| 释义 |
ˈdreadless, a. and adv.
[See -less.]
A. adj. Void of dread or fear; having no fear; fearless; not apprehensive. Const. of.
c1340Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 2334 How þat doȝty dredles deruely þer stondez. a1450Le Morte Arth. 3262 After hys dayes fulle dredelesse..To welde Alle yngland, towre And towne. 1561T. Norton Calvin's Inst. i. 46 With a dredelesse minde to loke down vpon his enemies. 1634Peacham Gentl. Exerc. iii. 140 A haughtie courage, dreadlesse of dangers. 1762Falconer Shipwr. ii. 150 At each yard⁓arm a dreadless sailor strides. 1854Tait's Mag. XXI. 238 We await the issue..with dreadless confidence.
†b. Exempt from dread or apprehension of danger; secure; void of terrors. Obs. rare.
1591Spenser World's Vanitie x, A mighty Lyon..Safe in his dreadles den him thought to hide. 1622S. Ward Life of Faith in Death (1627) 91 That which makes death so easie, so familiar and dreadlesse to a beleeuer.
†B. adv. Without doubt or apprehension of mistake; doubtless. Cf. dread n. 3. Obs.
c1369Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 1272 Dredelesse I mene none other wayes. a1400Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. 91 Thane was Orncyane dede..And sulde to delfynge be done dredles þat daye. a1400Morte Arth. 2043 Dredlesse with-owttyne dowtte, the daye schalle be ourez. 1535Stewart Cron. Scot. (1858) I. 61 Dreidles than we man all suffer deid.
Hence ˈdreadlessly adv., in a dreadless manner, fearlessly; ˈdreadlessness, fearlessness.
1580Sidney Arcadia (1622) 68 Zelmane (to whom daunger..was a cause of dreadlesnesse). 1628Wither Brit. Rememb. iv. 670 So dreadlesly their course they did pursue. 1831Wilson in Blackw. Mag. XXIX. 295 Animals who dreadlessly follow their instincts. |