| 释义 |
▪ I. epitaph, n.|ˈɛpɪtɑːf, -æ-|
Forms: α. (4 epithphy) 5 epytaphy, (6 epetaphy), 5–6 epitaphye, -taphie. β. 5–6 epitaphe, (5 epythaphe, epithaphe, epetaph, epitaff, 7– epitaph.
[ad. L. epitaphium, a. Gr. ἐπιτάϕιον, neut. of ἐπιτάϕιος adj. (spoken) on the occasion of a burial, (written) upon a tomb, f. ἐπί upon + τάϕος sepulture, tomb. The β forms prob. a. Fr. épitaphe.]
1. An inscription upon a tomb. Hence, occasionally, a brief composition characterizing a deceased person, and expressed as if intended to be inscribed on his tombstone.
α [1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 225 Þis geauntes epitaphium, þat is, þe writynge of mynde of hym þat lay þere, was suche. ] Ibid. VII. 149 His epithphy—þat is, writynge on his grave.c1470Harding Chron. xcvii. xv, Y⊇ bishop of Rome..on his tombe set his epitaphye. 1520Test. Ebor. (Surtees) V. 123 Such a epitaphie as shall be devised by me or my executours. 1538Leland Itin. II. 49 A rich Tumbe of Alabastre..having this Epitaphie on it.
β1393Gower Conf. III. 326 Her epitaphe of good assise Was write about. 1430Lydg. Chron. Troy ii. xx, An Epythaphe anone he dyd do graue In his honour. c1532G. Du Wes Introd. Fr. in Palsgr. 1032 (title) An epitaphe made upon the deth of Frenche. 1583(title), A Booke of Epitaphes made upon the Death of Sir William Buttes. 1621Burton Anat. Mel. ii. iii. 111, For all Orations..Epithaphes, herses..he dies like a hog. 1711Addison Spect. No. 25 ⁋5 An Italian Epitaph written on the Monument of a Valetudinarian. 1816Scott Old Mort. i, They belong, we are assured by the epitaph, to the class of persecuted Presbyterians. 1849Lytton Caxtons 103 But no epitaph tells their virtues.
b. transf. and fig.
1847Emerson Repr. Men, Goethe Wks. (Bohn) I. 382 The rolling rock leaves its scratches on the mountain..the fern and leaf their modest epitaph in the coal. 1860Farrar Orig. Lang. i. 26 That gigantic and mysterious epitaph of humanity.
2. Comb.
1709Steele Tatler No. 99 ⁋5 What will become of your Embalmers, Epitaph-Mongers, and Chief Mourners?
▪ II. epitaph, v.|ˈɛpɪtɑːf, -æ-|
[f. prec. n.]
1. trans.
a. To describe in an epitaph; with compl.
b. To write an epitaph upon.
1592G. Harvey Four Lett. 19 Let mee rather be Epitaphed, the Inuentour of the English Hexameter. 1818J. Brown Psyche 114 Epitaph'd an honest man. 1865Athenæum No. 1992. 929/1 Proudly entombed and epitaphed.
†2. intr. To speak or write as in an epitaph; impers. in pass. Also, to epitaph it. Obs.
1627Bp. Hall Heaven on Earth §18 The commons..in their speeches epitaph vpon him as on that Pope, ‘He lived as a wolfe, and died as a dogge’. 1633T. Adams Exp. 2 Peter ii. 15 (1865) 511 But many a man may say of his wealth, as it was epitaphed on that pope. a1661Fuller Worthies (1840) I. 211 The poet thus epitapheth it. |