Word of the Day:July 25, 2020
noblesse oblige
位高則任重；顯貴者應有高尚品德；貴族義務
noun noh-BLESS-uh-BLEEZH
Definition
: the obligation of honorable, generous, and responsible behavior associated with high rank or birth
高貴、慷慨和負責任的行為，與高貴或出身有關
Examples
"Like many independent schools, Shipley cultivates a sense of noblesse oblige among its students—the notion that part of being educated in a privileged environment requires scholars to give back." — Alfred Lubrano, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 20 May 2020
「像許多私立學校一樣，Shipley 在學生中培養了一種高尚的責任感——在特權環境中接受教育的一部分需要學者饋贈。」
"And, unlike the goal of simply becoming fabulously wealthy—which one could also accomplish by winning the lottery or marrying a nonroyal oil magnate—princesshood came with a sense of noblesse oblige. You would be doing it to inspire people. You would be your own act of charity." — Monica Hesse, The Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2020
而且，與簡單地成為超級富豪的目標不同——這也可以通過中彩票或嫁給一個非皇室的石油大亨來實現——公主身份帶著一種貴族的優越感。你這樣做是為了激勵別人。你就是你自己的慈善行為。」
Did You Know?
In French, noblesse oblige means literally "nobility obligates." French speakers transformed the phrase into a noun, which English speakers picked up in the 19th century. Then, as now, noblesse oblige referred to the unwritten obligation of people from a noble ancestry to act honorably and generously to others. Later, by extension, it also came to refer to the obligation of anyone who is in a better position than others—due, for example, to high office or celebrity—to act respectably and responsibly.
在法語中，「noblesse oblige」的字面意思是「貴族義務【nobility obligates】」。講法語的人把這個短語變成名詞，講英語的人在19世紀開始使用這個詞。在當時，就像現在一樣，「貴族義務」【noblesse oblige 】指的是來自貴族血統的人的一種不成文的義務，即對他人的行為要尊敬、慷慨。後來，延伸開來，它也用來指處於比別人更好位置的人的義務，例如，由於身居要職或名人的地位而採取行動。
Test Your Vocabulary
Fill in the blanks to complete a word that describes someone having a generous and kind nature: _ a _ n _ _ im _ _ _.