grapevine的意思

grapevine

英式音标['ɡrepvaɪn]
美式英标['greɪpvaɪn]

基本解释

n. 葡萄树；葡萄藤；小道消息；秘密情报网

grapevine 葡萄藤，小道消息

来自18世纪初电报系统初问世时，铺设的线路杂乱无章形如葡萄藤而得名。由电报引申词义小道消息。

grapevine (n.): also grape-vine, 1736, from grape + vine. Meaning "a rumor; a secret or unconventional method of spreading information" (1863) is from the use of grapevine telegraph as "secret source of information and rumor" in the American Civil War; in reference to Southerners under northern occupation but also in reference to black communities and runaway slaves.
The false reports touching rebel movements, which incessantly circulated in Nashville, brings us to the consideration of the "grapevine telegraph"--a peculiar institution of rebel generation, devised for the duplex purpose of "firing the Southern heart," and to annoy the "Yankees." It is worthy of attention, as one of the signs of the times, expressing the spirit of lying which war engenders. But it is no more than just to say that there is often so little difference between the "grapevine" and the associated press telegraph, that they might as well be identical. ["Rosecrans' Campaign with the Fourteenth Corps," Cincinnati, 1863]

3. I had heard through the grapevine that he was quite critical of what we were doing.: 我听到有传言说他对我们在做的工作非常不满。

4. I heard ( about ) it through [ on ] the ( neighborhood ) grapevine.: 我是经 ( 附近的 ) 谣传听到这事情的.

5. I heard through the grapevine that the minister is going to resign.: 我听到小道消息,首相将辞职.