英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

biographer (n.)[biographer 词源字典]: 1715; see biography + -er (1). Earlier was biographist (1660s).
Of every great and eminent character, part breaks forth into public view, and part lies hid in domestic privacy. Those qualities which have been exerted in any known and lasting performances may, at any distance of time, be traced and estimated; but silent excellencies are soon forgotten; and those minute peculiarities which discriminate every man from all others, if the are not recorded by those whom personal knowledge enabled to observe them, are irrecoverably lost. [Johnson, "Life of Sir Thomas Browne," 1756]
[biographer etymology, biographer origin, 英语词源]
e.t.a.: abbreviation of estimated time (of) arrival, first attested 1939.
estimable (adj.): mid-15c., "capable of being estimated," from Old French estimable and directly from Latin aestimabilis "valuable, estimable," from aestimare (see esteem (v.)). Meaning "worthy of esteem" in English is from 1690s.
estimate (v.): 1530s, "appraise the worth of," from Latin aestimatus, past participle of aestimare "to value, appraise" (see esteem (v.)). Meaning "form an approximate notion" is from 1660s. Related: Estimated; estimates; estimating.
misestimate (v.): 1778, from mis- (1) + estimate (v.). Related: Misestimated; misestimating.
over-estimate (v.): 1768, from over- + estimate (v.). Related: Over-estimated; over-estimating.
rate (n.): "estimated value or worth," early 15c., from Old French rate "price, value" and directly from Medieval Latin rata (pars) "fixed (amount)," from Latin rata "fixed, settled," fem. past participle of reri "to reckon, think" (see reason (n.)). Meaning "degree of speed" (properly ratio between distance and time) is attested from 1650s. Currency exchange sense first recorded 1727. First-rate, second-rate, etc. are 1640s, from British Navy division of ships into six classes based on size and strength. Phrase at any rate originally (1610s) meant "at any cost;" weakened sense of "at least" is attested by 1760.
underestimate (v.): 1812, "to estimate at too low an amount," from under + estimate (v.). Meaning "to rank too low, undervalue" is recorded from 1850. Related: Underestimated; underestimating.
Wu: "A dialect of Chinese spoken in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces and the city of Shanghai. It has an estimated 80 million speakers", The name in Chinese.