1580s, "pertaining to or constituting a lengthy heroic poem," via Middle French épique or directly from Latin epicus, from Greek epikos, from epos "a word; a tale, story; promise, prophecy, proverb; poetry in heroic verse," from PIE *wekw- "to speak" (see voice (n.)). Extended sense of "grand, heroic" first recorded in English 1731. From 1706 as a noun in reference to an epic poem, "A long narrative told on a grand scale of time and place, featuring a larger-than-life protagonist and heroic actions" [Miller Williams, "Patterns of Poetry"]. Earlier as "an epic poet" (1630s).
双语例句
1. The themes get tangled in Mr. Mahfouz's epic storytelling.
马赫福兹先生讲述的故事过于宏大，主题有些混乱了。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Their epic fight is the subject of a new film.
他们史诗般的战斗是一部新电影的主题。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Like "Gone With The Wind" it's an unashamed epic romance.
和《飘》一样,它也是一个无所顾忌的史诗般的爱情故事.
来自柯林斯例句
4. I gave up my epic and wrote this little tale instead.