toy: [14] Nothing is known for certain about the origins of toy. It originally meant ‘amorous dalliance’ (‘So said he, and forbore not glance or toy, of amorous intent, well understood of Eve’, Milton, Paradise Lost 1667), traces of which survive in the verbal sense ‘amuse oneself idly’. ‘Plaything’ first appeared towards the end of the 16th century.
toy (n.)
c. 1300, "amorous playing, sport," later "piece of fun or entertainment" (c. 1500), "thing of little value, trifle" (1520s), and "thing for a child to play with" (1580s). Of uncertain origin, and there may be more than one word here. Compare Middle Dutch toy, Dutch tuig "tools, apparatus; stuff, trash," in speeltuig "play-toy, plaything;" German Zeug "stuff, matter, tools," Spielzeug "plaything, toy;" Danish tøi, Swedish tyg "stuff, gear." Applied as an adjective to things of diminutive size, especially dogs, from 1806. Toy-boy is from 1981.
toy (v.)
"deal carelessly (with), trifle," 1520s, from toy (n.) in its older sense.
If he be merie and toy with any,
His wife will frowne, and words geve manye.
["Song of the Bachelor's Life," 16c.]
Related: Toyed; toying.
双语例句
1. A toy store has marked down the Sonic Hedgehog computer game.
一家玩具店降低了电脑游戏《刺猬索尼克》的售价。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Retooling, or recasting new toy moulds, is a slow and expensive process.
更换机器或者重新铸造新的玩具模具都是一个耗费时间和财力的过程。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Toy manufacturers began promoting some of their products on television.
玩具制造商开始在电视上推销他们的一些产品。
来自柯林斯例句
4. We rap the manufacturers on their knuckles if the toy is shoddy.
如果玩具质量低劣，我们会痛斥制造商。
来自柯林斯例句
5. I think we have found a niche in the toy market.
