Timepiece
背单词背到这个，觉得这是一个十分有诗意的英语单词。时间是连续、无穷无尽流动的，但是我们发明了钟表等计时工具，把时间分割成一个一个细小的碎片，而我们也就活在这无尽的时间碎片洪流当中。形象生动，又富含哲理。——W&D
Timepiece词源网址
一个在线的词源查询网站：timepiece-Etymonline。
Timepiece词源翻译
（1）英语单词timepiece，名词，由time和piece合成【1765, from time (n.) + piece (n.1).】，表示钟表等各种计时器，其复数形式为timepieces。（2）time (n.)：古英语中，tima表示“limited space of time（有限的时间间隔）”，来自原始日耳曼语的timon，表示“time（时间）”（同时也是古斯堪的那维亚语中timi的来源，表示“time, proper time（时间，恰当的时间）”，也是瑞典语中timme的来源，表示“an hour（一个小时）”），来自原始印欧语dimon，是词根da的后缀形式，表示“to divide（划分）”。
14世纪晚期就有关于“时间是无限连续的持续”的抽象意义的记载。至少从1509年开始，它就被拟人化为一个拿着长柄大镰刀和沙漏的秃头老男人（但是有额发）。在英语中，一个包含time的单词表示“extent（程度，范围，长度等）”和“point（点）”（法语temps/fois，德语zeit/mal），也表示“hour（小时，整点等）”（比如“what time is it?（现在几点？）”，对比法语中的heure，德语中的Uhr）。其扩展的意思有“occasion（时刻）”，“the right time（正确的时间）”，“leisure（空闲）”或者time的动词形式表示“multiplied by（乘以）”，这些意思形成于古英语和中世纪英语，极有可能是这样一个短句的自然而然的副产物“He commends her a hundred times to God.（直译：他百倍地把她托付给上帝。）”（古法语La comande a Deu cent foiz）
【引用】：
to have a good time(=a time of enjoyment)在英语中比较普遍使用是在1520年到1588年之间，在美国得到保留并应用，而英国的牛津词典由此在19世纪重新采纳了该用法。
Time of day（现在主要在拒绝时使用，比如如果一个人不喜欢你，他不会给你什么）在17世纪是一个受欢迎的问候语（比如“Good time of day vnto your Royall Grace”, Richard III, I.iii.18），因此告诉某人一天的时间是社交的问候语（1590年代）；早些时候是读过美好的一天（14世纪中叶）。The times“the current age（当前时代）”来自1590年代。Behind the times表示“old-fashioned（过时的）”记录于1831年。Times作为一个报纸的名字可以追溯到1788年。
Time wrap（时间隧道）在1954年被第一次证实；time-traveling（时间旅行）在1895年H.G.Wells的“The Time Machine”的科幻小说常见中第一次被记录。Time capsule第一次记录是在1983年，是关于“它被认为能够抵御五千年时间的影响，将根植于纽约世界博览会场地的普遍成就保存下来。”
【引用】：
Jones[公元5139年的考古学家]在我们现在称为纽约的地方骚逛了一会儿，发现了无数的废墟，没有什么使他感兴趣，除了钙化了的一种叫做“时间胶囊”的方向标志。Jones发现了这个时间胶囊，但是发现打不开，在撬了老半天后，他判定这是只一个古老部落进行某种一是的证据，这种仪式称为“公共宣传”，而且他已经对此找到了很多的例子。【普林斯顿校友周刊，1939年4月14日】
去do time表示“服刑”来自1865年。Time frame（时间帧，可能和计算机有关）来自1964年；time-limit（时限）来自1880年。About time（该…的时候了），表示“早过了应有的时间”，具有反讽意味，记录于1920年。请on time（准时）来自于1854年铁路建设运营中。
（3）piece (n.1)：公元1200年，pece，“fixed amount, measure, portion（固定数量，测量，部分）”。公元1300年，“fragment of an object, bit of a whole, slice of meat; separate fragment, section, or part（一个物体的碎片，整体的一部分，一片肉，分开的碎片，部分或零件）”，来自古法语piece“piece,bit portion,item,coin”（12世纪），来自通俗拉丁语pettia，可能来自高卢语pettsi（对比威尔士语peth“thing”，布列塔尼语pez“piece,a little”），可能来自古凯尔特语基础kwezd-i-，来自印欧语系词根kwezd-“apart,piece”（也是俄语chast’“part”来源）。
“组成一类或一组的单独的物品”的含义来自1400年；“标本，实例，示例”的含义来自1569年代。“便携式枪支”的含义来自1580年代，更早的意思是“炮兵武器”（1540年代）。“棋子”的含义来自1560年代。“一段时间”的含义来自14世纪早期；“一段距离的一部分”的含义来自1610年代；“文学作品”的含义可以追溯到1530年代。
Piece of (one’s) mind“某人表达观点直言不讳”来自1570年代。Piece of work“杰出的人”，哈姆莱特发出的声音。Piece作为“硬币”的意思来自1400年，因此piece of eight，西班牙货币的古代名字（1600年），代表价值8或者数字8。副词短语in one piece“整个，没有分开的，没有丢失或损失的”是来自1580年代；of a piece“同一块或整体的”来自1610年代。
Timepiece词源原文
timepiece (n.) 1765, from time (n.) + piece (n.1).
