machiavellian

['mækɪə'vɛlɪən]
  • adj. 不择手段的；狡猾的；马基雅弗利的
  • n. 权谋政治家

中文词源

Machiavellian 马基雅维利主义的，不择手段的

来自16世纪意大利政治家和思想家Niccolo Machiavelli,其写了一本重要的思想巨著《君主论》，论述了为君之道，君主需具备的条件和本领以及如何夺取和巩固政权等，其思想的实质是国家应如何通过改革以强大。但后来被有意或无意曲解，并最终引申不择手段的，阴险狡诈的等贬义词义。

英文词源

Machiavellian (adj.)
"cunning, deceitful, unscrupulous," 1570s, from Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527), Florentine statesman and author of "Il Principe," a work advising rulers to place advantage above morality. A word of abuse in English well before his works were translated ("The Discourses" 1636, "The Prince" 1640), in part because his books were Indexed by the Church, in part because of French attacks on him (such as Gentillet's, translated into English 1602).

双语例句

1. A Machiavellian plot was suspected.
人们怀疑背后有不可告人的阴谋。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Think of the colossal nerve of the man - the Machiavellian subtlety of his brain.
请想一想这个家伙的异乎寻常的胆量――具有权术家的多端诡计的头脑.
来自辞典例句
3. The board's Machiavellian manoeuvres had given him little choice but to quit.
监事会玩弄权术的花招使柯菲德除了辞职外几乎没有其他选择.
来自互联网
4. Machiavellian and manipulative, the Lords are often maligned.
权谋与操控, 阴影议员常常是恶毒的.
来自互联网