| 释义 |
stepwise, adv. and a.|ˈstɛpwaɪz|
Also with hyphen.
[f. step n. + wise n.1 II.]
A. adv.
1. Like or in a series of steps.
1888Widgery Teaching Lang. 53 A note-book cut step-wise into an alphabet. 1902Jrnl. R. Inst. Brit. Architects 20 Dec. 101 The balustrade of its upper flight rising step-wise, and showing at intervals the sockets of its colonnade. 1950Jrnl. Neurophysiol. XIII. 193 The response builds either step-wise or abruptly to a complex series of peaks at 5–8 msec.
2. Mus. = by step s.v. step n. 8 b.
1955G. Abraham in H. Van Thal Fanfare for E. Newman ii. 12 A purely harmonic cadence, the separate parts moving stepwise, even chromatically, with a much less decisive cadential effect rhythmically.
3. In a series of distinct or separate stages; with intermittent pauses, not continuously.
1971J. Z. Young Introd. Study Man iii. 55 It may be that the new mRNA is synthesized stepwise in the nucleus. 1972Science 2 June 1014/2 The details of..whether the velocities increase smoothly or stepwise..cannot be resolved without additional data.
B. adj.
1. Mus. Of musical progression, etc.: occurring or arranged regularly in steps (step n. 8 b ).
1920S. Macpherson Melody & Harmony i. 4 In the above extracts there is a considerable amount of ‘conjunct’ (i.e. step-wise) movement. 1930A. M. Richardson Helps to Fugue Writing vii. 37 A progression like the following does not look interesting..but by supplying embellishments it can be made much more effective... The thirds need not be stepwise. 1949W. Piston Counterpoint (rev. ed.) i. 20 In the Corelli example the upward octave skip is both preceded and followed by a downward stepwise movement. 1952A. O. Warburton Melody Writing & Analysis i. 7 After stepwise movement it is usually wise to leap in the opposite direction. 1979Early Music Jan. 138/2 The manuscripts..specify ‘clarinet’ on the title-page, and include stepwise movement in their lower register.
2. = step-by-step attrib. or quasi-adj. s.v. step n. 5 c.
1934Jrnl. Amer. Chem. Soc. LVI. 913/1 The development of a complex polymer must require a series of consecutive reactions... It is necessary to assume that the first-formed polymers possess an ordinary double bond and are capable of being isolated. This scheme will be called ‘stepwise’. 1954[see degradation1 4 c]. 1960Koestler Lotus & Robot i. i. 43 The result of this step⁓wise dismantling of reality is that consciousness alone remains. 1975N. Chomsky Logical Struct. Linguistic Theory x. 469 Transformational analysis permits the stepwise formation of complex phrases from already constructed simple phrases. 1980Jrnl. R. Soc. Arts May 348/2 Step-wise mutations in the bacterium..are shown to produce corresponding changes in the synthesized amidase. |