词汇学习：30个以-ible和-able结尾的单词

把以- ible和- able结尾的形容词转化为复数名词是人们长期使用英语的一个习惯，它可以追溯到14世纪初，这些词的使用跨越了食物、时尚和金融等多种范围类别。这里有30多个这种语言使用的例子。

1.Deplorables

可叹，可悲

2.Untouchables

贱民;被遗弃的人

In traditional Indian culture, the untouchables were members of the lowest caste, or outside the system altogether, contact with whom was considered defiling. The term became illegal, however, in India in 1949, Pakistan in 1953.

在传统的印度文化中，贱民是最低种姓的成员，或者是完全脱离制度，与被认为是污秽的人接触的人。然而，这个词在1949年的印度和1953年的巴基斯坦是非法的。

3.Edibles

可食物;食用品

Evidenced since 1661, an edible is a food item, though more recently referring to edible cannabis products.

尽管edibles近来指可食用的大麻产品，但是从1661年起，edibles就已经指一种食物了。

4.Vegetables

蔬菜;菜类

In the early 1400s, vegetable described an organism that vegetated, or could grow like a plant. Since at least the early 1700s, though, we’ve been using vegetable primarily as a noun for the produce we all ought to be eating more of. Of persons, a vegetable was first a dull, inactive person (1641) long before disparaging someone with brain damage.

在14世纪初，蔬菜是指一种有机体可以被蔬菜化或者可以像植物一样生长。不过，至少从18世纪初开始，我们一直用蔬菜作为一个名词，它是指我们应该多食用的一种产品。对人来说，vegetable首先是指迟钝的、不爱运动的人(1641年)，后来这个词用来贬损有脑损伤的人。

5.Drinkables

饮料

Drinkables, attested in 1708, are the natural counterpart to edibles. Potables, however, is an older form, found in the 1620s. Both terms especially refer to liquor.

在1708年，经测试饮料是可食用的天然食品。然而，potables是一种更古老的表示饮料的形式，在1620年代被发现。这两种术语都是指酒。

6.Perishables

易腐物品

Perishables have named foodstuffs that will go bad, since the 1740s.

自17世纪40年代起perishables是根据易变坏的食物进行命名的。

7.Recyclables

可再循环的东西;回收物品分类集放箱

We’ve been sorting our recyclables since 1970, unlike disposables, kitchenwares and other products designed for single-use.

自1970年以来，与一次性物品、厨具和其他产品不同，我们一直在对可回收物品进行分类。

8.Valuables

贵重物品

We’ve been minding our valuables, or small personal property of some worth and import, since the early 1700s, around the same time as portables, personal belongings repurposed more recently for electronic devices like laptops.

最近的一些个人物品也被用来指笔记本电脑等电子设备。我们一直很在意贵重物品，小型值钱财产以及进口物品。自18世纪早期，几乎与便携电脑同期。

9.Collectibles

收藏品;收藏物

We’ve been seeking out rare, unusual, and interesting collectibles since at least the 1950s.

至少从20世纪50年代开始，我们一直在寻找罕见的、不同寻常的、有趣的收藏品。

10.Convertibles

活动折叠车篷

And we’ve been putting the roof down on convertibles, since 1916.

从1916年起，我们一直在车子顶部安装活动折叠车篷。

11.Unmentionables

不宜说出的事物

This euphemism for ‘underpants’, especially ladies, was originally a substitute for ‘breeches’ or ‘trousers’ in the 1790s. Other humorous ‘trousers’ euphemism included inexpressibles, ineffables, and inexplicables, all exaggerating a taboo of undergarments – sorry, unmentionables.

不宜说出的事物是内衣裤的委婉的说法，尤其是女士内衣裤。18世纪90年代，unmentionables首先是作为 ‘breeches’ 和 ‘trousers’的代替说法而出现的。‘trousers’有趣的委婉语还包括 inexpressibles, ineefectables和inexplicables，这些都是对谈论内衣这种禁忌的夸大说法 – 对不起，这是不宜说出的事物。

12.Washables

需要洗的衣物

Since the 1950s, we’ve been tossing our washables in the washing machine, unharmed as they are by the technology.

自从20世纪50年代，因为洗衣机这种技术没有害处，我们就一直用洗衣机来洗衣物。

13.Wearables

衣服;服装

First referring to an article of clothing in the early 1700s, wearables now describe technology you can wear, such as smart watches or fitness trackers.

