detente

• n. （国际关系中紧张局面的）缓和

de-, 不，非，使相反。-tent, 伸出，拉紧，词源同intense, tension.引申义缩回，缓和。

détente

détente: [20] English originally acquired this word from French in the 17th century as detent, which denotes a catch that regulates the movement of a clock. French détente, which originally signified a device for releasing a crossbow string, came from the past participle of Old French destendre ‘release’, a compound verb formed from the prefix des- ‘apart’ and tendre ‘stretch’ (related to English tension).

But English-speakers, mistakenly associating it with detain [15] (a verb of completely different origin, via Old French detenir from Latin dētinēre ‘keep back’) completely reversed its meaning, applying to a restraining catch rather than a releasing one. French, the language of diplomacy, re-lent détente to English in the first decade of the 20th century in the sense ‘relaxation of international tension’.
=> tension

detente (n.)

1908 as a political term, a borrowing of French détente "loosening, slackening" (used in the Middle Ages for the catch of a crossbow), from Vulgar Latin detendita, fem. past participle of Latin detendere "loosen, release," from de- "from, away" (see de-) + tendere "stretch" (see tenet). The reference is to a "relaxing" in a political situation. The French word was earlier borrowed as detent (1680s) "catch which regulates the strike in a clock."

1. They have made the first move towards a detente.

他们已经迈出缓和两国关系的第一步。

来自柯林斯例句

2. We can't possibly believe the myth of " detente " now.

我们现在无论怎样也不相信 “ 缓和 ” 的神话了.

来自《简明英汉词典》

3. They talk about detente, but in actuality they are engaged in intense rivalry.

他们嘴里讲缓和, 骨子里却进行激烈的争夺.

来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4. Many people say that detente is now a dead letter.

很多人说缓和国际紧张局势的论调已是明日黄花.

来自辞典例句

5. He warned against a fake detente that would sap resistance to expansionism.

他警告我们不要上假缓和的当,以免放松对扩张主义的斗争.

来自辞典例句