martyr: [OE] Etymologically, a martyr is a ‘witness’ – that was the original meaning of Greek mártur, which came ultimately from Indo-European *mer ‘remember’ (source of English memory, mourn, remember, etc). In Christian usage, the notion of someone dying as a ‘witness’ to their faith led to the application of mártur to ‘martyr’, and it was in this sense that it passed via Latin martyr into Old English. => memory, mourn, remember
martyr (n.)
Old English martyr, from Late Latin martyr, from Doric Greek martyr, earlier martys (genitive martyros), in Christian use "martyr," literally "witness," probably related to mermera "care, trouble," from mermairein "be anxious or thoughtful," from PIE *(s)mrtu- (cognates: Sanskrit smarati "remember," Latin memor "mindful;" see memory).
Adopted directly into most Germanic languages, but Norse substituted native formation pislarvattr, literally "torture-witness." General sense of "constant sufferer" is from 1550s. Martyr complex "exaggerated desire for self-sacrifice" is attested from 1920.
martyr (v.)
Old English martyrian, from martyr (see martyr (n.)). Middle English also had a verb martyrize.
实用例句
1. Jennifer responded with anger and played the martyr role.
珍妮弗做出愤怒的反应，开始大倒苦水。
来自柯林斯例句
2. The dead student is now being regarded as a martyr.
这位死去的学生现在被视为烈士。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Ellsworth was a martyr to his sense of honour and responsibility.
埃尔斯沃思深为自己的荣誉感和责任感所累。
来自柯林斯例句
4. When are you going to quit acting like a martyr?
你什么时候才能不再摆出一副可怜样？
来自柯林斯例句
5. The martyr laid down his life for the cause of national independence.
