| 释义 |
discovery|dɪˈskʌvərɪ|
Also 6–7 -rie.
[f. discover v., app. after the analogy of recover, recovery. But the latter represents OF. recovrée, recuvrée, recouvrée, Romanic n. of action from pa. pple. feminine, L. type recuperāta. The corresp. n. from descovrir, viz. descoverte, mod.F. découverte, It. discoperta, L. type *discooperta, was not taken in English in this sense: in early times discovering was used; subsequently we find discoverance, discoverment; discovery was established in the latter half of the 16th c., and is frequent in Shakespeare. Cf. deliver-y, also battery, flattery, which associate themselves with batter, flatter, though not actually derived from these.]
†1. The action of uncovering or fact of becoming uncovered; opening (of a bud, etc.). Obs.
1658Sir T. Browne Gard. Cyrus iii, Seeds themselves in their rudimentall discoveries, appear in foliaceous surcles.
2. The action of disclosing or divulging (anything secret or unknown); revelation, disclosure, setting forth, explanation. Now rare.
1586A. Day Eng. Secretary ii. (1625) 101 In the discovery whereof my minde is..to deliver what is my owne opinion. 1601Holland Pliny I. 219 How significant is their discouerie of the beast vnto the hunter. 1614[see discover 3 c]. 1662J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 285 Certain Dutch Merchants, cloath'd in Persian habits..they made no discovery of themselves. 1678Dryden Kind Keeper ii. i, Come, make a free discovery which of 'em your Poetry is to Charm. 1737Col. Rec. Pennsylv. IV. 276 Resolved..to make a Discovery of the whole affair. 1766Blackstone Comm. ii. xxxi. 482 The bankrupt, upon this examination, is bound upon pain of death to make a full discovery of all his estate and effects, as well in expectancy as possession. 1828Scott F.M. Perth xxv, She would then meet him, determined to make a full discovery of her sentiments.
b. Law. Disclosure by a party to an action, at the instance of the other party, of facts or documents necessary to maintain his own title.
1715Act 2 Geo. I in Lond. Gaz. (1716) No. 5455/2 The Person suing..shall be entitled..to demand a Discovery of all Incumbrances..any way affecting the same. 1768Blackstone Comm. iii. xxvii. 437 From the..compulsive discovery upon oath, the courts of equity have acquired a jurisdiction over almost all matters of fraud. 1848Wharton Law Lex. s.v., A bill of discovery, emphatically so called, is a bill for the discovery of facts resting in the knowledge of the defendant, or of deeds, or writings, or other things, in his custody or power. 1863H. Cox Instit. ii. iv. 405 In the superior courts of common law..either party to a cause has a right..to obtain discovery of documents in his opponent's possession relating to the matter in dispute. 1883Law Times 20 Oct. 411/1, I obtained discovery, and the result was that an authority, signed by the defendant, who had forgotten all about it, was disclosed.
†c. The action of displaying or manifesting (any quality); manifestation. Obs.
1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. 57 That they.. should not only in the discoverie of their skill make him glorious, but themselves also. 1692Dryden St. Euremont's Ess. 42 It was then the Romans..made a discovery of their Magnificence. 1759Johnson Rasselas xvi, His companions..could make no discovery of their ignorance or surprise.
d. The unravelling or unfolding of the plot of a play, poem, etc.
1727–51Chambers Cycl., Discovery, in dramatic poetry, a manner of unravelling a plot, or fable..wherein, by some unforeseen accident, a discovery is made of the name, fortune, quality, and other circumstances, of a principal person, which were before unknown. 1870L'Estrange Miss Mitford I. iv. 108 The dénouement of ‘Marmion’ and that of ‘The Lay of the Last Minstrel’ both turn on the same discovery.
3. The finding out or bringing to light of that which was previously unknown; making known: also with a and pl., an instance of this.
1553in Hakluyt Voy. (1589) 265 The voyage intended for the discouerie of Cathay and diuers other regions, dominions, islands, and places unknown. 1601Shakes. All's Well iii. vi. 99 He will steale himselfe into a mans fauour, and for a weeke escape a great deale of discoueries, but when you finde him out, you haue him euer after. 1653H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. xx. 71 Attired after the Chinese fashion, for fear of discovery. 1676Ray Corr. (1848) 126 Those discoveries and new inventions are not granted even to such men..unless [etc.]. 1748Anson's Voy. ii. x. 232 The discovery of new countries and of new branches of commerce. 1794Paley Evid. ii. ii. (1817) 67 Morality..does not admit of discovery, properly so called. 1846Landor Imag. Conv. II. 1 Shew me..a discoverer who has not suffered for his discovery..whether a Columbus or a Galileo. 1846Grote Greece i. xviii. (1862) II. 458 The voyage was one of discovery. 1894Whitaker's Almanac 594/2 Ferrier's discovery of cerebral localization.
†b. Exploration, investigation, reconnoitring, reconnaissance. Obs.
