eager: [13] As its close etymological connection with vinegar and acid might suggest, the underlying sense of eager is ‘sharp’. It comes ultimately from the Indo-European base *ak- ‘sharp, pointed’, amongst whose other English descendants are acne, edge, and oxygen. It was the source of Latin ācer ‘keen, sharp’, which was used in relation both to sight, hearing, etc, and to temperamental qualities – hence ‘ardent, zealous’.
The Latin adjective (from which English also gets acid and acrid) became *acrum in post-classical times, and from this came Old French aigre (source of the -egar of vinegar), which passed into English via Anglo- Norman egre. English retained the literal senses ‘pungent, sour’ and ‘sharp-edged’ until the early 19th century. => acid, acne, acrid, acute, edge, oxygen
eager (adj.)
late 13c., "strenuous, ardent, fierce, angry," from Old French aigre "sour, acid; harsh, bitter, rough; eager greedy; lively, active, forceful," from Latin acrem (nominative acer) "keen, sharp, pointed, piercing; acute, ardent, zealous" (see acrid).
Meaning "full of keen desire" (early 14c.) seems to be peculiar to English. The English word kept a secondary meaning of "pungent, sharp-edged" till 19c. (as in Shakespeare's "The bitter clamour of two eager tongues," in "Richard II"). Related: Eagerly; eagerness. Eager beaver "glutton for work" [OED] is from 1943, U.S. armed forces slang.
双语例句
1. He is always eager for new experiences and ever-willing to experiment.
他总是渴望拥有新的经历，而且永远愿意尝试。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Robert was eager to talk about life in the Army.
罗伯特很想谈谈陆军生活。
来自柯林斯例句
3. At first the eager young poet was a partisan of the Revolution.
起初，那位满腔热忱的年轻诗人是革命的坚定支持者。
来自柯林斯例句
4. But Jules was not eager for classroom learning, he hungered for adventure.
但朱尔斯对坐在课堂里学习并不热心，他渴望冒险。
来自柯林斯例句
5. Under stress these people will appear to be superficial, over-eager and manipulative.
