design: [16] The semantic history of design is a little complicated. It comes ultimately from the past participle of Latin dēsignāre ‘mark out’ (source also of English designate [15]), a compound verb formed from the prefix dē- ‘out’ and signāre ‘mark’, a derivative of signum ‘sign’. But English acquired it largely via French, in which a three-way split of form and meaning had taken place.
In both respects désigner ‘point out, denote’ remains closest to the original Latin, but this use of the word has now died out in English, having been taken over by designate. This has left the field open to the metaphorical use ‘plan’, represented in French on the one hand by dessein ‘purpose, intention’ and on the other by dessin ‘pattern, drawing’ and its related verb dessiner.
They represent the two main areas of meaning covered by the word in modern English, although English has stuck to the more latinate spelling. => designate, sign
design (v.)
1540s, from Latin designare "mark out, devise, choose, designate, appoint," from de- "out" (see de-) + signare "to mark," from signum "a mark, sign" (see sign (n.)). Originally in English with the meaning now attached to designate; many modern uses of design are metaphoric extensions. Related: Designed; designing.
design (n.)
1580s, from Middle French desseign "purpose, project, design," from Italian disegno, from disegnare "to mark out," from Latin designare "to mark out" (see design (v.)).
实用例句
1. The intelligence service conceived a grand design to assassinate the War Minister.
情报机构策划了一项暗杀陆军部长的重大计划。
来自柯林斯例句
2. They drew up the design for the house in a week.
他们在一周内就画出了房子的图样。
来自柯林斯例句
3. The grand design of Europe's monetary union is already agreed.
欧洲统一货币的宏伟构想已经获得认同。
来自柯林斯例句
4. A rather neat option allows you to design your own fiendish puzzle.
只要干净利落地做一个选择，你就能自己设计出难以解开的谜题。
来自柯林斯例句
5. This design knocks everything else into a cocked hat.
