| 词组 | Esquire |
| 释义 | Esquire Esquire means literally "shield-bearer." In the days of chivalry, it denoted a young candidate for knighthood who, as the OED puts it, "attended upon a knight, carried his shield, and rendered him other services." It later acquired the meaning "a member of the English gentry ranking immediately below a knight," in which sense it was appended to such a man's name as a title of respect in formal address. Eventually it came to be used more broadly in British English as a respectful title used in addressing correspondence to any man who could otherwise be referred to as "Mr."—in other words, just about any man at all. The British continue to use it that way in the abbreviated form Esq. (or sometimes Esqr. or Esqre.). Its use in American English is far less common, persisting mainly among attorneys, who use it when referring to or addressing each other in writing. There has recently been some controversy in American legal circles about using Esq. after the name of a woman lawyer. Some lawyers are all in favor of such usage, it seems, while some others are strongly opposed to it. Indications are that the pros are gradually winning out over the antis, but arguments for both sides can still be heard. Lawyers being lawyers, it seems likely that this issue will stay alive for some years yet. Note that when Esq. is used as a title following a name, no other title or term of address is used before the name. You can write Mr. John Smith or John Smith, Esq., but if you are concerned with observing proper form (as you presumably are when you use Esq. in an address) you should not write Mr. John Smith, Esq. |
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