In Middle English, -u- and -v- were used interchangeably, though with a preference for v- as the initial letter (vnder, vain, etc.) and -u- elsewhere (full, euer, etc.). The distinction into consonant and vowel identities was established in English by 1630, under influence of continental printers, but into 19c. some dictionaries and other catalogues continued to list -u- and -v- words as a single series.
No native Anglo-Saxon words begin in v- except those (vane, vat, vixen) altered by the southwestern England habit of replacing initial f- with v- (and initial s- with z-). Confusion of -v- and -w- also was a characteristic of 16c. Cockney accents.
As a Roman numeral, "five." In German rocket weapons systems of World War II, it stood for Vergeltungswaffe "reprisal weapon." V-eight as a type of motor engine is recorded from 1929 (V-engine is attested from 1909), so called for the arrangement. The V for "victory" hand sign was conceived January 1941 by Belgian politician and resistance leader Victor de Laveleye, to signify French victoire and Flemish vrijheid ("freedom"). It was broadcast into Europe by Radio België/Radio Belgique and popularized by the BBC by June 1941, from which time it became a universal allied gesture.
双语例句
1. They saw a squadron of fifteen motorcycle policemen driving in V-formation.
他们看见15名警察骑着摩托车排成V字形前行。
来自柯林斯例句
2. They were waving V-signs for victory.
他们打着象征胜利的V字形手势。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Wild ducks fly in a V - shape when they are going south for the winter.
野鸭排成V 字形 飞到南方去过冬.
来自《简明英汉词典》
4. He wore shoulderstrap rank slides with sergeant's chevrons.
他佩戴标示级别的肩章，上面有中士的V形标志。
来自柯林斯例句
5. " No, r - . " corrected the man, " M - a - v - r - o ---- "
