| 释义 |
rapier|ˈreɪpɪə(r)|
Also 6 raper(e, -yer, -yre; Sc. and north dial. 6–, 20 rapper; 8 -ier.
[a. F. rapière (1474 in Du Cange) of unknown origin.]
a. Originally, a long, pointed, two-edged sword adapted either for cutting or thrusting, but chiefly used for the latter. In later use, a light, sharp-pointed sword designed only for thrusting; a small sword.
1553Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 20 A rede is to them in the stede of sworde, rapyre & iauelyne. 1590Sir J. Smyth Disc. Weapons 3 b, Rather..Rapiers of a yard and a quarter long the blades, or more, than strong short arming Swords. 1622Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d'Alf. ii. 227 They would..pricke me in the body with their Rapiers points. 1709Steele Tatler No. 88 ⁋12, I went up Stairs with my Hand upon the Hilt of my Rapier. 1727–41Chambers Cycl., Rapier..In a modern sense among us, usually denotes a small sword, as contradistinguished from a back-sword, or cutting sword. 1818Scott Rob Roy xxviii, Aware of the superiority of my weapon, a rapier or small-sword, [I] was little afraid of the issue of the contest. 1889Grove Fencing etc. (Badminton) Introd. 5 When there is a public exhibition of fencing, an assault with rapiers is very frequently announced.
1911C. J. Sharp Sword Dances Northern Eng. 9 The long⁓sword Yorkshire dances differ very considerably from those gathered in the more northern counties, where the short⁓sword or ‘rapper’ is used. 1933E. K. Chambers Eng. Folk-Play 126 A long sword, found in Yorkshire, and a short sword or ‘rapper’, found in Durham. 1956N. Marsh Off with his Head (1957) iii. 62 Hand over thik rapper... Us'll take the edge off of it.
fig.1890‘R. Boldrewood’ Col. Reformer (1891) 304 This smiling satirist with his society talk and ready rapier of repartee.
†b. Coupled with dagger; also fig. and Comb.
1591Harington Orl. Fur. Pref. i, Hercules..fought with a club, and not at the rapyer and dagger. 1597lst Pt. Return fr. Parnass. iv. i. 1236 This bracchidochio,..this meere rapier and dagger. 1603Shakes. Meas. for M. iv. iii. 15 Mr Starue-Lackey the Rapier and dagger man.
c. attrib. and Comb., as rapier blade, rapier hilt, rapier point; rapier-girdled, rapier-like, rapier-pointed, rapier-snouted, rapier-thin adjs.; rapier dance, a sword-dance; also rapier-sword dance; hence rapier-sword dancer; † rapier-fish Obs., the sword-fish.
1590Sir J. Smyth Disc. Weapons 4 *Rapier blades being so narrow..do presently breake.
1811Willan in Archæologia (1814) XVII. 154 *Rapier Dance. 1960Times 16 Jan. 12/5 A Tyneside rapper dance.
1681Grew Musæum i. v. i. 86 The head of the *rapier-fish; called Xiphias..Grows sometimes to the length of five yards.
1908C. W. Wallace Children of Chapel xiv. 177 The local and personal drives have caused my *rapier-girdled courtier and fine gentleman to avoid the public theatres.
1599B. Jonson Ev. Man out of Hum. v. iv, I will make thy blood flow on my *rapier hilts.
1975R. Barclay Ernest Bevin & Foreign Office ii. 42 Quite untrue, of course, and not exactly *rapier-like diplomacy, but it effectively crushed the Ambassador.
1884L. Griffin in Fortn. Rev. Mar. 387 The conclusions..pierce the soul..with so true and acute a *rapier-point.
1816Keats To Ch. C. Clarke 65 The sharp, the *rapier-pointed epigram.
1906Daily Chron. 11 Oct. 3/6 This *rapier-snouted fish [sc. Belone vulgaris] consorts with the mackerel.
1937Times Lit. Suppl. 20 Feb. 155/3 Long-sword dances, *Rapper-sword dances. 1977Sunday Mail (Brisbane) 6 Feb. 10/4 An ancient English dance came to Brisbane yesterday as Moreton Bay rapper sword dancers rehearsed for the Folk Music Festival.
1961Times 7 Apr. 18/3 The acting, though it may broaden some of the *rapier-thin parts, is as good as can be demanded.
Hence ˈrapiered a., wearing or furnished with a rapier; sharp-pointed; ˈrapier v. trans., with direct speech: to comment or query pointedly (nonce-use).
1683Roxb. Ball. (1885) V. 454 A nimble thrust of Rapier'd Wit. 1854Lowell Cambridge 30 Yrs. Ago Pr. Wks. 1890 I. 94 The scarlet-coated, rapiered figures. 1957O. Nash You can't get there from Here 151 Has the moment come, rapiered Mr. Webster, to abjectly surrender to journalese? |