| 词组 | distaff |
| 释义 | distaff Although disparaged by Copperud 1964, 1970, 1980 as "journalese" and by Flesh 1964 as pretentious, and viewed cautiously by Reader's Digest 1983 as liable to annoy women, the adjective use of distaff shows no sign of waning usage. Its primary use is as an alternative to female. Here are some current examples: • ... felt that most tournaments did not allot a big enough share of the prize money to the distaff side of the proceedings —Herbert Warren Wind, New Yorker, 2 Oct. 1971 • ... a serious and thoughtful study of the distaff Ivy League colleges —Marylin Bender, N. Y. Times Book Rev., 17 Oct. 1976 • ... the distaff tradition in English fiction —Albert H. Johnston, Publishers Weekly, 10 Jan. 1977 • ... even other women in the audience sometimes seem embarrassed at the outrageous things they hear from a distaff comic —Karen Stabiner, Mother Jones, July 1979 • ... spun off a distaff line after women began snapping up her small size men's jackets —Martha K. Babcock, People, 2 Mar. 1981 • ... the first distaff jockey to win a race in Mexico — Horse Illustrated, July 1980 It is also applied to horses with some frequency: • Another with notable distaff relations is Mr. D. Simpson's Joshua colt from the Sandwich Stakes heroine Mayfell —Alan Yuill Walker, British Racehorse, October 1979 • Delta Marron is the top weight in the distaff field and probably will be the post time choice in the race off her impressive record —Ed Fricke, Times-Picayune (New Orleans), 22 Sept. 1979 • ... the distaff side was asserting its earning power in the minds of buyers, owners and breeders —Wendy Insinger, Town & Country, July 1981 • Two distaff champions, Landaluce and Princess Rooney, both completed their 2-year-old campaigns undefeated —Janet Carlson, Town & Country, July 1983 Our evidence at the present time shows little objection to the adjective distaff by women writers. It seems possible that its etymological connection is remote enough even to be unknown to many who use it, and it seems not to have been used with a disparaging intent. It would thus appear to be an acceptable alternative to female, if you need one. |
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