sport: [14] Sport is short for disport [14]. This came from Anglo-Norman desporter ‘carry away’, hence ‘divert’, a compound verb formed from the prefix des- ‘apart’ and porter ‘carry’. The noun originally meant ‘amusement, recreation’, and it was not used in its main modern sense ‘athletic contests’ until the mid 19th century. => disport, port, portable
sport (v.)
c. 1400, "to take pleasure, to amuse oneself," from Old French desporter, deporter "to divert, amuse, please, play" (see disport). Restricted sense of "amuse oneself by active exercise in open air or taking part in some game" is from late 15c. Meaning "to wear" is from 1778. Related: Sported; sporting.
sport (n.)
early 15c., "pleasant pastime," shortening of disport "activity that offers amusement or relaxation; entertainment, fun" (c. 1300), also "a pastime or game; flirtation; pleasure taken in such activity" (late 14c.), from Anglo-French disport, Old French desport, deport "pleasure, enjoyment, delight; solace, consolation; favor, privilege," related to desporter, deporter "to divert, amuse, please, play" (see sport (v.)).
Original sense preserved in phrases such as in sport "in jest" (mid-15c.). Meaning "game involving physical exercise" first recorded 1520s. Sense of "stylish man" is from 1861, American English, probably because they lived by gambling and betting on races. Meaning "good fellow" is attested from 1881 (as in be a sport, 1913). Sport as a familiar form of address to a man is from 1935, Australian English. The sport of kings was originally (1660s) war-making. Other, lost senses of Middle English disport were "consolation, solace; a source of comfort."
双语例句
1. Email your views to sport@times.co.u.
k将您的看法以电子邮件形式发送至sport@times.co.uk。
来自柯林斯例句
2. For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?
我们活着是为了什么？不就是给邻居当笑柄，再反过来笑他们。
来自《傲慢与偏见》
3. They call rowing the perfect sport. It exercises every major muscle group.
他们称划船是最佳运动，它可以锻炼每一处主要肌肉群。
来自柯林斯例句
4. She's not as mad about sport as I am.
她不像我对体育那么痴迷。
来自柯林斯例句
5. I don't think it has fundamentally altered the sport.
