I had neither kith nor kin in England, and was therefore as free as air–or as free as an income of eleven shillings and sixpence a day will permit a man to be. Under such circumstances I naturally gravitated to London,that great cesspool into which all the loungers and idlers of the Empire are irresistibly drained. There I stayed for some time at a private hotel in the Strand, leading a comfortless, meaningless existence, and spending such money as I had, considerably more freely than I ought. So alarming did the state of my finances become, that I soon realized that I must either leave the metropolis and rusticate somewhere in the country, or that I must make a complete alteration in my style of living. Choosing the latter alternative, I began by making up my mind to leave the hotel, and take up my quarters in some less pretentious and less expensive domicile.
我在英國無親無友，所以就象空氣一樣的自由；或者說是象一個(gè)每天收入十一先令六便士的人那樣逍遙自在。在這種情況下，我很自然地就被吸引進(jìn)倫敦這個(gè)大污水坑里去，大英帝國所有的游民懶漢也都是匯集到這里來的。我在倫敦河濱馬路上的一家公寓里住了一些時(shí)候，過著既不舒適又非常無聊的生活，錢一到手就花光了，大大地超過了我所能負(fù)擔(dān)的開支，因此我的經(jīng)濟(jì)情況變得非常恐慌起來。我不久就看了出來：我必須離開這個(gè)大都市移居到鄉(xiāng)下去；要不就得徹底改變我的生活方式。我選定了后一個(gè)辦法，決心離開這家公寓，另找一個(gè)不太奢侈而又花費(fèi)不大的住處。
Your?kith?are the people you know very well, but who aren't related to you. If you're asking all of your best friends over for dinner, you can say that you're inviting your?kith.
It's very rare to see the word?kith?unless it's accompanied by the word?kin, or "relations." The phrase "kith?and kin" means "friends and family." If every actor in your local community theater's production of "The Sound of Music" invites his or her kith and kin, the seats will be full on opening night.?Kith?comes from the Old English?cyee, which means "kinfolk, neighbors," and also "home, knowledge, and acquaintance."
Some say?kin,?others say "family" or "relatives." Call them what you will, but you’re stuck with those people related to you by blood or marriage.
When someone refers to their?kith and kin, she means her friends and family. Both words date back to Old English, with?kin?reaching back to the 700s. Originally referring to one’s family or race,?kin?narrowed to refer just to one’s blood relations. Your "next of kin" is your closest family member: spouse, child, parent, or sibling.
rusticate?
If you want to move to the countryside — especially if you desire a simple, unsophisticated life there — you may explain to people that you wish to?rusticate?your busy life.
The verb?rusticate?means "to send to the countryside." If you live in the city, you may want to?rusticate?your kids in the summers so they can experience a different lifestyle. In Britain, another meaning of the verb is to suspend from university, as in to be punished. If you get caught breaking too many rules with your practical jokes, the dean may rusticate you for a term or two.
Use the adjective?pretentiousas a way to criticize people who try to act like they are more important or knowledgeable than they really are.
You might not be surprised to learn that?pretentious?is related to the word?pretend, and it is an adjective that fits the bill for describing someone who's only concerned with making an impressive appearance. If you don't want to be accused of being pretentious, just act naturally and don't put on airs!
