| 释义 |
▪ I. effeminate, a. and n.|ɛˈfɛmɪnət|
[ad. L. effēmināt-us, f. effēminā-re, f. ex out + fēmina woman.]
A. adj.
1. Of persons: That has become like a woman:
a. Womanish, unmanly, enervated, feeble; self-indulgent, voluptuous; unbecomingly delicate or over-refined. Also (Obs.) absol. (cf. quot. 1609 in B.)
(The two first quots. may possibly belong to 3).
c1430Lydg. Bochas iii. v. (1554) 77 a, It is..the most perilous thyng A prince to been of his condicion Effeminate. 1534Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) E viij, An effeminate persone neuer hathe spirite to any hie or noble dedes. 1549Compl. Scot. xi. (1873) 25 Effemenet men sal be ther dominatours. 1555Eden Decades W. Ind. (Arb.) 50 The sclendernesse of theyr capacitie and effeminate hartes. 1625K. Long tr. Barclay's Argenis iv. xxii. 319 But a Souldier's death shall make amends for thy effeminate life. 1748Anson Voy. ii. xiv. (ed. 4) 386 A Luxurious and effeminate race. 1841W. Spalding Italy & It. Isl. I. 107 This step..enabled the Germanic soldiers to compare themselves with the effeminate troops of the south.
absol. quasi-n.1609Bible (Douay) Prov. xviii. 8 The soules of the effeminate shal be hungrie. 1692Dryden tr. St. Evremont's Ess. 162 A softness, wherein for the most part languish the Effeminate.
b. Of things: Characterized by, or proceeding from, unmanly weakness, softness, or delicacy.
1579Gosson Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 32 Effeminate gesture to rauish the sence. 1591Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, v. iv. 107 Shall we at last conclude effeminate peace? 1685Crowne Sir C. Nice v. 49, I scorn those effeminate revenges. If I hurt any man it shall be with my sword. 1776Gibbon Decl. & Fall I. 148 Rome was..humbled beneath the effeminate luxury of Oriental despotism. 1839H. Rogers Ess. (1874) II. iii. 149 They would sooner employ..the most effeminate circumlocution than resort to a..homely term or phrase.
†c. Without implying reproach: Gentle, tender, compassionate. Obs.
1594Nashe Unfort. Trav. 26 Their handes had no leasure to aske counsell of their effeminate eyes. 1594Shakes. Rich. III, iii. vii. 211 We know your tenderness of heart, And gentle kinde effeminate remorse.
†d. Of music, odours, etc.: Soft, voluptuous. Obs.
1674Playford Skill Mus. i. 61 The Ionick Mood was more light and effeminate Musick. 1692O. Walker Hist. Illustrated 77 The Myrtle..because of its Effeminate smell, etc.
¶ Used for: Feminine, characteristic of women.
1549Olde Erasm. Par. 1 Timothy ii. 9 Nowe let the women also praye after thexample of the men. Yf there be any effemynate affection [Lat. ‘Si quid est in animo muliebrium affectuum’] in their stomakes, let them caste it out.
†2. Physically weak, ‘delicate’. Obs.
1652French Yorksh. Spa x. 91, I..advise those that have effeminate stomachs to take off the cold from the water before they drink it.
†3. The notion ‘self-indulgent, voluptuous’ (see 1) seems sometimes to have received a special colouring from a pseudo-etymological rendering of the word as ‘devoted to women’. Unequivocal instances are rare; cf. quot. 1430 in 1; also effeminacy 2; effeminateness 2. Obs.
1490Caxton Eneydos xvi. 55 Man effemynate [Virgil uxorius] wythout honour rauysshed in to dileectation femynyne. 1589Puttenham Eng. Poesie ii. (Arb.) 146 The king was supposed to be..very amorous and effeminate.
†4. Used as pa. pple. of effeminate, v. Sc. Obs.
1536Bellenden Cron. Scot., How strang..pepill grew in our regioun afore they were effeminat with lust. a1560Rolland Crt. Venus iii. 619 How mony men hes it effeminate.
B. n. An effeminate person.
b. spec. (see quot. 1609).
1597Daniel Civ. Wars I. 70 This wanton young effeminate [Richard II]. 1609Bible (Douay) 1 Kings xiv. 24 Effeminates [Vulg. effeminati, 1611 Sodomites] were in the land. 1784Cowper Task ii. 223 With a just disdain Frown at effeminates. 1860W. Webb in Medical Times 15 Sept. 266/2 Soft-handed effeminates.
▪ II. effeminate, v.|ɛˈfɛmɪneɪt|
[ad. L. effēminātus, pa. pple. of effēmināre (see effeminate a.). Cf. F. efféminer.]
†1. trans. To make into a woman; to represent as a woman. Obs. rare.
1678Cudworth Intell. Syst. 493 They effeminated the Air and attributed it to Juno. 1739Cibber Apol. (1756) I. 90 Till the male Queen cou'd be effeminated [i.e. till the actor playing that part could be shaved].
2. To make womanish or unmanly; to enervate.
1551–6Robinson tr. More's Utop. (Arb.) 40 It is not to be feared lest they shoulde be effeminated, if thei were brought vp in good craftes. 1577Hanmer Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1585) 155 He effeminated his souldiers with all kind of delicacy and lasciuiousnesse. 1579Gosson Sch. Abuse (1841) 19 Bringing sweet comfortes into Theaters which rather effeminate the minde. 1676Shadwell Libertine iv. ii, Luxurious living..Effeminates fools in body. 1699T. C[ockman] Tully's Offices (1706) 61 note, A Stream which was said to..effeminate those that washed in it. 1758Herald II. 252 If the too free admission of wealth..could..effeminate their manners. 1829Southey Sir T. More II. 236 Luxury has not effeminated them.
3. intr. To become womanish; to grow weak, languish.
1393Gower Conf. III. 236 To seen a man from his estate Through his soty effeminate And leve that a man shall do. 1612Bacon Greatness Kingd., Ess. 239 In a slothfull peace both courages will effeminate, and manners corrupt. |