the base that a column, statue, etc. rests on (柱子或雕塑等的)底座,基座 a pedestal basin (= a washbasin supported by a column) 有底座的洗脸盆 I replaced the vase carefully on its pedestal 我小心地把花瓶放回基座上。 The statue stands on a low marble pedestal. 这座雕像矗立在一个低矮的大理石基座上。
Word Originmid 16th cent.: from French piédestal, from Italian piedestallo, from piè ‘foot’ (from Latin pes, ped-, which later influenced the spelling) + di ‘of’ + stallo ‘stall’.
Idioms
knock somebody off their pedestal/perch
to make somebody lose their position as somebody/something successful or admired 使某人丧失名位 A lot of teams are looking to knock us off our pedestal. 很多团队都想让我们下台。
to put/place somebody on a pedestal
to admire somebody so much that you do not see their faults 把某人奉为完人;盲目崇拜某人