display: [14] Display originally meant ‘unfold’, and it is related not to modern English play but to ply. It comes via Old French despleier (whose modern French descendant, déployer, is the source of English deploy [18]) from Latin displicāre. This was a compound verb formed from the prefix dis- ‘un-’ and plicāre ‘fold’ (source of or related to English accomplish, complicated, ply, and simple), and in classical Latin seems only to have had the metaphorical meaning ‘scatter’.
In medieval Latin, however, it returned to its underlying literal sense ‘unfold’, which was originally retained in English, particularly with reference to sails or flags. The notion of ‘spreading out’ is retained in splay, which was formed by lopping off the first syllable of display in the 14th century. => accomplish, complicate, deploy, ply, simple
display (v.)
late 13c., "unfurl" (a banner, etc.), from Old French desploiir (Modern French déployer) "unfold, unfasten, spread out" (of knots, sealed letters, etc.), from Latin displicare "to scatter," from dis- "un-, apart" (see dis-) + plicare "to fold" (see ply (v.1)).
Properly of sails or flags (and unconnected to play); meaning "reveal, exhibit" is late 14c. Related: Displayed; displaying.
display (n.)
1580s, "description," from display (v.). Meaning "exhibition" is from 1680s.
双语例句
1. The most pleasurable experience of the evening was the wonderful fireworks display.
这个晚上最让人高兴的就是精彩的焰火表演。
来自柯林斯例句
2. It was an incredible display of motherly love and forgiveness.
那是慈母般关爱与宽容的了不起的表现。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Normally, such an outward display of affection is reserved for his mother.
通常，只有在母亲面前他的情感才会如此外露。
来自柯林斯例句
4. It is not unknown for valuable display items to go, ahem, missing.
贵重的展品，呃哼，丢失的话，会众人皆知。
来自柯林斯例句
5. She was leaning against a display case of prints of Paris.
