mid-14c., enginour, "constructor of military engines," from Old French engigneor "engineer, architect, maker of war-engines; schemer" (12c.), from Late Latin ingeniare (see engine); general sense of "inventor, designer" is recorded from early 15c.; civil sense, in reference to public works, is recorded from c. 1600 but not the common meaning of the word until 19c (hence lingering distinction as civil engineer). Meaning "locomotive driver" is first attested 1832, American English. A "maker of engines" in ancient Greece was a mekhanopoios.
engineer (v.)
1818, "act as an engineer," from engineer (n.). Figurative sense of "arrange, contrive, guide or manage (via ingenuity or tact)" is attested from 1864, originally in a political context. Related: Engineered. Middle English had a verb engine "contrive, construct" (late 14c.), also "seduce, trick, deceive" (c. 1300) and "put to torture."
权威例句
1. The RAF recognized him as an out-standingly able engineer.
英国皇家空军表彰他是一名非常能干的机械师。
2. The product is still only a gleam in an engineer's eye.
该产品还只是工程师头脑中尚未成形的想法。
3. The engineer and his son held frequent consultations concerning technical problems.
工程师和他的儿子经常就技术问题互相征求意见。
4. The most junior executive officer outranked the senior engineer officer aboard ship.
在舰船上,级别最低的副舰长也位列级别最高的轮机官之上。
5. We engaged the services of a recognised engineer.