stalwart: [14] The ancestor of stalwart was Old English stǣlwierthe. The second half of this compound adjective denoted ‘worth, worthy’, but the precise significance of the first element is not clear. It represents Old English stǣl ‘place’, perhaps used here in the metaphorical sense ‘stead’, so that etymologically the word would mean ‘able to stand someone in good stead’.
But stǣl itself may have been a contraction of stathol ‘foundation’, so the underlying meaning of the compound could be ‘foundation-worthy’, hence ‘firmly fixed’ (an adjective statholfæst existed in Old English, meaning ‘firm, stable’). South of the border it became stalworth, which had virtually died out by the end of the 17th century. But the Scottish variant stalwart, first recorded in the late 14th century, survived, and was brought into the general language by Sir Walter Scott.
stalwart (adj.)
late 14c., "resolute, determined," Scottish variant of stalworth, from Old English stælwierðe "good, serviceable," probably a contracted compound of staðol "base, foundation, support; stability, security" (from Proto-Germanic *stathlaz, from PIE root *sta- "to stand, set down, make or be firm;" see stet) + wierðe "good, excellent, worthy" (see worth). Another theory traces the first element of stælwierðe to Old English stæl "place," from Proto-Germanic *stælaz.
实用例句
1. Let me introduce Bob, one of the club's stalwart.
让我来介绍鲍伯, 俱乐部的忠实拥护者.
来自《简明英汉词典》
2. He had a stalwart figure and walked with an air.
他身材魁梧,走起路来很有气派.
来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
3. Stalwart policemen stood guard outside.
强壮的警察在外面警戒.
来自《简明英汉词典》
4. I knew I was never in any danger with my stalwart bodyguard around me.
我知道有强壮的保镖在我的周围，我永远不会有什么危险。
来自柯林斯例句
5. Moving to Germany, he became a stalwart of the revered Kurt Edelhagen Orchestra.
