venal

形容词 adj.
中文释义

英文释义

形容词 adj.
  1. Venous; pertaining to veins. archaic,rare
  2. For sale; available for purchase. archaic
    — Because lips libertine and and venal had murmured such words to him, he believed but little in the candour of hers; […].
  3. Of a position, privilege etc.: available for purchase rather than assigned on merit.
    — Thus, regimental commands in the army were – as with the judiciary or the financial bureaucracy – venal posts, which were purchased, bequeathed and sold among the nobility.
  4. Capable of being bought (of a person); willing to take bribes.
  5. Corrupt, mercenary.
    — Though there is a disposition in mankind, to declaim against the corruption and peculation of the present times, as being more venal than formerly; yet, if we look back to different periods, we shall find statesmen and politicians, as selfish and corrupt, […] as those who have lately figured on the political stage.

词形变化

more venal comparative most venal superlative more venal comparative most venal superlative

词汇关系

相关词
venality venally

词源

词源 1
From Latin vēna (“vein”) + -al.
词源 2
Borrowed from French vénal, from Old French venel, from Latin vēnālis (“for sale”), from vēnum (“something for sale”); compare English vend.
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