| 释义 |
tentative, a. and n.|ˈtɛntətɪv|
[ad. med.L. tentātīvus adj. (tentātīva n. in Schol.L.), f. tentāt-, ppl. stem of tentāre for temptāre to try: see tempt v. and -ive. So F. tentative n. (16th c. in Godef. Compl.), examination, attempt; also as adj., experimental (obs.).]
A. adj. Of the nature of an experiment, trial, or attempt; made or done provisionally as an experiment; experimental.
1588[implied in tentatively]. 1626Bp. Hall Contempl., O.T. xx. iii, Falshood, though it be but tentative, is neither needed nor approved by the God of truth. 1768Johnson Pref. to Shaks. Wks. IX. 240 Works tentative and experimental must be estimated by their proportion to the general and collective ability of man. 1851D. Wilson Preh. Ann. (1863) II. iv. ii. 241 The interpretations must therefore be regarded as tentative. 1874Green Short Hist. vii. §3. 364 A policy of this limited, practical, tentative order was..best suited to the England of her day.
B. n. Something done as an experiment or trial; an essay, an attempt; † a hostile attempt (obs.).
1632J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 175 They had no time to get out..any tentative of theirs serving them to no purpose, for that the citie was walled round about. 1687Rycaut Hist. Turks II. 321 He was going to make a tentative upon Palotta, a place of good strength. 1692Temple Mem. Wks. 1731 I. 431 They tried some little Tentatives upon us, whether we would be content to leave out all Mention of his Majesty's Mediation, as well as that of the Pope's? 1898Pop. Sci. Monthly Sept. 609 Tentatives were made in both directions.
b. Trying, experimenting; experimentation.
1865Grote Plato I. xvii. 493 A process, more or less tedious, of tentative and groping. |