1560s, term in logic, from Middle French modal and directly from Medieval Latin modalis "of or pertaining to a mode," from Latin modus "measure, manner, mode" (see mode (n.1)). Musical sense is from 1590s.
双语例句
1. The results confirmed his hypothesis on the use of modal verbs.
结果证实了他的关于情态动词用法的假设.
来自《简明英汉词典》
2. Modal verbs generally take the bare infinitive.
情态动词通常用不带to的不定式.
来自《简明英汉词典》
3. Modeless dialogs are less common than their modal siblings.
另一种对话框称为“非模态对话框”,它不如同胞姐妹模态对话框那么常见.
来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
4. Property dialog boxes can be either modal or modeless.
属性对话框可以是模态的,也可以是非模态的.
来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
5. Visually differentiate modeless dialogs from modal dialogs.