lad

来自古英语ladde,步兵，年青的男仆，可能来自lead的过去分词，即被引导者，被带领的人，后用来指年轻的小伙。

lad

lad: [13] Lad originally meant ‘male of low status or social rank’, and hence ‘male servant’, but by the 14th century its progression to the presentday ‘young male’ was well under way. It is not known where it came from, but there seems to be a strong likelihood of a Scandinavian origin (Norwegian has -ladd in compounds referring to ‘(male) persons’).

lad (n.)

c. 1300, ladde "foot soldier," also "young male servant" (attested as a surname from late 12c.), possibly from a Scandinavian language (compare Norwegian -ladd, in compounds for "young man"), but of obscure origin in any case. OED hazards a guess on Middle English ladde, plural of the past participle of lead (v.), thus "one who is led" (by a lord). Liberman derives it from Old Norse ladd "hose; woolen stocking." "The development must have been from 'stocking,' 'foolish youth' to 'youngster of inferior status' and (with an ameliorated meaning) to 'young fellow.'" He adds, "Words for socks, stockings, and shoes seem to have been current as terms of abuse for and nicknames of fools." Meaning "boy, youth, young man" is from mid-15c. Scottish form laddie, a term of endearment, attested from 1540s.

1. Come along, lad. Time for you to get home.

来吧，小伙子。你该回家了。

来自柯林斯例句

2. He was a nice lad — bright and with a sunny disposition.

他是个不错的小伙子——聪明伶俐而且性格开朗。

来自柯林斯例句

3. He's a sensitive lad and some of the criticism has stung him.

他是个敏感的小伙子，有些批评刺痛了他。

来自柯林斯例句

4. Burns is a big lad with a rolling gait.

伯恩斯是一个走起路来一摇一晃的高大小伙子。

来自柯林斯例句

5. He's a mere slip of a lad compared to his brother.

跟他哥哥一比，他不过是个小毛孩。

来自柯林斯例句