18世纪早期，wearables 是指一件衣服，现在wearables是指科技设备，比如智能手表和健身追踪器。

14.Changeables

易变的民族

Back in the mid-1500s, fabric whose color changed in different lights or angles were called changeables, though the term later named fickle folk.

尽管后来changeables被命名为易变的民族，但是早在15世纪中期，织物的颜色在不同的光线或角度上会发生变化，这被称为易变的。

15.Fashionables

时尚人物

In the 1800s, people who kept up with the latest trends were called fashionables.

在19世纪，那些紧跟最新趋势的人被称为时尚人物。

16.Indispensables

必不可少的人(或物)

Indispensables doubled as a type of small ladies’ satchel in the 1800s.

在19世纪，indispensables是指一种小型的女士的书包。

17.Horribles

令人害怕的人或者事

In 1540, horribles were used to denote someone or something causing great fear.

在1540年，horribles被用来指引起了极大的恐惧人或事物。

18.Terribles

可怕的人或者事物

Similarly, terribles, dating from 1606, referred to someone or something, usually death, inspiring great dread.

同样的，terribles可以追溯至1606，这个词通常指已故的人或者物，它能引起巨大的恐惧。

19.Respectables

可尊敬的人;体面人

In 1770, respectables were people considered worthy of esteem.

在1770年，respectablea是指值得尊敬的人。

20.Marriageables

适龄结婚的人

And from 1813, first used in a letter from Lord Byron, marriageables were people suitable or desirable for matrimony.

从1813年开始，这个词在拜伦勋爵的信中首次使用，用来指那些适合或者渴望结婚的人。

21.Reliables

可靠的人

Around 1863, a dependable thing, animal, or person, often used in the nickname ‘Old Reliable’ in the US.

在1863年前后，一个可靠的东西，动物或人，在美国经常被称为“老可靠”。

22.Agreeables

令人舒适的人或者是物

Since the 1670s, agreeables have been pleasant things or people, in contrast to disagreeables (1780s).

与disagreeables不同，自从17世纪70年代开始，agreeables指令人愉快的人或者是物。

23.Incurables

无可救药的人或者物

And since 1652, incurables have outcasted people suffering from incurable diseases.

从1652年开始，incurables已经不包括那些饱受不治之症之苦的人了。

24.Movables

动产;可移动的东西

One of the earliest instances of a pluralized -able is movables, dated to 1428 as a legal term for personal property, which can be moved, as opposed to fixed property like land or houses.

Movables 是最早出现以-able作为后缀加上复数构成的名词。追溯至1428年，moveable是形容个人财产的法律术语，与房屋，土地这些固定财产不同，movable是指动产。

25.Fungibles

(偿还债务时所用的)替代物(金钱、谷物等)

These are another legal term for goods that are fungible, that is, replaceable, like one pound or kilogram of wheat is interchangeable with another.

这是另一种可以替代的商品的法定术语，即可替代的，如一磅或一公斤的小麦是可以互换的。

26.Redeemables

可赎回物

In contrast to irredeemables, redeemables are securities, properties, or stocks that be recovered or repurchased.

与irredeemables相比，redeemables是指被回收或重新购买的证券、财产或股票。

27.Deliverables

可交付成果;可交付物

Going back to the 1940s, deliverables are goods or services that a business can provide, such as a report, product, or training programme.

追溯至20世纪40年代，可交付产品是企业可以提供的商品或服务，如报告、产品或培训计划。

28.Payables

应付款

Payables include money that a business owes, e.g., debt, payroll, or taxes.

应付款项包括企业欠下的钱，例如，债务，工资，或税收。

29.Deductibles

[保险] 免赔额;自付额

Familiar to North American English speakers since the 1920s, an insured person must pay a deductible before the insurer covers the rest of the claim.

自从20世纪20年代以来，与北美英语使用者相似，保险人必须在保险公司覆盖其余部分之前支付一笔免赔额。

30.Unquestionables

毫无疑问的事情

Life’s great truths have been dubbed unquestionables, while life’s great mysteries have eluded comprehension as imponderables (1855) and unthinkables (1871).

生活中伟大的真理是无需质疑的，而生命的伟大的秘密却在于无法理解 (1855)和不可想象 (1871年)。