| 释义 |
evilness|ˈiːv(ə)l-, ˈiːvɪlnɪs|
[OE. yfelnyss, f. as prec. + -ness.]
The quality or condition of being evil.
1. Badness, viciousness; wickedness, depravity.
1000ælfric Hom. II. 278 Þæt we sceoldon wistfullian na on yfelnysse beorman, ac on þeorfnyssum. c1175Lamb. Hom. 17 Þet he icherre from þan uuelnesse ear his ende dei. a1300E. E. Psalter li. 5 [lii. 3] Þou loved ivelnes ovre betternes. 1489Caxton Faytes of A. i. i. 4 That cometh nothyng of the right of warre but by euylnes of the peple. 1553Bp. Ponet in Strype Eccl. Mem. II. ii. xxiii. 445 The evilness of the abuse hath marred the goodness of the word. 1677Hale Prim. Orig. Man. i. ii. 55 The..evilness..and unseasonableness of moral or natural actions, which falls not within the verge of a brutal faculty. 1730–6in Bailey (folio).
†2. Evil influence, hurtful character, noxiousness. Obs.
1563T. Hill Art Garden. (1593) 19 That the euilnes and corruptnes of the grounde, may be washed awaye with the winter showers. 1564–78W. Bullein Dial. agst. Pest. (1888) 31 When as the Sunne and Moone doe enter into any of their circles in those greate bodies, then our little bodies in earth do feele the goodnes or euilnesse of them. 1620Venner Via Recta Introd. 7 The Inhabitants, by reason of the euilnesse of the aire, haue grosse..spirits.
†3. Ill-health, illness. Obs.
1599Harsnet Agst. Darell 315, I oftentimes heard M. Darrell say before my pretended Evilnes that [etc.].
†4. Poor or bad quality, inferiority. Obs.
1548Cecil Pref. to Q. Catherine's Lament., Neither the goodnes of the cause can mooue them to saie more, neither the euilnesse less. 1549Latimer Ploughers (Arb.) 27 They saye that the euylnes of money hath made all things dearer. 1621Ainsworth Annot. Pentat. Gen. xli. 20, I have not seen their like, in all the land of Egypt, for evilness. |