genie
/'dʤi:ni/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A magical spirit in Arabian stories: A genie is a supernatural being from Middle Eastern folklore, often depicted as a powerful spirit that can grant wishes or perform magic when summoned or released from a container like a lamp or bottle.
- An invisible spirit in Islamic tradition: In Islamic belief, a genie (or jinni) is an intelligent spirit, created from smokeless fire, that inhabits the earth and can appear in human or animal form to influence people.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- In the story, Aladdin rubbed the lamp and a genie appeared to grant him three wishes.
- According to the legend, the fisherman released a powerful genie from the bottle.
- The concept of the genie originates from pre-Islamic Arabian mythology.
Advanced Usage
- "The genie is out of the bottle": An idiom meaning that something (often a powerful force, idea, or problem) has been released and cannot be controlled or put back.
- With the invention of the internet, the genie of instant global communication is out of the bottle.
Variants and Related Words
- Jinni (or Jinn) (n): The original Arabic term for the class of spirits to which a genie belongs. "Genie" is the anglicized form.
- The tales often speak of jinn who can be either helpful or mischievous.
- Djinn (n): An alternative spelling for jinn.
- The old manuscript described encounters with djinn in the desert.
Synonyms
- Spirit: A supernatural being.
- Demon: Often implies a malevolent spirit, but some genies can be demonic.
- Supernatural being: A general term for entities not bound by natural laws.
Related Phrases
- To rub the lamp: To activate or summon a genie, often used metaphorically to mean triggering a powerful or unexpected outcome.
- By questioning the old policy, he didn't realize he was rubbing the lamp.
Related Idioms
- "Have a genie in a bottle": To possess a source of great power or potential that is contained or controlled.
- The new technology is like having a genie in a bottle; we must use it wisely.
Noun
- (Islam) an invisible spirit mentioned in the Koran and believed by Muslims to inhabit the earth and influence mankind by appearing in the form of humans or animals