c. 1200, from Old French legion "Roman legion" (3,000 to 6,000 men, under Marius usually with attached cavalry), from Latin legionem (nominative legio) "body of soldiers," from legere "to choose, gather," also "to read" (see lecture (n.)).
Generalized sense of "a large number" is due to translations of allusive phrase in Mark v:9. American Legion, U.S. association of ex-servicemen, founded in 1919. Legion of Honor is French légion d'honneur, an order of distinction founded by Napoleon in 1802. Foreign Legion is French légion étrangère "body of foreign volunteers in a modern army," originally Polish, Belgian, etc. units in French army; they traditionally served in colonies or distant expeditions.
雙語(yǔ)例句
1. The number of women who become pregnant after adopting children is legion.
領(lǐng)養(yǎng)小孩后懷孕的婦女比比皆是。
來(lái)自柯林斯例句
2. The British Legion raises funds to help ex-service personnel and their dependants.
英國(guó)退伍軍人協(xié)會(huì)籌集款項(xiàng)幫助退役人員和他們的家屬。
來(lái)自柯林斯例句
3. Ellie's problems are legion.
埃莉的問(wèn)題多如牛毛。
來(lái)自柯林斯例句
4. the French Foreign Legion
法國(guó)外籍軍團(tuán)
來(lái)自《權(quán)威詞典》
5. Each legion contained between 3000 and 6000 soldiers.