| 释义 |
depravation|diːprəˈveɪʃən, dɛp-|
[ad. L. dēprāvātiōn-em, n. of action from dēprāvāre to deprave. Cf. F. dépravation (16th c. in Littré).]
1. The action or fact of making or becoming depraved, bad, or corrupt; deterioration, degeneration, esp. moral deterioration; an instance of this.
1561T. Norton Calvin's Inst. i. xiv. §16 This malice which we assigne in his [the Devil's] nature, is not by creation but by deprauation. a1667Cowley Ess., Dangers in Much Company, The total Loss of Reason is less deplorable than the total Depravation of it. 1775Johnson Tax. no Tyr. 48 We are as secure from intentional depravations of Government as human wisdom can make us. 1795Burke Tracts on Popery Laws Wks. 1842 II. 442 If this be improvement, truly I know not what can be called a depravation of society. 1850H. Rogers Ess. II. iv. 204 Causes of depravation..to which the language had in a measure adapted itself. 1862Ellicott Destiny of Creature ii. (1865) 26 Depravations of instincts.
b. Deterioration or degeneration of an organ, secretion, tissue, etc.
1661Lovell Hist. Anim. & Min. 334 Trembling, which is a depravation of voluntary motion. c1720W. Gibson Farrier's Guide ii. xxviii. (1738) 101 The beginning of the Distemper did proceed from the Corruption or Depravation of the Blood. 1749G. Lavington Enthus. Methodists (1820) 225 Some depravation of the organs of the ear. 1851–60Mayne Expos. Lex., Depravation, term for a deterioration, or change for the worse; applied to the secretions, or the functions of the body.
2. The condition or quality of being depraved; corruption. Formerly, in Theol., = depravity c.
1577tr. Bullinger's Decades (1592) 495 Originall sinne is the vice or deprauation of the whole man. 1587Golding De Mornay xvii. (1617) 305 Notwithstanding all this deprauation, yet the soule liueth and abideth pure and cleane in God. 1633Bp. Hall Hard Texts, Rom. vi. 6 That by..his death the whole bulke of our maliciousness and depravation might be so far destroyed. 1725R. Taylor Disc. on the Fall v. 122 A sense of the depravation of our nature, or of original sin which is in us. 1728Morgan Algiers I. iv. 73 Their Licentiousness and Depravation of Morals visibly increased. 1862Merivale Rom. Emp. (1865) V. xlv. 350 Contrasting the most exquisite charms of nature with the grossest depravation of humanity.
b. (with pl.) An instance of this.
1621Burton Anat. Mel. i. i. iii. i, Calling it [Melancholy] a depravation of the principall function. 1669Gale Crt. Gentiles i. i. xii. 79 Those Leters, which the Jews now use..being but depravations of the Syriac. 1675Traherne Chr. Ethicks xxvii. 429 All the cross and disorderly things..are meer corruptions and depravations of nature, which free agents have let in upon themselves. 1846Maurice Relig. World i. iii. (1861) 71 I would by no means support a paradox..that Buddhism was the original doctrine of which Brahminism was a depravation.
†c. A depraving influence or cause. Obs.
1711Addison Spect. No. 99 ⁋11 When the Dictates of Honour are contrary to those of Religion and Equity, they are the greatest Depravations of human nature.
†3. Perversion or corruption (of a text, writing, etc.). Obs.
1566T. Stapleton Ret. Untr. Jewel Epist. ij, You note that for Vntruthe, yea and for a foule deprauation of holi scripture which is the very saying..of S. Hilary. 1624Gataker Transubst. 90 The next Division hee maketh entrance into with a grosse and shamelesse Depravation [substitution of ‘any thing’ for ‘no thing’]. 1699Bentley Phal. xiii. 396 This is the common Reading..but if we examine it, it will be found to be a manifest Depravation. 1768Johnson Pref. to Shaks. Wks. IX. 277 This great poet..made no collection of his works, nor desired to rescue those that had been already published from the depravations that obscured them. 1849W. Fitzgerald tr. Whitaker's Disput. 157 To persuade us of the depravation of the original scriptures.
†4. Vilification, defamation, detraction, back-biting, calumny. Obs. [So It. depravazione.]
(Perhaps the earliest sense in Eng.: cf. also deprave.)
1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 238 All y⊇ crymes of y⊇ tonge, as sclaunders, detraccyons, deprauacyons or dis⁓praysynges. 1605Bacon Adv. Learn. i. ii. §8. 10 A meere deprauation and calumny without all shadowe of truth. 1606Shakes. Tr. & Cr. v. ii. 132 Stubborne Criticks, apt without a theame For deprauation. |