1、whit 是"极小的一丁点"。老英语里 na whit 是"一个人都没有"——wight 是古词"人、生灵",人一个都不剩,就剩"零",词义从"没人"缩成"没量"。 2、它几乎只在一句习语里活到今天:not a whit(一点也不、丝毫没),比 not a bit(不……一点)书面气重,托福、GRE 阅读里碰得上。 3、拼写就四个字母 wh-it,读 /wɪt/ 和 wit(机智)同音,靠开头区分:wh- 才是"一丁点"。
"smallest particle," 1520s, from na whit "no amount" (c. 1200), from Old English nan wiht, from wiht "amount," originally "person, human being" (see wight).
权威例句
1. It does not matter one whit to the customer.
这对顾客来说一点关系都没有。
2. The orchestra gave its first performance on Whit Monday.
乐团在周一的圣灵降临节举行了首场演出。
3. There's not a whit of truth in the statement.
这声明里没有丝毫的真实性.
4. He cared not a whit for the social, political or moral aspects of literature.
他毫不在乎文学的社会、政治或道德层面。
5. A marriage has been arranged between Mr. Brown and Miss Whit.