| 释义 |
▪ I. dirk, n.|dɜːk|
Forms: 7 dork, 7–9 durk, (7 durke), 8– dirk.
[Origin unknown. Found in 1602 spelt dork, then common from second half of 17th c. as durk; the spelling dirk was adopted without authority in Johnson's Dict. 1755, app. from the falling together of ir, ur, in Eng. pronunciation; cf. Burmah, Birmah, dirt, durt, etc. Although early quots. and Johnson's explanation suggest that the name was Gaelic, there is no such word in that language, where the weapon is called biodag. O'Reilly's duirc is merely the 18th c. English word spelt Irish-fashion.
The suggestion has been offered that the word may be the Da. Dirk, familiar form of the personal name Diederik, which name, in Ger. dietrich, LG. dierker (Bremen Wb.), Da. dirik, dirk, Sw. dyrk, is actually given to a pick-lock; but besides the difficulty that dirk is not the original form of the English word, no such sense as ‘dagger’ belongs to the continental word. If of continental origin, the earliest form dork might possibly be a soldier's or sailor's corruption of Du., Da., Sw. dolk, Ger. dolch, dagger.]
1. A kind of dagger or poniard: spec.
a. The dagger of a Highlander.
†b. ‘A small sword or dagger formerly worn by junior naval officers on duty.’ Smyth Sailor's Word-bk. (Obs.).
1602Form of ancient trial by battel in Nicholson and Burn Hist. Westmoreland (1777) I. 596 note, Two Scotch daggers or dorks at their girdles. 16..Robin Hood & Beggar ii. 90 (Ritson) 1795 I. 106 A drawen durk to his breast. 1680G. Hickes Spirit of Popery 36 Armed men, who..fell upon them with Swords and Durkes. 1681S. Colvil Whigs Supplic. (1695) 4 Some had Halbards, some had Durks, Some had crooked swords like Turks. 1724Ramsay Tea-t. Misc. (1733) I. 7 With durk and pistol by his side. a1740T. Tickell Imit. Prophecy Nereus 29 The shield, the pistol, durk, and dagger. 1746Rep. Cond. Sir J. Cope 184 Some few of their Men..arm'd only with Durk, Sword, and Pistol. 1755Johnson, Dirk, a kind of Dagger used in the Highlands of Scotland. 1786Burns Earnest Cry & Prayer xvii, Her tartan petticoat she'll kilt, An' durk an' pistol at her belt, She'll tak the streets. 1794― Let. to J. Johnson ? Feb. Wks. 1857 IV. 58, I have got a Highland dirk, for which I have great veneration, as it once was the dirk of Lord Balmerino. 1806Gazetteer Scotl. Introd. 15 The Highland durk is certainly an imitation of the Roman short dagger. 1822J. Flint Lett. Amer. 113 The dirk has a pointed blade, four or five inches long, with a small handle. It is worn within the vest, by which it is completely concealed. 1830Scott Demonol. x. 396 We saw the dirk and broadsword of Rorio Mhor. 1833Marryat P. Simple iv, I..wrote another [letter] asking for a remittance to purchase my dirk and cocked hat. 1839–40W. Irving Wolfert's R. (1855) 193, I pocketed the purse..put a dirk in my bosom, girt a couple of pistols round my waist. 1881Jowett Thucyd. I. 162 The highland Thracians..are independent and carry dirks.
2. Comb., as dirk-hilt, dirk-knife; dirk-like adj.; dirk-hand, the hand that grasps the dirk; dirk-knife, a large clasp-knife with a dirk-shaped blade.
1835C. F. Hoffman Winter in West I. 212, I..gave the game the coup de grace with a dirk-knife which I had about me. 1837Lockhart Scott xli. (1839) V. 340 Its bottom is of glass, that he who quaffed might keep his eye the while upon the dirk hand of his companion. 1843‘R. Carlton’ New Purchase I. xx. 189 Tom [was] talking and laughing away like a fellow whittling poplar with a dirk knife! 1851D. Wilson Preh. Ann. (1863) II. iv. vi. 347 Ivory dirk-hilts elegantly turned and wrought by the hand.
▪ II. dirk, v.|dɜːk|
[f. prec. n.]
trans. To stab with a dirk.
a1689W. Cleland Poems (1697) 13 For a misobliging word She'll durk her neighbour o'er the board. Ibid. 15 Had it not been for the Life-guard She would have durkt him. 1808J. Barlow Columb. vii. 356 They..Wrench off the bayonet and dirk the foe. 1822Scott Nigel iii, ‘I thought of the Ruthvens that were dirked in their ain house.’ 1840R. H. Dana Bef. Mast xxvii. 88 With a fair prospect of being stripped and dirked.
▪ III. dirk(e, -ness
obs. ff. dark, -ness. |