| 释义 |
don't|dəʊnt|
colloq. contraction of do not (see do v. 29 and 29 b); also (now vulgar) contraction of does not (see do v. A. 2 c. γ). Hence as n. (usu. pl.), a prohibition; the reiteration of ‘don't’. Also (rare) as v. intr.
1670, etc. [see do v. A. 2 c. γ, 30 d]. 1738[see do v. 28]. 1741,1831[see do v. A. 2 c, γ]. 1874Hardy Far from Madding Crowd vi. 76 ‘Whose shepherd is he?’ said the equestrian...‘Don't know, ma'am.’ ‘Don't any of the others know?’ 1894Daily News 23 Nov. 5/3 The plan gets rid of many ‘don'ts’. a1897Mod. ‘Don't be always don'ting!’ 1902, etc. [see do n.1 4]. 1919H. L. Mencken Amer. Lang. vi. 210 Don't has also completely displaced doesn't, which is very seldom heard. ‘He don't’ and ‘they don't’ are practically universal. 1929D. H. Lawrence Pansies 48 (poem-title) Dont's. 1944Living off Land vi. 125 In looking after a snake bite patient.., remember the three ‘dont's’.
b. don't-care, used as adj., = careless, reckless. n., one who does not care (see care v. 4 a); a careless, unconcerned, or indifferent person; so don't-care-a-damnativeness (or -itiveness) (slang), carelessness, unconcern; So don't-care-ism (nonce-wd.); don't-carish a.; don't-carishness.
1841F. A. Kemble Let. 11 Oct. in Rec. Later Life (1882) II. 134, I am grown old and stupid and sleepy and don't-carish. 1841Thackeray in K. Meadows Heads of People II. 169 That reckless do n't-care-a-damnativeness which leads a man to disregard all the world. 1841Daily Picayune (New Orleans) 24 Feb. 2/3 He..had..all the nonchalance and dont-care-a-dam-itiveness of De Bar. 1864Daily Tel. 29 Sept., There must be a deeper and more philosophic reason for this don't-carishness. 1871Daily News 4 Jan., We are in the don't care mood. 1892Pall Mall G. 15 Dec. 7/1 The..spirit of daring don't-careism. 1895Westm. Gaz. 5 Sept. 2/1 A hearty, good-natured, don't-care sort of person. 1905Daily Chron. 10 Aug. 3/7 If she is at all weak she soon becomes a ‘don't care’, and a street-door gossip. 1924W. J. Locke Coming of Amos ii. 16 No nose on earth could so express the don't-care-a-damnativeness of disdain. 1955Auden Shield of Achilles i. 29 Bloodshot images of rivers screaming, Marbles in panic, and Don't-Care made to care.
c. don't know, a person who does not know (something) or who has not reached a decision or opinion on a particular subject, esp. in answering a questionnaire or the like; hence (nonce-wd.) don't knowist (see quot. 1908).
1888Pall Mall Gaz. 18 Jan. 11/2 The gospel according to ‘Don't-know’ is at present unfit to supersede the Synoptics. 1908G. B. Shaw Sanity of Art 57 ‘Positivists’ or ‘Dont Knowists’ (Agnostics). 1940Harrisson & Madge War begins at Home xiv. 381 Their figures differ from ours in showing a lower number of Don't knows. 1959News Chron. 28 Sept. 6/1 There has now been enough old-fashioned give-and-take to make the Don't Knows start thinking. Ibid. 6/5 The Don't Knows, the drugged, and the mindless. 1970Amateur Photogr. 11 Mar. 29/1 All the questions are completely answered; there are none of those curious ‘don't knows’ that usually round off the totals.
▸ U.S.don't ask, don't tell, (don't pursue) and variants: (designating) a policy on homosexuality adopted by the U.S. military in 1994, under which personnel are not asked about their sexual orientation and gays and lesbians are allowed to serve provided they do not openly reveal their sexuality. Also in extended use.
1993Chicago Tribune 31 Jan. iv. 4/4 Sociologist Moskos suggested this formula as a compromise for both sides to help them deal with the question of homosexuality in the military: ‘Don't ask, don't tell, don't seek, don't flaunt.’ 1996Rocky Mountain News (Denver, Colorado) (Nexis) 22 Sept. 30 a, A..teacher contacted the Immigration and Naturalization Service and reported one of her students as an illegal immigrant. The INS never showed up at the school, but the incident sent tremors through the Albuquerque Public Schools where the district policy has been don't ask, don't tell. 1997San Diego Union-Tribune (Electronic ed.) 2 Oct. Soldiers accused of homosexuality often become the focus of investigations and may be discharged from the military if they are found to have violated the military's ‘don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue’ policy on gays. 2001N.Y. Times Mag. 6 May 58/2 (advt.) Another strategy that doesn't work is ‘don't ask, don't tell your doctor about overactive bladder’. |