literal

Word family

lit·e·ral /ˈlɪtərəl/ adjectiveadj → littoral

1 EXACTthe literal meaning of a word or expression is its basic or original meaning 〔词或词组〕本义的，原义的，字面意思的 → figurative

literal meaning/sense/interpretation etc

A trade war is not a war in the literal sense.

贸易战不是字面意义上的战争。

2. literal translation SLa translation that translates each word exactly instead of giving the general meaning in a more natural way 直译，逐字翻译 OPP free

Examples from the Corpus

literal translation• For example, a literal translation by some one not familiar with its deeper cultural meaning may result in serious mistakes.• A literal translation is given of the Arabic themes to highlight the partial loss of orientation through discontinuity of theme.• A literal translation would be estrangement.

3. literal-minded IMAGINEnot showing much imagination 缺乏想象力的

—literalness noun [uncountableU]

Examples from the Corpus

literal• But there we go, getting too literal again.• It's all painfully literal, and rather old-fashioned.• The resulting deep distrust provoked by social surfaces leaves Chandler unimpressed by anything as literal as an economic recovery.• But railways have also had a powerful literal effect upon religious movements around the world.• The joining of forces of the young and old represents a literal means of reconnecting tenses.• A trade war is not a war in the literal sense.• Cornerville man describes the gang member and his relationships in a very literal sense.• She felt as though she were sinking into its blue fabric in the most literal way.

literal meaning/sense/interpretation etc• No. 1 with a bullet, in the most literal sense.• As Leon Brittan has pointed out, the phrase doesn't even carry the same literal meaning in every language.• Rather, the hearer is intended to use the literal meaning in figuring out what the speaker actually intends to communicate.• The literal meaning is not conclusive: the ordinary reader knows all about irony.• It seems that Freemantle was uneasy about poems which even in the most literal sense made the poet look bad.• Therefore, on the literal meaning of the words used, the applicants must fail.• But the Ahlbergs have no time for literal interpretations of their work.• Within the family it is usually the words and their literal meaning which take primary importance.

Origin literal

(1300-1400) French Medieval Latin literalis, from Latin littera; → LETTER1

lit·e·ral adjectiveadj

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus