ambush: [14] Originally, ambush meant literally ‘put in a bush’ – or more precisely ‘hide in a wood, from where one can make a surprise attack’. The hypothetical Vulgar Latin verb *imboscāre was formed from the prefix in- and the noun *boscus ‘bush, thicket’ (a word of Germanic origin, related to English bush). In Old French this became embuschier, and when English acquired it its prefix gradually became transformed into am-.
In the 16th century, various related forms were borrowed into English – Spanish produced ambuscado, Italian was responsible for imboscata, and French embuscade was anglicized was ambuscade – but none now survives other than as an archaism. => bush
ambush (v.)
c. 1300, from Old French embuscher (13c., Modern French embûcher) "to lay an ambush," from en- "in" + busch "wood," apparently from Frankish *busk "bush, woods" (see bush (n.)). Related: Ambushed; ambushing.
ambush (n.)
late 15c., embushe, from the English verb or from Middle French embusche, from Old French embuscher (see ambush (v.)). Earlier was ambushment (late 14c.). Figurative use by 1590s.
双语例句
1. A policeman has been shot dead in an ambush.
一名警察在一次伏击中中弹身亡。
来自柯林斯例句
2. The gunmen, lying in ambush, opened fire, killing the driver.
埋伏的枪手开枪打死了司机。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Two soldiers were killed in a terrorist ambush.
两名士兵遭到恐怖分子伏击而死亡。
来自《权威词典》
4. The enemy chased the decoys down to the place of ambush.
敌人将诱骗者一直追到伏兵所在地.
来自《简明英汉词典》
5. Our soldiers lay in ambush in the jungle for the enemy.