| 释义 |
Definition of hoi polloi in English: hoi polloiplural noun ˌhɔɪ pɒˈlɔɪˌhɔɪ pəˈlɔɪ usually the hoi polloiderogatory The masses; the common people. 〈贬〉民众，草民；乌合之众 avoid mixing with the hoi polloi 不要与乌合之众混在一起。 Example sentencesExamples - There is always a tendency for the political class to assume that they always know better than the hoi polloi what is right and proper, and to assume that therefore they are entitled to make decisions on behalf of the rest.
- They've had centuries to do little but perfect the small talk required when meeting the hoi polloi who pay for their increasingly bizarre visits.
- She says half her daily calls are from angry residents who can't believe they have to share the sidewalk with the hoi polloi.
- Essentially, he came out sounding like a high priest offended that the hoi polloi were infringing on his turf.
- But the thing about democracy is that it's supposed to keep a lid on the worst impulses of the ruling class by allowing the hoi polloi to be involved in the process.
- There is something humbling about watching the great and the good do things normally reserved for the hoi polloi.
- Unfortunately, too often, it is the liberals who believe that they should run the country because they're superior to the hoi polloi.
- In one of the rooms my father started a conversation with one of the elderly ladies who were standing sentinel to make sure that the hoi polloi didn't walk off with the silverware.
- Apparently it's too risky to divulge to the hoi polloi where money is spent.
- Yesterday's announcement made it clear they no longer want to engage with the hoi polloi.
Synonyms the masses, the common people, the populace, the public, the people, the multitude, the rank and file, the lower orders, the crowd, the commonality, the commonalty, the commons, the third estate, the plebeians derogatory the mob, the proletariat, the common herd, the herd, the rabble, the riff-raff, the canaille, the great unwashed, the many, the ragtag (and bobtail), the plebs, the proles, the peasants
UsageHoi is the Greek word for the, and the phrase hoi polloi means ‘the many.’ This has led some traditionalists to insist that hoi polloi should not be used in English with the, since that would be to state the word the twice. But, once established in English, expressions such as hoi polloi are typically treated as fixed units and are subject to the rules and conventions of English. Evidence shows that use with the has now become an accepted part of standard English usage: they kept to themselves, away from the hoi polloi (rather than away from hoi polloi). Hoi polloi is sometimes used incorrectly to mean ‘upper class’—that is, the exact opposite of its normal meaning. It seems likely that the confusion arose by association with the similar-sounding but otherwise unrelated word hoity-toity OriginMid 17th century: Greek, literally 'the many'. In Greek hoi polloi means ‘the many’. It has been used since the middle of the 17th century as a snooty way of referring to ordinary people, ‘the masses’. Strictly, as hoi means ‘the’ you should avoid saying ‘the hoi polloi’, but writers as well known as Dryden and Byron have said ‘the hoi polloi’.
Rhymesahoy, alloy, Amoy, annoy, boy, buoy, cloy, coy, destroy, employ, enjoy, Hanoi, hoy, Illinois, joy, koi, oi, ploy, poi, Roy, savoy, soy, tatsoi, toy, trompe l'œil, troy Definition of hoi polloi in US English: hoi polloiplural nounˌhɔɪ pəˈlɔɪˌhoi pəˈloi usually the hoi polloiderogatory The masses; the common people. 〈贬〉民众，草民；乌合之众 avoid mixing with the hoi polloi 不要与乌合之众混在一起。 Example sentencesExamples - Unfortunately, too often, it is the liberals who believe that they should run the country because they're superior to the hoi polloi.
- There is something humbling about watching the great and the good do things normally reserved for the hoi polloi.
- Yesterday's announcement made it clear they no longer want to engage with the hoi polloi.
- She says half her daily calls are from angry residents who can't believe they have to share the sidewalk with the hoi polloi.
- They've had centuries to do little but perfect the small talk required when meeting the hoi polloi who pay for their increasingly bizarre visits.
- There is always a tendency for the political class to assume that they always know better than the hoi polloi what is right and proper, and to assume that therefore they are entitled to make decisions on behalf of the rest.
- Essentially, he came out sounding like a high priest offended that the hoi polloi were infringing on his turf.
- But the thing about democracy is that it's supposed to keep a lid on the worst impulses of the ruling class by allowing the hoi polloi to be involved in the process.
- Apparently it's too risky to divulge to the hoi polloi where money is spent.
- In one of the rooms my father started a conversation with one of the elderly ladies who were standing sentinel to make sure that the hoi polloi didn't walk off with the silverware.
Synonyms the masses, the common people, the populace, the public, the people, the multitude, the rank and file, the lower orders, the crowd, the commonality, the commonalty, the commons, the third estate, the plebeians
UsageHoi is the Greek word for the, and the phrase hoi polloi means ‘the many.’ This has led some traditionalists to insist that hoi polloi should not be used in English with the, since that would be to state the word the twice. But, once established in English, expressions such as hoi polloi are typically treated as fixed units and are subject to the rules and conventions of English. Evidence shows that use with the has now become an accepted part of standard English usage: they kept to themselves, away from the hoi polloi (rather than away from hoi polloi). Hoi polloi is sometimes used incorrectly to mean ‘upper class’—that is, the exact opposite of its normal meaning. It seems likely that the confusion arose by association with the similar-sounding but otherwise unrelated word hoity-toity OriginMid 17th century: Greek, literally ‘the many’. |