| 释义 |
▪ I. demon1|ˈdiːmən|
Also 6–9 dæmon.
[In form, and in sense 1 a, a. L. dæmōn (med.L. dēmōn) spirit, evil spirit, a. Gr. δαίµων divinity, genius, tutelary deity. But in sense 1 b and 2, put for L. dæmonium, Gr. δαιµόνιον, neuter of δαιµόνιος adj. ‘(thing) of divine or dæmonic nature or character’, which is used by the LXX, N. Test., and Christian writers, for ‘evil spirit’. Cf. F. démon (in Oresme 14th c. démones); also 13th c. demoygne = Pr. demoni, It., Sp. demonio, repr. L. dæmonium, Gr. δαιµόνιον.]
1. a. In ancient Greek mythology (= δαίµων): A supernatural being of a nature intermediate between that of gods and men; an inferior divinity, spirit, genius (including the souls or ghosts of deceased persons, esp. deified heroes). Often written dæmon for distinction from sense 2.
1569J. Sandford tr. Agrippa Van. Artes 2 Grammarians..doo expounde this woord Dæmon, that is a Spirite, as if it were Sapiens, that is, Wise. 1587Golding De Mornay xix. 303 And vnto Cratylus again [Plato] saith, when the good man departeth this world..hee becommeth a Dæmon. 1638Mede Gt. Apost. iii. Wks. (1672) iii. 627 et seq. 1680H. More Apocal. Apoc. 252 Dæmons according to the Greek idiom, signify either Angels, or the Souls of men, any Spirits out of Terrestrial bodies, the Souls of Saints, and Spirits of Angels. 1774J. Bryant Mythol. I. 52 Subordinate dæmons, which they supposed to be emanations and derivatives from their chief Deity. 1846Grote Greece i. ii. (1862) I. 58 In Homer, there is scarcely any distinction between gods and dæmons.
b. Sometimes, particularly, An attendant, ministering, or indwelling spirit; a genius.
(Chiefly in references to the so-called ‘dæmon of Socrates’. Socrates himself claimed to be guided, not by a δαίµων or dæmon, but by a δαιµόνιον, divinum quiddam (Cicero), a certain divine principle or agency, an inward monitor or oracle. It was his accusers who represented this as a personal dæmon, and the same was done by the Christian Fathers (under the influence of sense 2), whence the English use of the word, as in the quotations. See tr. Zeller's Socrates iv. 73; Riddell, Apology of Plato, Appendix A.).
1387Trevisa Higden III. 279 We haveþ i-lerned of Socrates, þat was alway tendaunt to a spirit þat was i-cleped demon. 1603Holland Plutarch's Mor. 1222 The soule..that obeieth not nor hearkeneth to her owne familiar and proper dæmon. 1606Shakes. Ant. & Cl. ii. iii. 19 O Anthony!..Thy Dæmon, that thy spirit which keepes thee, is Noble, Couragious, high vnmatchable. 1758Home Agis 11, Inspiration, The guardian god, the demon of the mind, Thus often presses on the human breast. 1768–74Tucker Lt. Nat. (1852) I. 222 If the moral sense does not check, if the demon does not warn. 1865Lecky Ration. (1878) I. 378 note, Minucius Felix thought the dæmon of Socrates was a devil.
2. An evil spirit.
a. (Representing δαιµόνιον of the LXX and N.T. (rarely δαίµων); in Vulgate dæmonium, dæmon). Applied to the idols or gods of the heathen, and to the ‘evil’ or ‘unclean spirits’ by which demoniacs were possessed or actuated.
A Jewish application of the Greek word, anterior to Christianity. Δαιµόνια is used several times by the LXX to render shēdīm ‘lords, idols’, and sĕﻋīrīm ‘hairy ones’ (satyrs or he-goats), the latter also rendered µάταια ‘vain things’. It is also frequent in the Apocrypha (esp. in Tobit), and in the N.T., where in one instance (Matt. viii. 31) δαίµονες occurs in same sense. In the Vulgate generally rendered dæmonium, pl. -ia, but once in O.T. (Lev. xvii. 7), and in 10 places in N.T. (8 in St. Matthew) dæmon, pl. -es. These words are indiscriminately translated deofol in the Ags. Gospels, feend or deuil in Wyclif, and in all the 16–17th c. versions devil; the Revisers of 1881–5 substitute demons in Deut. and Psalms, but in the N.T. retain devil, -s, in the text, with the literal translation demon, -s, in the margin. Quite distinct from this is the word properly translated ‘Devil’, διάβολος, which is not used in the plural. It is owing to this substitution of devil in the Bible versions, that demon is not found so early in this, as in the popular sense b, which arose out of this identification.
