diminutize

词形变化

diminutized diminutizes 三单 diminutizes diminutizing diminutizing 现在分词 diminutized 过去式 diminutized 过去分词

别名

diminutise

释义与例句

v.
  1. 1.

    To put (a word, name) in a diminutive form.

    2007, Bruce Donaldson, German: An Essential Grammar, London: Routledge, Section 6.3, p. 41, All diminutized nouns, whatever their original gender, become neuter once they take either of [the] endings [-chen or -lein].

  2. 2.

    To make (someone or something) appear smaller (often in a figurative sense).

    1986, Jim Godbolt, All This and Many a Dog, London: Northway, revised edition, 2007, Part Two, Chapter 2, p. 140, The lady owner came out of the store, snatched the ticket from the windscreen, flung it to the ground and screamed: ‘You silly little man!’ at the warden, who was completing his entry of the offence in his book. He was of average height, but the rich invariably diminutize those who upset them.

    2016, Miranda July, quoted in Diana Wichtel, “The July Plot,” New Zealand Listener, 23 January, 2016, p. 34, I think the quirky thing is often not used in a positive way. It is, as we know, a belittling kind of word. A man might be called ground-breaking or genius or something. Quirky is a diminutising way to say that.