| 释义 |
† deˈscrive, v. Obs. exc. Sc.
Forms: 3–9 descrive, 3–5 discreve, 4–5 dyscreve, 4 descryfe, 5–6 dyscryve, discryve, -ive, descryve.
[a. OF. descriv-re (13th c.), later descrire, full stem descriv- (mod.F. décrire, décriv-) = Pr. descriure, Cat. descriuer, It. descrivere:—L. dēscrībĕre. In the course of the 16th c. gradually superseded (exc. in Sc.) by the latinized form describe.
Descrive was in ME. reduced to descrie (descry v.2), and thus confused in form, and sometimes in sense with descry v.1 Hence descrive also occurs as a form of the latter.]
1. To write down, inscribe; to write out, transcribe.
1382Wyclif Isa. xlix. 16 Lo! in myn hondis I haue discriued thee. 14..Circumcision in Tundale's Vis. 90 Thys name which may not be dyscreved. c1450Lydg. Compl. Lovers Life xxviii, To discryve and write at the fulle The woful compleynt. 1483Caxton Gold. Leg. 284/1 Mathewe and Luke descryue not the generacion of Marye but of Joseph.
b. To write down in a register, enrol; cf. Vulg. Luke ii. 1 ut describeretur universus orbis.
1297[see descriving vbl. n.]. 1382Wyclif Num. xi. 26 There dwelten forsothe in the tentis two men..for and thei weren discryued [Vulg. descripti fuerant; 1611 and they were of them that were written]. ― Luke ii. 1 That al the world schulde be discryued. c1460Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. xvi. (1714) 120 Theyr secund Emperor, comaundyd al the World to be discrivyd [v.r. (1885) 149 discribed.]
2. = describe v. 2.
a1225Ancr. R. 10 Þus seint Iame descriueð religiun & ordre. c1380Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. II. 318 Þei ben þes þat Ysay discryveþ þat þei seien good is yvel. c1400Rom. Rose 865, I wot not what of hir nose I shal descryve; So faire hath no womman alyve. 1552Abp. Hamilton Catech. (1884) 45 It is expedient to descrive quha is ane heretyk. 1671True Non-conf. 134 Which we finde descrived in the Scriptures of the New Testament. 1785Burns To W. Simpson xvi, Let me fair Nature's face descrive. 1858M. Porteous ‘Souter Johnny’ 15 Hamely chiels..Wha Tammy's haunts can weel descrive.
absol.1393Gower Conf. III. 120 So as these olde wise men Descrive.
3. a. To represent pictorially or by delineation; also absol. b. To draw geometrically (figures, etc.). c. To trace out or pass over (a definite course). Cf. describe v. 3–6.
c1391Chaucer Astrol. i. §17 The plate vnder thi Riet is descriued with 3 [principal] cerclis. 1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xxi. 214 Ho couþe kyndeliche with colour discriue, Yf alle þe worlde were whit. 1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. viii. xi. (1495) 317 Epiciclis is a lytyll cercle that a planete discryueth. 1565–73Cooper Thesaurus, Abacus..a counting table such as..Astronomers descriue their figures in.
d. To map out, set forth the boundaries of.
(But also often including the general sense 2.)
1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 7 Þat in stories meteþ and discryueþ all þe worlde wyde. 1480Caxton Descr. Brit. 20 Kyng william conquerour made alle these..shires to be descreued and moten. 1536Bellenden Cron. Scot. (1821) I. p. xlvi, We will discrive the samin [the Ilis] in maner and forme as followis.
¶4. = descry v.1 [Cf. etymol. note above.]
c1340Cursor M. 6544 (Fairf.) For to discriue [v.r. to se] þaire cursed dede. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xx. 93 Þenne mette þis man..ar heraudes of armes hadden descreued lordes. c1440Gesta Rom. xxiii. 84 (Harl. MS.) No man cowde discryve wheþer of hem shuld be Emperour. 1551Robinson tr. More's Utop. (Arb.) 50 Also flyinge he shoulde be discriued by the roundyng of his heade.
Hence deˈscrived ppl. a.
c1449Pecock Repr. ii. xvii. 248 Bi the now discriued and tauȝt maner. Ibid. 408 The..bifore descryued tymes. |