1706Phillips (ed. Kersey), Demon..in Holy Scripture, the Word is always taken for the Devil or a Bad Genius. 1727–51Chambers Cycl., Dæmoniac is applied to a person possessed with a spirit or dæmon. 1767T. Hutchinson Hist. Mass. II. i. 16 A young woman..supposed to be posessed with dæmons. 1865Mozley Mirac. 201 note, The relation in which these persons stood to dæmons and evil spirits. 1881N. T. (R. V.) John x. 20 He hath a devil [marg. Gr. demon] and is mad; why hear ye him? 1885O. T. (R. V.) Deut. xxxii. 17 They sacrificed unto demons, which were no God.—Ps. cvi. 37.
b. In general current use: An evil spirit; a malignant being of superhuman nature; a devil.
[1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. ii. xix. (1495) 45 For Demon is to vnderstonde knowynge And the deuyll hyghte soo for sharpnesse..of kyndely wytte.] a1400Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.) 399 Blow flamys of fer to make hem to brenne, Mak redy ageyn we com to this demon. 1599Shakes. Hen. V, ii. ii. 121 If that same Dæmon that hath gull'd thee thus, Should with his Lyon-gate walke the whole world. 1699W. Dampier Voy. II. iii. iv. 32 [They] fired their Guns to kill the old Dæmon that they say inhabits there to disturb poor Seamen. 1782Priestley Corrupt. Chr. I. i. 8 A malignant dæmon had brought [them] into his power. 1813Scott Trierm. ii. Concl. vii, But wouldst thou bid the demons fly Like mist before the dawning sky. 1865Wright Hist. Caricat. iv. (1875) 69 The three special characteristics of mediæval demons were horns, hoofs..and tails.
c. Applied to a person (animal or agency personified), of malignant, cruel, terrible, or destructive nature, or of hideous appearance. (Cf. devil.)
1614B. Jonson Barth. Fair iii. v. Wks. (Rtldg.) 322/2 ‘A caveat against cut-purses!’..I' faith, I would fain see that demon, your cut-purse you talk of. 1821T. G. Wainewright in Ess. & Crit. (1880) 127 The grim demon of a bull-dog who interrupts the cat. 1822Scott Pirate xl, The Boatswain used to be staunch enough, and so is Goffe, though an incarnate demon. 1829Carlyle Misc. (1857) II. 4 The Tartar Khan, with his shaggy demons of the wilderness.
d. fig. An evil passion or agency personified. spec. an alcoholic drink. Also attrib.
1712Addison Spect No. 387 ⁋11 Melancholy is a kind of Demon that haunts our Island. 1754Chatham Lett. Nephew v. 39 Beware..of Anger, that dæmon, that destroyer of our peace. 1809N. Pinkney Trav. France 86 The dæmon of anarchy has here raised a superb trophy on a monument of ruins. 1884in Africana Notes & News (1961) 295 A good many of them would have..made their mark in the musical history of this country, had it not been for the demon—drink. 1887[see metheglin]. a1895Mod. Led astray by the demon of intemperance. 1922Joyce Ulysses 348 Had her father only avoided the clutches of the demon drink. 1936Mencken Amer. Lang. (ed. 4) vi. 244 An Englishman..never uses rum in the generic sense that it has acquired in the United States, and knows nothing of rum-hounds,..the rum-trade, and the rum-evil, or of the Demon Rum. 1948Partridge Dict. Forces' Slang 54 Demon vino, Italian wine of the cheaper sort.
e. Applied to a being of superhuman or ‘diabolical’ energy, skill, etc. (cf. 3 a spec.); also to an action, etc.
1876Coursing Calendar 21 A demon of a hare got up for Rose and Bar Girl. Ibid. 315 It was hard lines indeed for Mr. Watson to meet with such a demon of a hare for the decider. 1899Westm. Gaz. 6 Feb. 3/1 He is a demon of accuracy. 1961Times 4 July 11/4 ‘Demon’ services were, by custom, reserved for male opponents.
f. Cards. (Also Demon Patience.) A simple, one-pack patience game, which rarely comes out. Also Racing Demon, Demon adapted for several players, each with his own pack, but played in competition.
1893M. W. Jones Games of Patience 3rd Ser. ix. 19 Demon Patience. 1900‘L. Hoffmann’ Patience Games 36 The Demon. 1918H. G. Wells Joan & Peter xi. 388 A new card game, Demon Patience, a scrambling sort of game in which you piled on aces in the middle. 1919K. Mansfield Lett. (1928) I. 245 You know how, when we get hungry, we are at last even unable to play Demon for wanting the hash-hammer to sound. 1936‘P. Quentin’ Puzzle for Fools xii. 95, I began to wonder whether she stole cards from a concealed pack... Her demon came out three times running. 1948G. Greene Heart of Matter i. iii. i. 84 I've never played cards—except demon..and that's a patience.
