decoy: [16] Dutch kooi means ‘cage’ (it comes from Latin cavea ‘cage’, source of English cage). The term came to be applied specifically to a pond which had been surrounded with nets into which wildfowl were lured for capture. English took it over, but brought with it the Dutch definite article de, so that Dutch de kooi ‘the decoy’ became English decoy. => cage
decoy (n.)
1610s, perhaps from Dutch kooi "cage," used of a pond surrounded by nets, into which wildfowl were lured for capture, from West Germanic *kaiwa, from Latin cavea "cage." The first element is possibly the Dutch definite article de, mistaken in English as part of the word. But decoy, of unknown origin, was the name of a card game popular c. 1550-1650, and this may have influenced the form of the word.
decoy (v.)
1650s, from decoy (n.). Related: Decoyed; decoying.
中文解释
1. de- + cage => *decage => decoy.2. the sense is from the practice of using tamed ducks to lead wild ones along channels into captivity.3. 将其诱骗到笼子里面来。4. 谐音“敌可诱”-----可以诱骗敌人。
实用例句
1. He was booked on a flight leaving that day, but that was just a decoy.
他订了那天起飞的航班，但那不过是个诱饵。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Nick acted as a decoy after the dog attacked a group of children swimming in the river.
那只狗攻击了在河里游泳的一群孩子后，尼克作诱饵要将其捉住。
来自柯林斯例句
3. The use of Ozawa's impotent carriers as a decoy force was brilliant.
利用小泽那几条脆弱的航空母舰作为一支诱敌舰队,这个战略也是十分巧妙的.
来自辞典例句
4. These pellets could burst the decoy balloons that would accompany a swarm of warheads.
这些子弹能摧毁伴随许多枚弹头的假目标--气球.
来自辞典例句
5. It's just a decoy, a facade, so we'll leave her alone.