early 14c., "a quantity of labor imposed as a duty," from Old North French tasque (12c., Old French tasche, Modern French tâche) "duty, tax," from Vulgar Latin *tasca "a duty, assessment," metathesis of Medieval Latin taxa, a back-formation of Latin taxare "to evaluate, estimate, assess" (see tax (v.)). General sense of "any piece of work that has to be done" is first recorded 1590s. Phrase take one to task (1680s) preserves the sense that is closer to tax.
German tasche "pocket" is from the same Vulgar Latin source (via Old High German tasca), with presumable sense evolution from "amount of work imposed by some authority," to "payment for that work," to "wages," to "pocket into which money is put," to "any pocket."
task (v.)
1520s, "impose a task upon;" 1590s, "to burden, put a strain upon," from task (n.). Related: Tasked; tasking.
双语例句
1. They have a tendency to try to sidetrack you from your task.
他们总试图让你从你的任务中分心。
来自柯林斯例句
2. The first task was to fence the wood to exclude sheep.
第一项任务就是把树林围起来不让羊进去。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Her critics say she has proved unequal to the task.
批评她的人说事实证明她并不具备完成这项工作的能力。
来自柯林斯例句
4. The president knows his task is to fire up the delegates.
总统知道自己的任务就是唤起代表的热情。
来自柯林斯例句
5. Our big task for tomorrow .Wed.. is to get them exit visas.
