Tomfoolering
“Tomfoolering” 是较口语、略带戏谑色彩的词,指做出愚蠢、滑稽或不负责任的行为,如 stop tomfoolering around(别瞎胡闹了)。由名词 tomfoolery 加 -ing 动词化而来。
- “The teacher told the boys to stop tomfoolering in the hallway.” (老师叫那几个男孩别在走廊里胡闹了。)
- “We were just tomfoolering with cardboard boxes, not building anything serious.” (我们只是在用纸箱瞎折腾,并不是在正经做什么。)
- “His tomfoolering at the meeting undermined an otherwise productive discussion.” (他在会上的胡闹破坏了原本很有成效的讨论。)
“Tomfoolering” 源自 Tom Fool,英国民间戏剧中的傻瓜角色名,后泛指 foolish behavior(愚蠢行为)。
“Tom” + “fool” + “-ery”(名词后缀)再动词化为 “-ing”;整体为口语构词。
偏英式口语,语气轻松或略带责备;多用于非正式场合,形容幼稚或不得体的玩笑行为。
- 固定搭配: “stop tomfoolering” (别胡闹了), “tomfoolering around” (到处瞎折腾)
- 名词: tomfoolery
- 相关: fooling around
“Tom Fool + ery + ing”:像戏剧里的傻瓜 Tom 一样瞎闹——tomfoolering 就是正在犯傻胡闹。
“The principal walked in while the seniors were tomfoolering with water balloons in the courtyard.” (校长走进来时,高三学生正在院子里用水球胡闹。)