Old High German riban "be wanton," literally "to rub," possibly from the common euphemistic use of "rub" words to mean "have sex"), from Proto-Germanic *wribanan, from PIE root *wer- (3) "to turn, bend" (see versus).
双语例句
1. He loves entertaining his friends with ribald stories.
他喜欢用下流故事来逗他的朋友们开心.
来自《简明英汉词典》
2. The answer was lost in a shout of ribald laughter.
回答被一阵下流的狂笑声掩盖了.
来自辞典例句
3. Fit for all readers, listeners, or audiences; not ribald or obscene.
对所有读者 、 听众或观众都适合的; 不下流或淫秽的.
来自互联网
4. This ribald ad by Durex works the participation angle.
杜蕾斯的这个猥琐的广告还挺注重用户参与的.
来自互联网
5. Man, a greedy tyrant, ribald , hard and grasping.
