retail: [14] Retail etymologically denotes the sale of ‘cut-off’ bits, hence sale in small quantities. It comes from Old French retaille ‘piece cut off’, a derivative of retaillier ‘cut up’. This was a compound verb formed from the intensive prefix re- and taillier ‘cut’ (source of English tailor). It use in English for ‘sell in small quantities’ was probably inspired by the Italian retagliare, which has the same meaning. The figurative sense ‘relate, tell’ appeared at the end of the 16th century. => tailor
retail (v.)
mid-14c. "sell in small quantities or parcels," from Old French retaillier "cut back, cut off, pare, clip, reduce, circumcise," from re- "back" (see re-) + taillier "to cut, trim" (see tailor (n.)). Sometimes also "to deal out (information, etc.) in small quantities; hand down by report; recount, tell over again" (1590s). Related: Retailed; retailing.
retail (n.)
early 15c., "sale of commodities in small quantities or parcels or at second hand" (opposed to wholesale), from Old French retail "piece cut off, shred, scrap, paring" (Modern French retaille), from retaillier (see retail (v.)). The notion of the English word is "a selling by the piece." This sense is not in French, however, and comes perhaps from cognate Italian ritaglio, which does have that sense. As an adjective, "of or pertaining to sale at retail," c. 1600.
雙語例句
1. There's nothing better than a bit of retail therapy.
沒有什么比花錢買點(diǎn)東西能讓自己高興起來了。
來自柯林斯例句
2. The news from Body Shop rattled the rest of the retail sector.
從“美體小鋪”傳來的消息令整個(gè)零售行業(yè)不安。
來自柯林斯例句
3. He now controls the largest retail development empire in southern California.
他現(xiàn)在掌管著加州南部最大的零售發(fā)展企業(yè)。
來自柯林斯例句
4. Savings schemes are the best retail investment products on offer.
儲蓄方案是現(xiàn)有的最佳零售投資產(chǎn)品。
來自柯林斯例句
5. Unemployment is rising again and retail buying has fallen off.