1.noble作名词时意思是(封建时期的)“贵族成员”,多用复数形式; 表示单数意义时用另一个单词nobleman,意思是“有爵位的人”。
2.noble包括duke(公), marquis(侯), earl(伯), viscount(子), baron(男),并不泛指大官。

The nobles exploited peasants.贵族剥削农民。
The powerful nobles were guilty of grinding the villagers under their heels.那些贵族的罪过是以权势欺压村民。

［同义词］ adj.  great, titled, upright n.  baron, lord, peer
［反义词］ adj.  base, ignoble n.  pleb, prole
［词源］  ＜拉丁语nobilis(有名的)

1.noble修饰人的品德、思想时意思是“高尚的”“崇高的”; 修饰物时,指某物威严、壮观,以其无可比拟的伟大或优秀在人的想象、感情或理智中留下深刻印象的力量,即“雄伟的”; 修饰人的地位时意思是“贵族的,显贵的”。
2.noble在句中可用作定语,也可用作表语。

用作定语
▲～+n.
His noble ideas and polite behavior are laudable.他崇高的思想和彬彬有礼的举止令人赞美。
He framed his life according to a noble pattern.他以高尚的模式构筑自己生活的框架。
Arriving at the top of the hill, we were faced by a noble scene.到达山顶时,呈现在我们面前的是一片壮观的景色。
She claims to be distantly related to a noble family by marriage.她声称她同一个显贵的家庭有远房联姻关系。
Few noble persons ever spoke to those of humble origins but to give an order.贵人们除了发号施令以外很少跟出身卑贱的人说话。
He is of noble birth.他出身高贵。
The noble Lord moved for papers.这位上院议员正式要求查看一些文件。
用作表语
▲S+be+～
He was nobler than his neighbours.他比他的邻居出身高贵。
▲It was+～+of sb+to-v
It was very noble of you to look after your old neighbour when she was sick.你的心真好,你的老邻居生病时你一直照料她。

很不幸,那个道德高尚的人的政治主张与其父亲不一致。
［误］  Unfortunately, the nobleman's political principles do not accord with those of his father.
［正］  Unfortunately, the noble man's political principles do not accord with those of his father.
［析］  “道德高尚的人”英文应是noble man,而nobleman的意思是“有爵位的人”。