3. attrib. and Comb.
a. appositive (= that is a demon), as demon-companion, demon-god, demon-hag, demon-king, demon-lover, demon-mole, demon-snake; spec. applied colloq. to one who seems more than human in the rapidity, certainty, destructiveness, etc. of his play or performance, as a demon bowler at cricket; demon star, Algol [Arab., the demon: see ghoul], the star β Persei.
b. simple attrib. and attrib. comb. (of, belonging, or relating to a demon or demons), as demon altar, demon-doctrine, demon herd, demon-land, demon life, demon-trap, demon-ship, demon-worship; demon-bird = devil-bird; demon-kind [after mankind], the nature of demons; the race of demons; also
c. demon-like adj.d. instrumental, etc., as demon-infested, demon-scooped, demon-stricken.
1863W. Phillips Speeches iv. 57 The *demon altar of our land.
1840J. Forbes 11 Years in Ceylon (1841) 353, I first heard the wild and wailing cry of the gaulawa, or *demon-bird.
1883Harper's Mag. Nov. 900/1 We do not want our boys..*demon bowlers.
1814Byron Corsair ii. iv, Some Afrit sprite, Whose *demon death-blow left no hope for fight.
1677Gale Crt. Gentiles iii. 177 Al those *demon-doctrines..introduced by Antichrist and his Sectators.
1638Mede Gt. Apost. vi. Wks. (1672) iii. 635 A worshipper of *Dæmon-gods.
1814Prophetess iii. iv, Like the *demon-hags of Tartarus.
1774J. Bryant Mythol. I. 141 Among all the *dæmon herd what one is there of a form..so odious..as Priapus.
1933W. de la Mare Fleeting 169 *Demon-infested rank morass.
1890E. H. Barker Wayfaring in Fr. 15 That small *demon-insect, the mosquito.
1904Beerbohm Around Theatres (1953) II. 50 In the 'seventies pantomime was flourishing still. *Demon King and Fairy Queen..were familiar. 1954‘N. Blake’ Whisper in Gloom ii. xi. 148 Alec Gray is..a cheap snake, a proper young Demon King.
1857Tait's Mag. XXIV. 378 The sentences, on all mankind and *demonkind.
1859G. Wilson Life E. Forbes i. 29 Grim or gentle visitants from *Demonland or Fairyland.
1851Mayne Reid Scalp. Hunt. xi. 82 They seem endowed with *demon life.
1822E. Nathan Langreath III. 416 *Demon-like horrors.
1797Coleridge Kubla Khan 16 Woman wailing for her *demon-lover.
1821Keats Isabel xlv, And let his spirit, like a *demon-mole, Work through the clayey soil and gravel hard.
1924R. Campbell Flaming Terrapin iii. 41 Sleep was a long dark tunnel *demon-scooped Out of the Night's black rock.
1895Funk's Standard Dict., *Demon star. 1909Daily Chron. 1 Sept. 7/3 Algol, the Demon Star.
1936Discovery June 187/2 The newly-made spirit-doctors proceed to exorcise the pepo..from the scores of *demon-stricken people.
1677Gale Crt. Gentiles iii. 56 The *Demon-theology..was brought into the Christian Church first by the Gnostics.
Ibid., By this their *demon-worship.
▪ II. demon2 Austral. slang.|ˈdiːmən|
[Appar. ad. Diemen (Van Diemen's Land, early name for Tasmania).]
1. A policeman.
1889Barrère & Leland Dict. Slang I. 304/1 Demons (Australian), prison slang for police. ‘The demons put pincher on me’, I was apprehended. 1933Bulletin (Sydney) 15 Nov. 38/1 Those ‘demons’, the fools, were chasing the wrong people, as usual. 1945Baker Austral. Lang. v. 95 It was a natural development that police troopers should come to be called joes..although this use is not found often, demons and traps (1853) being more widely used. 1967K. Giles Death & Mr. Prettyman ii. 61 ‘Tell the truth, Bert,’ said the Australian, ‘always help a demon in distress.’
2. (See quots.)
1909J. R. Ware Passing English 107/1 Demons, old hands at bushranging; derived from men who arrive from Van Dieman's [sic] Land (Tasmania), some of whom are popularly supposed to have inaugurated bushranging in Australia. 1945Baker Austral. Lang. ii. 42 A large number of synonyms for convict became current [in the early part of the nineteenth century], among them canary, transport,..demon (a Van Diemen's Land convict), [etc.]. Ibid. 51 The following synonyms for bushrangers might be noted: rangers, white Indians and stickers-up. Demon was formerly used for an old hand at the game.
3. A detective.
1926J. Doone Timely Tips for New Austral., Demon, a slang word meaning a ‘detective’. 1941K. Tennant Battlers viii. 96 The showers were ‘demons’, or plain-clothes detectives. 1967Sunday Mail Mag. (Brisbane) 23 July 5/3 To the Australian criminal a demon is a..detective. |