Old English cwealm (West Saxon) "death, murder, slaughter; disaster; plague; torment," utcualm (Anglian) "utter destruction," probably related to cwellan "to kill, murder, execute," cwelan "to die" (see quell). Sense softened to "feeling of faintness" 1520s; figurative meaning "uneasiness, doubt" is from 1550s; that of "scruple of conscience" is 1640s.
Evidence of a direct path from the Old English to the modern senses is wanting, but it is plausible, via the notion of "fit of sickness." The other suggested etymology, less satisfying, is to take the "fit of uneasiness" sense from Dutch kwalm "steam, vapor, mist" (cognate with German Qualm "smoke, vapor, stupor"), which also might be ultimately from the same Germanic root as quell.
双语例句
1. Did she see her husband as capable of murder? She had used the word without a qualm.
她觉得自己的丈夫可能杀人吗？在使用这个字眼的时候，她没有丝毫的不安。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Hurstwood suffered a qualm of body as the car rolled up.
当电车开上前时,赫斯渥浑身感到一阵不安.
来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
3. The doctor seemed seized with a qualm of faintness.
博士显得好象一阵眩晕发作.
来自辞典例句
4. Lastly she arrived at the tresses and felt a qualm of disgust.
最后,她看到提到头发的那一句,心里觉得一阵恶心.
来自辞典例句
5. They never know that exam make us qualm and dissatisfaction.