ambidextrous: [16] Ambidextrous means literally ‘right-handed on both sides’. It was formed in Latin from the prefix ambi- ‘both’ and the adjective dexter ‘right-handed’ (source of English dextrous). Ambi- corresponds to the Latin adjective ambo ‘both’, which derived ultimately from the Indo-European base *amb- ‘a(chǎn)round’ (an element in the source of ambassador and embassy).
The second element in Latin ambo seems to correspond to Old English ba ‘both’, which is related to modern English both. Other English words formed with the prefix amb(i)- include ambient [16] (which came, like ambition, from Latin ambīre ‘go round’), ambit [16] (from Latin ambitus ‘circuit’), ambiguous, ambition, amble, and ambulance. => dextrous
ambidextrous (adj.)
1640s, with -ous, from ambidexter (adj.) "double-dealing" (1610s), from French ambidextre or directly from Latin ambidexter, literally "right-handed on both sides," from ambi- "both" (see ambi-) + dexter "right-handed" (see dexterity). Its opposite, ambilevous "left-handed on both sides, clumsy" (1640s) is rare. Ambidexter as a noun, "one who takes bribes from both sides," is attested from 1530s and is the earliest form of the word in English; its sense of "one who uses both hands equally well" appears by 1590s.
雙語例句
1. Jack is an ambidextrous hitter; he can bat right - handed or left - handed.
杰克是一位雙手都很靈巧的打擊手; 他可以用右手或左手打擊.
來自互聯(lián)網(wǎng)
2. A switch - hitter in baseball should be naturally ambidextrous.
一個(gè)開關(guān)在棒球擊球手應(yīng)自然懷有二心的.
來自互聯(lián)網(wǎng)
3. I'm neither left - handed nor right - handed; I'm ambidextrous.
我不是只用左手或右手, 我是雙手并用.
來自互聯(lián)網(wǎng)
4. All are 15 - shot pistols. All Ruger P 89 pistols feature an ambidextrous magazine release button.