reticent
Meaning: Not readily revealing one's thoughts or feelings; inclined to say little, especially about personal matters.
Reticent specifically concerns speech and self-disclosure rather than shyness or unwillingness in general, though the broader usage ('reticent to act') is increasingly common. Purists maintain that one is reticent about something (reluctant to speak about it) rather than reticent to do something. The noun form is 'reticence.' Common collocations include 'reticent about,' 'naturally reticent,' 'reticent witness,' and 'habitual reticence.'
Examples
- He was characteristically reticent about his private life, deflecting personal questions with polite firmness. 他一贯对私生活讳莫如深,以礼貌而坚定的方式回避个人问题。Era característicamente reticente sobre su vida privada, esquivando las preguntas personales con cortés firmeza.彼は私生活について一貫して寡黙で、個人的な質問は丁寧だが毅然とした態度でかわした。그는 사생활에 대해 한결같이 과묵했으며, 개인적인 질문은 정중하지만 단호한 태도로 피했다.
- The witness proved reticent under cross-examination, offering monosyllabic answers to even the simplest questions. 那位证人在交叉询问中显得沉默寡言,即使是最简单的问题也只给出单音节的回答。El testigo se mostró reticente durante el interrogatorio, ofreciendo respuestas monosilábicas incluso a las preguntas más sencillas.その証人は反対尋問で口が堅く、最も簡単な質問にも一語で答えるのみだった。그 증인은 반대심문에서 입이 무거웠고, 가장 간단한 질문에도 단답으로만 대답했다.
- In a culture that rewards self-promotion, her natural reticence was sometimes mistaken for a lack of ambition. 在一个奖励自我推销的文化中,她天生的沉默有时被误认为缺乏抱负。En una cultura que premia la autopromoción, su reticencia natural a veces se confundía con falta de ambición.自己アピールが評価される文化において、彼女の生来の寡黙さは時として野心の欠如と誤解された。자기 홍보가 평가받는 문화에서 그녀의 타고난 과묵함은 때때로 야망의 부재로 오해받았다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: journalism, literary, general
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Latin 'reticens,' present participle of 'reticere' meaning to keep silent, from 're-' (expressing intensive force) and 'tacere' (to be silent). Entered English in the 19th century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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