| 释义 |
rarely, adv.|ˈrɛəlɪ|
[f. rare a.2 + -ly2.]
†1.
a. Thinly, scantily. Obs. rare.
1523Cromwell Sp. in Merriman Life & Lett. (1902) I. 40 How should we be Able to possede the large Cuntreye of Fraunce which haue our owne Realme so meruelous rarely storyd of inhabytauntes and hable men.
†b. In a wide-set or open manner. Obs.
a1547Surrey æneid iv. (1557) E i, The hayes so rarely knit [L. retia rara]. 1622Sir R. Hawkins Voy. S. Sea (1847) 196 Shee..being rarely built, and utterly without fights or defences..wee cleered her decks in a moment.
2. Seldom, infrequently, in few instances.
Formerly compared rarelier, rareliest (quots. 1640, 1656).
1552Huloet, Rarelye, raro. 1570in Levins Manip. a1618Raleigh Rem. (1664) 121 Benefits are sometimes acknowledged, rarely requited. 1640Bolton Comf. Affl. Consc. (ed. 3) Ep. Ded., They are rarelier, and hardlier wrought upon by the Word. 1656Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. i. xxxix. (1674) 51 Those precious Stones are most esteemed of, which are rareliest found. 1712Budgell Spect. No. 277 ⁋16 She was not Talkative, a Quality very rarely to be met with in the rest of her Country-women. 1756C. Lucas Ess. Waters II. 3 They rarely, if ever..are perfectly frozen. 1861F. Nightingale Nursing 7 The windows are rarely or never opened. 1880Geikie Phys. Geog. ii. §11. 85 How rarely does the air seem to be perfectly motionless!
b. With ever added.
1694W. Wotton Anc. & Mod. Learn. (1697) 403 The most verbose Mathematicians have rarely ever said any thing for Saying sake. 1709Mrs. Manley Secret Mem. II. 167 They..rarely ever examin into the true Motive. 1728Ramsay Health 355 Who rarely ever cures, but often kills. 1857[see ever adv. 7 c].
c. rarely or ever, by confusion of ‘rarely if ever’ and ‘rarely or never’. Cf. ever adv. 7 b.
1768Woman of Honor I. 139 But those schemes..rarely or ever answer the end. 1811Syd. Smith Wks. (1850) 200/1 The contest would rarely or ever take place, where the friends of the Establishment were not numerous enough.
d. it is rarely that = It is rare or seldom that. (See rare a. 5 b.)
1753Chambers Cycl. Supp. s.v. Louse, He observes, that it is rarely that flies are found infested with them. 1825G. N. Collingwood in Parr's Wks. (1828) I. 505 It was rarely indeed that any such request was denied.
3. Unusually or remarkably well; finely, splendidly, beautifully. (Freq. in 17th c.)
1590Shakes. Mids. N. i. ii. 31, I could play Ercles rarely. 1602Marston Antonio's Rev. v. 1, I could belch rarely, for I am all winde. 1667Dryden Sir Martin Mar-all v. i, I'll instruct him most rarely, he shall never be found out. 1703Maundrell Journ. Jerus. (1732) 136 A stately Architrave, and Cornish rarely carv'd. 1786Burns Dream x, Down Pleasure's stream, wi' swelling sails I'm tauld ye're driving rarely. 1860Geo. Eliot Mill on Fl. iii. iii, You can write rarely now, after all your schooling, I should think.
4. In an unusual degree; exceptionally.
1606Shakes. Ant. & Cl. v. ii. 158 Villain, Dog. O rarely base. 1661Boyle Spring of Air ii. v. (1682) 56 It will agree rarely-well with the Hypothesis. 1681R. Knox Hist. Ceylon 15 It is rarely sweet and pleasing to the pallat. 1853Kane Grinnell Exp. xxii. (1856) 174, I was one of the oarsmen, and sweated rarely. 1882J. Fothergill Kith & K. xxx, I believed him to be rarely good and wise.
b. With (ppl.) adjs. used attributively.
1668Culpepper & Cole Barthol. Anat. i. vii. 16 The rarely learned Marcus Aurelius Severinus. 1860G. H. K. in Vac. Tour 117 Bits of rarely-scented shrub here and there. 1866Macm. Mag. Apr. 521 Investigated by..That rarely-gifted Scholar. |