cherry
/ˈtʃerɪ/noun
(pl. -ies)
1
- a small, soft round stone fruit that is typically bright or dark red樱桃。参见MARASCHINO CHERRY.
2
- （亦作cherry tree）the tree that bears such fruit樱桃树。
2.1
- Genus Prunus, family Rosaceae: several species, the edible kinds being derived from the sweet (or wild) cherry (P. avium) and the sour (or morello) cherry (P. cerasus).李属, 蔷薇科：数种, 可食用品种源于欧洲甜樱桃（拉丁名P. avium）和欧洲酸樱桃（拉丁名P. cerasus）。
2.2
- used in names of unrelated plants with similar fruits, e.g. cornelian cherry［用于植物果实似樱桃但不同种的名称中, 如cornelian cherry］.
3
- mass noun a bright deep red colour鲜深红色, 樱桃色：
as modifier her mouth was a bright cherry red.她的嘴鲜红如樱桃。
4
- in sing. informal a person's virginity〈非正式〉童贞：
only 3 per cent of the students lost their cherry at college.
仅有3％的学生在大学时代失去童贞。
短语
a bite at the cherry
- an attempt or opportunity to do something尝试; 机会。
a bowl of cherries
- usu. with negative a very pleasant or enjoyable situation or experience美事; 乐事：
being in the band isn't a bowl of cherries.
作为乐队的一员并不是什么乐事。
the cherry on the cake
- a desirable feature perceived as the finishing touch to something that is already inviting or worth having蛋糕上的樱桃; 锦上添花之物。
pop someone's cherry
- informal have sexual intercourse with a girl or woman who is a virgin〈非正式〉与处女发生性关系。
词源
Middle English: from Old Northern French cherise, from medieval Latin ceresia, based on Greek kerasos 'cherry tree， cherry'. The final -s was lost because cherise was interpreted as plural （compare with CAPER2 and PEA）.