early 14c., "a quantity of labor imposed as a duty," from Old North French tasque (12c., Old French tasche, Modern French tache) "duty, tax," from Vulgar Latin *tasca "a duty, assessment," metathesis of Medieval Latin taxa, a back-formation of Latin taxare "to evaluate, estimate, assess" (see tax (v.)). General sense of "any piece of work that has to be done" is first recorded 1590s. Phrase take one to task (1680s) preserves the sense that is closer to tax.
German tasche "pocket" is from the same Vulgar Latin source (via Old High German tasca), with presumable sense evolution from "amount of work imposed by some authority," to "payment for that work," to "wages," to "pocket into which money is put," to "any pocket."
task (v.)
1520s, "impose a task upon;" 1590s, "to burden, put a strain upon," from task (n.). Related: Tasked; tasking.
雙語例句
1. They have a tendency to try to sidetrack you from your task.
他們總試圖讓你從你的任務中分心。
來自柯林斯例句
2. The first task was to fence the wood to exclude sheep.
第一項任務就是把樹林圍起來不讓羊進去。
來自柯林斯例句
3. Her critics say she has proved unequal to the task.
批評她的人說事實證明她并不具備完成這項工作的能力。
來自柯林斯例句
4. The president knows his task is to fire up the delegates.
總統知道自己的任務就是喚起代表的熱情。
來自柯林斯例句
5. Our big task for tomorrow .Wed.. is to get them exit visas.