hulk

来自古英语hulc,快船，在中古英语时期词义由快船演变为笨重的慢船，最终来自希腊语holkas,商船，纤夫拉船，来自PIE*selk,拉，拖，词源同sulcus.进入进代英语词义由慢船演变为船骸，或用于海上监狱的废弃船只。引申词义庞然大物。

hulk (n.)

Old English hulc "light, fast ship" (but in Middle English a heavy, unwieldy one), probably from Old Dutch hulke and Medieval Latin hulcus, perhaps ultimately from Greek holkas "merchant ship," literally "ship that is towed," from helkein "to pull" (from PIE root *selk- "to pull, draw"). Meaning "body of an old, worn-out ship" is first recorded 1670s. The Hulks ("Great Expectations") were old ships used as prisons. Sense of "big, clumsy person" is first recorded c. 1400 (early 14c. as a surname: Stephen le Hulke).

HULK. In the sixteenth century the large merchantman of the northern nations. As she grew obsolete, her name was applied in derision to all crank vessels, until it came to be degraded to its present use, i.e., any old vessel unfit for further employment. [Geoffrey Callender, "Sea Passages," 1943]

hulk (v.)

"to be clumsy, unwieldy, lazy," 1789, from hulk (n.). Related: Hulked; hulking.

1. I followed his big hulk into the house.

我跟在他魁梧的身躯后面进了屋子。

2. the hulk of a wrecked ship

遇难轮船的残骸

3. At this rate, he would one day become an empty hulk.

假若这么活下去, 他会有一天成为一个干骨头架子,还是这么大,而膛儿里全是空的.

4. I could make out the gutted hulk of the tanker.

我可以辨认出油船破烂不堪的残骸。

5. Great waves formed and spread as the hulk rose to the surface.

当这巨大笨重的船露出水面时,水面泛起了巨大的波浪又向四面散去.