| 释义 |
steersman|ˈstɪəzmən|
Forms: 1 stéoresman, 2, 4 stieresman(n, 3 steores-man, -mon, (Ormin steoressmann), 3–5 steresman, 4–6 sterisman, 5–6 sterysman(n, (5 stersman, 6 stirsman), 6–7 stear(e)sman, 7 steeresman, 6– steersman.
[OE. stéoresman, f. stéores- genit. of stéor steer n.2 + man n. Cf. steerman.
The word was early adopted into Irish in the form stiurusman; an example occurs in 3 Fragm. Irish Annals 116 (early 11th c).]
1. a. One who steers a boat or ship; one who sits at the stern of a canoe and steers (N. Amer.).
c1000Ags. Laws, Ethelred §4 in Liebermann (1898) I. 222/1 Ᵹyf man beo æt his æhtan bereafod, & he wite of hwilcum scipe, aᵹyfe steoresman ða æhta. a1200Vices & Virtues 43 Ðe gastliche hierdes..folᵹið Noe ðane gode stieresmann. c1200Ormin 2135 Forr all swa summ þe steoressmann Aȝȝ lokeþþ till an steorrne. c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 13092 Namore þan schip or barge can [keep its course], Þere hym wanteþ a steres man. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 4728 Þe sterys man toke þe helme in hande. 1577Bullinger Decades (1592) 638 As a boate destitute of a stirsman, is with contrarie windes tossed to and fro. 1667Milton P.L. ix. 513 As when a Ship by skilful Stearsman wrought.., where the Wind Veres oft, as oft so steers, and shifts her Saile. 1774Hearne & Turnor Jrnls. (1934) 122 The Pataroon or Steersman of each Cannoe has 50{pstlg} pr annom. 1791W. Bartram Trav. 108 The steersman paddles softly, and proceeds slowly along shore. 1801[see middleman 5 c]. 1889Welch Text Bk. Naval Archit. xiii. 140 The steersman moves his wheel in the required direction. 1897E. Coues New Light Early Hist. Greater Northwest I. 29 The steersman, finding himself within reach of the shore, jumped upon the rock with one of the midmen. 1968[see bowsman].
b. fig.
a1200Vices & Virtues 43 Swa scule ða gastliche stieresmenn steren ða arche of ðe hali cherche. c1440Towneley Myst. xix. 259 Farwell! stersman to theym that ar sted In stormes, or in desese lyse! 1579W. Wilkinson Confut. Fam. Love 40 From them [the Vniuersityes] come the most skilfull stearesmen to gouerne, both the state ecclesiasticall, and ciuill. 1650H. Brooke Conserv. Health 221 Their Steersman is Reason. 1809–10Coleridge Friend (1865) 48 The great merit of Buonaparte has been that of a skilful steersman. a1894Stevenson in G. Balfour Life vi. (1911) 74 There stood at the wheel that unknown steersman whom we call God.
c. transf. One who drives and guides a machine.
1828H. Steuart Planter's Guide (ed. 2) 250 The Machiner seizes the end of the pole-rope, in order to act as Steersman [of a machine for transplanting trees]. 1906Westm. Gaz. 26 June 5/1 The Hotchkiss..overturned at Saint Calais, but fortunately without injury to the steersman [in a motor-car race].
†2. A ruler or governor (of a certain number of people). Obs. rare.
c1250Gen. & Ex. 3417 Ilc of ðe .v. steres-men Vnder hem welden in stere tgen. Ibid. 3429.
Hence ˈsteersmanship.
1818Bentham Ch. Eng. Introd. 187 It is truly edifying to observe the steersmanship displayed by the Reverend Secretary in his passage through these straits. 1840J. W. Bowden Gregory VII, II. 43 We feel ourselves unable to save, by any steersmanship, the church, which seems almost foundering before our eyes. |