| 释义 |
evenness|ˈiːvənnɪs|
[OE. efenniss: see even a. and -ness.]
1. The quality or state of being smooth or level; smoothness, levelness.
1580Baret Alv. P 441 The plainenesse or euennesse of the sea. 1611Cotgr. s.v. Limé, Scraped, or shauen vnto a sleeknesse, or euennesse. 1644Evelyn Mem. (1857) I. 91 For stateliness of the buildings, paving, and evenness of the street..far superior to any in Europe. 1714Derham Astro-Theol. Prel. Disc. (1750) 33 The evenness of the surface of the lunar spots. 1885Manch. Weekly Times Supp. 20 June 4/3 The paring down must..be done with great evenness and accuracy.
2. Uniformity in shape, texture, arrangement, etc.
1634Sir T. Herbert Trav. 182 Trees of admirable height and evennesse. 1684–5Boyle Min. Waters 69 The length and evenness of the stem. 1726Leoni tr. Alberti's Archit. I. 27 b, The Sallow, the Hornbeam..and the Fig..by their Dryness and Evenness, are..wonderfully soft and easy under the Carver's Tool. 1878L. P. Meredith Teeth 2 The evenness, the whiteness..in a beautiful set of teeth.
3. Of movement or action: Uniformity, freedom from fluctuations in speed or intensity; equability. Also of the mind, temper, etc.: Equability; calmness, equanimity.
1574H. G. Briefe Tables G ij a, Thou, for to cause that the raye maye go with an euennesse, shalte cause this maniple to go by fiue in a rancke in breadth. 1655Jer. Taylor Unum Necess. iii. §5 (R.) A good man may..in a sudden anger go beyond the evenness of a wise Christian. 1683Temple Mem. Wks. 1731 I. 401 His Recovery..was owing to the great Evenness of his Temper. 1701Grew Cosm. Sacr. (J.), The ether most readily yieldeth to the revolutions of the celestial bodies, and the making them with that evenness and celerity is requisite in them all. 1711Steele Spect. No. 147 ⁋2 Evenness of Voice and Delivery. 1867A. J. Ellis E.E. Pronunc. i. iv. 331 The evenness with which a Frenchman pronounces the syllables.
†4. Balanced condition, equipoise. lit. and fig. Also, Equidistance from extremes: the just mean.
1398Trevisa Barth De P.R. iii. xxiii. (1495) 71 Some pulse hyght meane euyn and temperate. This meane and euinnes comyth of moche and lytyll. a1420Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 140 He lucre & losse weiethe in evennesse. a1600Hooker (J.), That so it [a crooked stick] may settle itself..in a middle estate of evenness. 1646J. Whitaker Uzziah 22 It [is] a difficulty for an unsteady paralyticall hand to carry a full cup with evennesse. 1653Rouse Myst. Marr. 316 The one are so ballanced with the other that the soul is kept in an evenness. 1660Andromania i. i. in Hazl. Dodsley XIV. 200 See the ambassadors entertain'd With such an evenness as should be us'd to men We neither fear nor love.
5. Of the administration of justice: Equitableness, impartiality. † Formerly in wider use: Equity, righteousness.
c1000Ags. Ps. (Spelm.) cxviii [cxix]. 144 (Bosw.) Efennys ᵹecyðnys ðin on ecnysse. a1300E.E. Psalter ix. 9 And als deme sal he World of erþe in evennesse. c1430Pilgr. Lyf Manhode i. xxviii. (1869) 19 To varie it at your wille..after that the cas asketh and right and euenenesse is. 1607Hieron Wks. I. 138 Be carefull..in the duties of equity and euennesse amongst men, this is religion. 1679Burnet Hist. Ref. Pref. 5 They have delivered things to posterity with..much candour and evenness. 1866Kingsley Herew. I. xvi. 302 Without it.. these noble knights had never known the evenness of Count Baldwin's justice.
¶ pl. after the Vulgate and the Heb.: Right things.
a1340Hampole Psalter xvi[i]. 2 Þin eghen se euenesses.
†6. Equality. Obs.
1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. iii. xxiv. (1495) 73 The line of the euynesse of daye and nighte. 1530Palsgr. 217/2 Evennesse, equalité. 1668Wilkins Real Char. ii. i. §4. 34 Evenness, Parity. |