1、con- "intensive prefix" + templ- "area for the taking of auguries" + -ate.
2、字面意思:mark out a space for observation" (as an augur does). => gaze attentively, observe, act of looking at, religious musing.
contemplate: [16] Etymologically, to contemplate something is to observe it in a ‘temple’. The word comes from the past participle of Latin contemplārī, a compound verb formed from the intensive prefix com- and templum. This word, source of course of English temple, originally signified a space marked out by augurs (priests in ancient Rome who interpreted omens) for making observations. Hence contemplārī originally meant ‘observe omens carefully’, but its application soon became more general. => temple
contemplate (v.)
1590s, from Latin contemplatus, past participle of contemplari "survey, observe" (see contemplation). Related: Contemplated; contemplating.
雙語例句
1. The possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate.
戰爭的可能性太可怕了,真不堪細想.
來自《簡明英漢詞典》
2. We don't contemplate his [ him ] opposing our plan.
我們預料他不會反對我們的計劃.
來自《簡明英漢詞典》
3. The consequences would be too ghastly to contemplate.
后果不堪設想.
來自《現代漢英綜合大詞典》
4. That makes it difficult to contemplate the idea that the present policy may not be sustainable.
那讓人難以認真思考這個可能,即目前的政策也許并不能持續下去。
來自柯林斯例句
5. He may try to blast his way out of trouble, playing attacking shots to balls he would not normally contemplate hitting.