OpenEtymology

toddle

UKˈtɒdlUSˈtɑːdl

Meaning

1vi.

(幼儿)蹒跚学步

2vi.

(口语)悠闲地散步

Usage

Watch how the baby will toddle around the room holding onto the furniture.

看着宝宝如何扶着家具在房间里蹒跚学步。

I'm just going to toddle down to the shops for a newspaper.

我正打算溜达着去商店买份报纸。

After lunch, we had a lovely toddle along the beach.

午饭后,我们沿着海滩愉快地散了会儿步。

Etymology

toddle 的词源颇具趣味性,它并非由古典词根构成,而是源于约16至17世纪的英语方言。学者们普遍认为它是一个拟声词或回声词,生动地模仿了幼儿初学走路时那种摇摇晃晃、步伐不稳(“tod”)的姿态和节奏。其词义演变逻辑清晰:从最初专指幼儿蹒跚学步,后来通过形象的类比,扩展到指任何人轻松、随意、略显摇摆的步行方式,尤其用于口语中表示“闲逛”。

Toddle Meaning, Examples & Word Origin | OpenEtymology