1605Shakes. Lear v. i. 53 The Enemys in view..Heere is the guesse of their true strength and Forces, By dilligent discouerie. 1669N. Morton New Eng. Mem. 17 About thirty of them went out on this second Discovery..but upon the more exact discovery thereof, they found it to be no Harbour for Ships, but onely for Boats. 1719De Foe Crusoe (1840) I. vi. 115 I had a great desire to make a more perfect discovery of the island. 1774Goldsm. Grecian Hist. II. 275 He was therefore commanded to make some further discoveries.
†c. The getting a view (of anything); descrying, viewing; view. Obs.
1613Purchas Pilgrimage vii. xi. 592 In the first place presents it selfe to our Discoverie that Sea. 1616Surfl. & Markh. Country Farme, The hills, which are commonly called the views or discoveries of parkes. 1650Fuller Pisgah ii. v. ii. 144 He could not at that distance have taken a discovery of them.
d. U.S. Mining. ‘The first finding of the mineral deposit in place upon a mining claim’ (Raymond).
1812Brackenridge Views Louisiana (1814) 147 What is called a discovery, by those engaged in working the mines, is, when any one happens upon an extensive body of ore. 1881Raymond Mining Gloss. s.v., A discovery is necessary before the location can be held by a valid title. The opening in which it is made is called discovery-shaft, discovery-tunnel, etc.
†4. Information, indication, or evidence that brings anything to light. Obs.
1648Cromwell Let. 17 June in Carlyle, We have plain discoveries that Sir Trevor Williams..was very deep in the plot of betraying Chepstow. 1699Bentley Phal. 356 By this we may have some Discovery of Nossis's Age. 1705Stanhope Paraphr. I. 273 Marks which were thought sufficient Discoveries of their being dictated by the same Spirit.
5. a. That wherein the discovery consists; the matter or thing which is discovered, found out, revealed, or brought to light. (In quot. 1657, property discovered to be held without title.)
1632Marmion Holland's Leaguer v. v, I'll open but one leaf..And you shall see the whole discovery. 1657Burton's Diary (1828) II. 102 A Bill for settling of Worcester House..upon Margaret, Countess of Worcester..and some discoveries in lieu of the arrears of her fifths. a1682Sir T. Browne Tracts (1684) 210 The Friers..brought back into Europe the discovery of Silk and Silk Worms. 1780Cowper Table t. 752 Then spread the rich discovery, and invite Mankind to share in the divine delight. 1837Penny Cycl. VII. 419/2 No indication that the mariner's compass was a recent discovery.
b. Someone whose talents are recognized and made known for the first time.
1930Daily Tel. 1 Dec. 21/1 McRosty, who was last year's ‘discovery’, obtaining his Blue at the first time of asking, is a scratch player of sturdy build. 1955Times 19 May 4/1 He called his discoveries ‘new and unknown artists’. 1986Guardian 1 Feb. 13/8 Juliette Binoche was the discovery of the 1985 Cannes Film Festival.
6. attrib. and Comb. discovery-claim (Mining), the portion of mining-ground to which the discoverer of a mineral deposit has a claim; the extra ‘claim’ to which a discoverer is entitled: see 3 d; discovery method Educ. (orig. U.S.), a method of instruction in which pupils are encouraged to acquire knowledge actively by their own investigations, rather than passively by listening and reading; cf. heuristic a. b; discovery well, the first successful oil well in a newly explored area.
[1960Math. Teacher Mar. 169/2 There is proposed in this study a student experience-discovery method. 1960J. S. Bruner in Ibid. Dec. 611/2 Probably we do violence to the subtlety of such technique by labelling it simply the ‘method of discovery’.] 1961Nat. Assoc. Sec. School Principals Bull. Dec. 19 A second aspect of the Progressive Education movement relevant to the evolution of the discovery method was the child-centered approach to instruction. 1975Language for Life (Dept. Educ. & Sci.) xxvi. 558, I would question the notion..that a child can learn by talking and writing as certainly as he can by listening and reading, for it appears to me that in its context it is being used as an attempt to promote the merits of ‘discovery methods’.
1779Sheridan Critic iii. i, One of the finest discovery-scenes I ever saw.
1840F. D. Bennett Whaling Voy. I. 44 The British discovery-sloop Swallow. Ibid. 228 To enforce the restitution of property stolen from the discovery-ships.
1820Scoresby Acc. Arctic Reg. II. 99 One or two discovery vessels were generally attached to every whale-fishing expedition sent out.
1912Econ. Geol. VII. 370 A test well near the discovery well at Spindle Top entered gypsum at 1,200 feet, salt rock at 1,650 feet and stopped at 1,900 feet from the surface. 1948Time 19 Jan. 87/2 The discovery well was pouring out 55 barrels a day, the maximum under Texas regulations. 1977R. E. Megill Introd. Risk Analysis xiv. 160 Fields smaller than the cutoff size are non-commercial and their discovery wells are classed as dry holes. |