winter: [OE] Winter is a general Germanic word (German and Dutch spell it the same, Swedish and Danish have vinter). Its prehistoric ancestor was *wentrus, but the ultimate source of this is uncertain. It could well go back to a nasalized version of the Indo-European base *wed-, *wod-, *ud- ‘wet’ (source also of English otter, water and wet), in which case winter would be etymologically the ‘wet’ season. But an alternative theory traces it back to Indo- European *wind- ‘white’ (source of Breton gwenn, Welsh gwyn – which may underlie English penguin – and Irish fionn ‘white’), in which case it would denote the ‘white’ season.
winter (n.)
Old English winter (plural wintru), "the fourth and coldest season of the year, winter," from Proto-Germanic *wintruz "winter" (cognates: Old Frisian, Dutch winter, Old Saxon, Old High German wintar, German winter, Danish and Swedish vinter, Gothic wintrus, Old Norse vetr "winter"), probably literally "the wet season," from PIE *wend-, from root *wed- (1) "water, wet" (see water (n.1)). On another old guess, cognate with Gaulish vindo-, Old Irish find "white."
As an adjective in Old English. The Anglo-Saxons counted years in "winters," as in Old English ænetre "one-year-old;" and wintercearig, which might mean either "winter-sad" or "sad with years." Old Norse Vetrardag, first day of winter, was the Saturday that fell between Oct. 10 and 16.
winter (v.)
"to pass the winter (in some place)," late 14c., from winter (n.). Related: Wintered; wintering.
双语例句
1. If unused, winter radishes run to seed in spring.
如果不去动的话，冬萝卜会在春天开花结籽。
来自柯林斯例句
2. He has almost certainly blown his chance of touring India this winter.
他几乎肯定失去了今冬去印度旅行的机会。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Winter weather can leave you feeling fatigued and tired.
冬季会让人感觉疲乏无力。
来自柯林斯例句
4. Sweden is lovely in summer— cold beyond belief in winter.
瑞典的夏天非常宜人——冬天却冷得让人难以置信。
来自柯林斯例句
5. The sudden onset of winter caused havoc with rail and air transport.
