expedition: [15] The Latin verb expedīre originally had the rather mundane meaning ‘free one’s feet’ – from a snare, for example It was formed from the prefix ex- ‘out’ and pēs ‘foot’ (source of English pedal, pedestrian, etc and related to English foot). Its literal meaning was soon lost sight of, progressing via ‘extricate, liberate’ to ‘bring out, make ready’ and ‘put in order, arrange, set right’.
The notion of ‘freeing’ something, enabling it to go forward without hindrance, is reflected in the verb’s English descendant expedite [17]. It also survives in the derived noun expedition, as ‘promptness, dispatch’; in the main, however, this has taken a different semantic route, via ‘sending out a military force’ to ‘long organized journey for a particular purpose’. => expedite, foot, pedal, pedestrian
expedition (n.)
early 15c., "military campaign; the act of rapidly setting forth," from Old French expedicion "an expediting, implementation; expedition, mission" (13c.) and directly from Latin expeditionem (nominative expeditio) "an enterprise against an enemy, a military campaign," noun of action from past participle stem of expedire "make ready, prepare" (see expedite). Meaning "journey for some purpose" is from 1590s. Sense by 1690s also included the body of persons on such a journey.
实用例句
1. The expedition was wrecked by bad planning and poor navigation.
这次探险因计划不周和导航不利而失败。
来自柯林斯例句
2. The South Pole expedition proved to be staggeringly successful.
这次南极探险结果非常成功。
来自柯林斯例句
3. He decided to postpone the expedition until the following day.
他决定把探险推迟到第二天。
来自柯林斯例句
4. Lee had to fight hard for his place on the expedition.
李不得不为在考察队中获得一席之地而苦苦争取。
来自柯林斯例句
5. She prophesied a bad ending for the expedition.
