gingerbread: [13] The idea that gingerbread does not much resemble bread is entirely justified by the word’s history. For originally it was gingebras (a borrowing from Old French), and it meant ‘preserved ginger’. By the mid-14th century, by the process known as folk etymology (the substitution of a more for a less familiar form), -bread had begun to replace -bras, and it was only a matter of time (the early 15th century, apparently) before sense followed form. The expression ‘take the gilt off the gingerbread’ (not recorded before the late 19th century) comes from the fact that formerly gingerbread was often decorated with gold leaf.
gingerbread (n.)
late 13c., gingerbrar, "preserved ginger," from Old French ginginbrat "ginger preserve," from Medieval Latin gingimbratus "gingered," from gingiber (see ginger). The ending changed by folk etymology to -brede "bread," a formation attested by mid-14c. Meaning "sweet cake spiced with ginger" is from 15c. Figurative use, indicating anything considered showy and insubstantial, is from c. 1600. Sense of "fussy decoration on a house" is first recorded 1757; gingerbread-work (1748) was a sailor's term for carved decoration on a ship. Gingerbread-man as a confection is from 1850; the rhyme ("The Chase of the Gingerbread Man," by Ella M. White) is from 1898.
实用例句
1. He's offered us his villa by the sea for two weeks. The only problem is that we can only have it in February, which rather takes the gilt off the gingerbread.
他把海边的别墅让给我们住两个星期. 但是美中不足的是我们只能在二月份去, 这就有些扫兴了.
来自《简明英汉词典》
2. The high taxes that I paid took the gilt off the gingerbread.
我缴付的高额税款除去了我大部分的收入.
来自辞典例句
3. I wouldn't go halves in the toffee and gingerbread on purpose to save the money.
为了把钱省下来,我不肯把太妃糖和甜饼分给别人.
来自辞典例句
4. Make anatomically correct gingerbread people and eat the best parts first.
做成解剖状的姜饼人,先吃掉最好的部分.
来自互联网
5. For desert there's coffee, gingerbread cookies and plum pudding.
