prim

adjective

/prɪm/

(comparative primmer, superlative primmest)

jump to other results

(disapproving) (of a person人) always behaving in a careful and formal way, and easily shocked by anything that is rude一本正经的；循规蹈矩的；古板的
- You can't tell her that joke—she's much too prim and proper.你可别跟她讲那个笑话；她这个人古板正经得要命。
Extra Examples
- He had rather prim ideas about what things were suitable for the children.关于什么东西适合孩子，他的想法相当古板。
- She knew she sounded prim.她知道自己听起来很古板。
formal and neat正式的；端庄的 synonym demure
- a prim suit with a high-necked collar端庄的高领西服

Word Originlate 17th cent. (as a verb): probably ultimately from Old French prin, Provençal prim ‘excellent, delicate’, from Latin primus ‘first’.

BNC: 20979 COCA: 19588

prim

adjective

prim

♦︎

demure

♦︎

prudishThese words all describe sb who behaves in a careful way and is easily shocked by anything connected with sex. 这些词均表示循规蹈矩的、古板守旧的、性观念保守的。

PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配

◆a prim / demure look

◆very / rather prim / prudish

■ prim

(especially written,

disapproving)

always behaving in a careful, formal way and easily shocked by anything that is rude 一本正经的；循规蹈矩的；古板的

◆He had rather prim ideas about what things were suitable for the children.关于什么东西适合孩子，他的想法相当古板。

◆You can't tell her that joke－she's much too prim and proper.你可别跟她讲那个笑话－她这个人古板正经得要命。

▸

primly

adverb

◆'You're not supposed to say that,' she said primly.“你不该讲那样的话。”她一本正经地说。

■ demure

dɪˈmjʊə(r); NAmE dɪˈmjʊr

(especially written)

(of a woman or girl) behaving in a way that does not attract attention to herself or her body; quiet and serious; suggesting that a woman or girl is like this （女子）娴静的，端庄的

◆a demure young woman娴静的年轻女子

◆She wore the demure dresses approved of by her father.她穿的都是父亲会赞成的庄重连衣裙。

▸

demurely

adverb

◆She sat with her eyes demurely downwards.她坐在那儿，娴静地垂下双眸。

■ prudish

ˈpruːdɪʃ

(disapproving)

easily shocked by things connected with sex （对性问题）大惊小怪的，迂腐守旧的

◆She can be quite prudish.她在性问题上相当传统守旧。

◆He grew up in the prudish moral climate of the late nineteenth century.他在19世纪末期迂腐的道德环境中长大。