Entries linking to timepiece time (n.) Old English tima “limited space of time,” from Proto-Germanic *timon- “time” (source also of Old Norse timi “time, proper time,” Swedish timme “an hour”), from PIE *di-mon-, suffixed form of root *da- “to divide.”
Abstract sense of “time as an indefinite continuous duration” is recorded from late 14c. Personified at least since 1509 as an aged bald man (but with a forelock) carrying a scythe and an hour-glass. In English, a single word encompasses time as “extent” and “point” (French temps/fois, German zeit/mal) as well as “hour” (as in “what time is it?” compare French heure, German Uhr). Extended senses such as “occasion,” “the right time,” “leisure,” or times (v.) “multiplied by” developed in Old and Middle English, probably as a natural outgrowth of such phrases as “He commends her a hundred times to God” (Old French La comande a Deu cent foiz).
to have a good time ( = a time of enjoyment) was common in Eng. from c 1520 to c 1688; it was app. retained in America, whence readopted in Britain in 19th c. [OED] Time of day (now mainly preserved in negation, i.e. what someone won’t give you if he doesn’t like you) was a popular 17c. salutation (as in “Good time of day vnto your Royall Grace,” “Richard III,” I.iii.18), hence to give (one) the time of day “greet socially” (1590s); earlier was give good day (mid-14c.). The times “the current age” is from 1590s. Behind the times “old-fashioned” is recorded from 1831. Times as the name of a newspaper dates from 1788.
Time warp first attested 1954; time-traveling in the science fiction sense first recorded 1895 in H.G. Wells’ “The Time Machine.” Time capsule first recorded 1938, in reference to the one “deemed capable of resisting the effects of time for five thousand years preserving an account of universal achievements embedded in the grounds of the New York World’s fair.”
Jones [archaeologist of A.D. 5139] potters about for a while in the region which we have come to regard as New York, finds countless ruins, but little of interest to the historian except a calcified direction sheet to something called a “Time Capsule.” Jones finds the capsule but cannot open it, and decides, after considerable prying at the lid, that it is merely evidence of an archaic tribal ceremony called a “publicity gag” of which he has already found many examples. [Princeton Alumni Weekly, April 14, 1939] To do time “serve a prison sentence” is from 1865. Time frame is attested by 1964; time-limit is from 1880. About time, ironically for “long past due time,” is recorded from 1920. To be on time is by 1854 in railroading.
piece (n.1) c. 1200, pece, “fixed amount, measure, portion;” c. 1300, “fragment of an object, bit of a whole, slice of meat; separate fragment, section, or part,” from Old French piece “piece, bit portion; item; coin” (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *pettia, probably from Gaulish *pettsi (compare Welsh peth “thing,” Breton pez “piece, a little”), perhaps from an Old Celtic base *kwezd-i-, from PIE root *kwezd- “a part, piece” (source also of Russian chast’ “part”). Related: Pieces.
Meaning “separate article forming part of a class or group” is from c. 1400; that of “specimen, instance, example” is from 1560s. Sense of “portable firearm” is from 1580s, earlier “artillery weapon” (1540s). The meaning “chessman” is from 1560s. Meaning “a period of time” is from early 14c.; that of “a portion of a distance” is from 1610s; that of “literary composition” dates from 1530s.
Piece of (one’s) mind “one’s opinion expressed bluntly” is from 1570s. Piece of work “remarkable person” echoes Hamlet. Piece as “a coin” is attested in English from c. 1400, hence piece of eight, old name for the Spanish dollar (c. 1600) of the value of 8 reals and bearing a numeral 8. Adverbial phrase in one piece “whole, undivided, without loss or injury” is by 1580s; of a piece “as of the same piece or whole” is from 1610s.
