pious
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++pi·ous /ˈpaɪəs/ adjective 1 RRhaving strong religious beliefs, and showing this in the way you behave 〔对宗教〕虔诚的 → piety He was a quiet, pious man. 他是个文静、虔诚的人。2 PRETENDif you describe what someone says as pious talk, words etc, you mean that they are trying to sound good or moral but you do not believe that they are sincere or will really do what they say 假虔诚的，虚伪的，伪善的 pious speeches by politicians about ‘family values’ 政客们关于所谓“家庭价值观”的虚伪演讲3 pious hope/wish WANTsomething that you want to be true or to happen, but that is very unlikely 不大可能实现的希望/愿望 All these agreements and ideas remain little more than pious hopes in the present climate. 所有这些协议和想法在目前的环境下都是不可能实现的愿望。 —piously adverb
Examples from the Corpus
pious• They had to give in to so pious a purpose, and they agreed to wait until the work was finished.• Charles's parents were pious and uneducated folk.• But, today, she gave almost pious attention to every scrape of the slate pencil.• It is recorded that he spent his income on the needy and for pious endeavors.• The international community has so far salved its conscience by voicing a succession of pious hopes.• There are 613 commandments required of a pious Jew.• Donations by pious laymen doubtless continued, and Glastonbury and Canterbury not only survived, but did so as wealthy churches.• Ethelred was not the most pious of kings, and his clashes with the church were stormy and frequent.• Galileo had written a pious preface in which he ridiculed the Copernican theory as wild and fantastic and contrary to Holy Scripture.• But Democrats applauded, generally taking the pious view that the White House can never be above the law.• She reminded Corbett of a sweet, pious young nun he once knew.Origin pious (1400-1500) Latin piuspi·ous adjectiveChineseSyllable
in Corpus this you showing strong beliefs, way the religious and having
pious
pi‧ous /ˈpaɪəs/
adjective
He was a quiet, pious man.
2. if you describe what someone says as pious talk, words etc, you mean that they are trying to sound good or moral but you do not believe that they are sincere or will really do what they say:
pious speeches by politicians about ‘family values’
3. pious hope/wish something that you want to be true or to happen, but that is very unlikely:
All these agreements and ideas remain little more than pious hopes in the present climate.
—piously adverb
pi‧ous /ˈpaɪəs/
adjective Date: 1400-1500
Language: Latin
Origin: pius
1. having strong religious beliefs, and showing this in the way you behave ⇨ piety:Language: Latin
Origin: pius
2. if you describe what someone says as pious talk, words etc, you mean that they are trying to sound good or moral but you do not believe that they are sincere or will really do what they say:
3. pious hope/wish something that you want to be true or to happen, but that is very unlikely:
—piously adverb