| 释义 |
evolution|ɛvəˈljuːʃən, iːvəˈljuːʃən|
[ad. L. ēvolūtiōn-em (recorded in the sense ‘unrolling of a book’), n. of action f. ēvolvĕre: see evolve. Cf. Fr. évolution.]
I. The process of unrolling, opening out, or disengaging from an envelope.
1. The opening out or unfolding of what is wrapped up (e.g. a roll, a bud, etc.); fig. the spreading out before the mental vision (of a series of objects); the appearance in orderly succession of a long train of events. Also concr. ‘the series of things unfolded or unrolled’ (J.).
1647H. More Poems 150 Evolution Of outward forms spread in the worlds vast spright. 1667― Div. Dial. i. §15 The whole evolution of..ages, from everlasting to everlasting, is..represented to God at once. 1678Cudworth Intell. Syst. 878 The Periods of Divine Providence, here in this World, are commonly Longer, and the Evolutions thereof Slower. 1742Young Nt. Th. iv. 510 Beyond long ages, yet roll'd up in shades..What evolutions of surprising fate! 1762― Resignation ii. xxxvi, Flowers..When ev'ning damps and shades descend, Their evolutions close. 1759Johnson Idler No 70 ⁋11 He whose task is to reap and thresh will not be contented without examining the evolution of the seed. 1843G. S. Faber Sacred Cal. Proph. (1844) I. p. xv, The evolution of time has served only to confirm me in..the honest persuasion, that, etc.
2. Emergence or protrusion from the folds of an envelope. Frequent in Biol.
1762Hudson in Phil. Trans. LII. 500 Our author asserts, That every Fungus is contained in an entire and perfect state..in the egg, or as it is called, the seed, and wants nothing but evolution, in order to imbibe the necessary juices. 1800Med. Jrnl. III. 5, I determined to leave Nature undisturbed, to effect the evolution of the child. 1817T. Say Hessian Fly, Entom. Wks. 1859 II. 7 The specious circumstance of its evolution from the pupa itself of the destroying larva. 1887Gray's Anat. (ed. Pike) 85 The first appearance of the eye consists in the protrusion or evolution from the medullary wall of the..interbrain of a vesicle.
3. The process of evolving, disengaging, or giving off (gas, heat, light, sound, etc.); an instance of this process.
1806Med. Jrnl. XV. 289 A powerful evolution of the muriatic acid is painful and dangerous. 1816J. Smith Panorama Sc. & Art II. 278 Two dissimilar metals are not essential to the evolution of galvanism. 1839G. Bird Nat. Philos. 138 The evolution of musical sounds during the cooling of heated metals. 1875Lyell Princ. Geol. II. ii. xxxii. 214 There is a constant evolution of heat and light. 1878Huxley Physiogr. 82 Decomposed by the acid with the evolution of carbonic acid gas.
4. Math.
a. Geom. The unfolding or opening out of a curve: † (a) the straightening it out, through all intermediate degrees of curvature, till it becomes a straight line; (b) the production from it of an involute, such as would be traced by the end of a stretched flexible thread unwound from the outside of the curve.
1700Phil. Trans. XXII. 445 By the Equable Evolution of a Circle, I mean such a gradual approach of its Periferie to Rectitude, as that all its parts do together and equally evolve or unbend. 1727–51Chambers Cycl., Evolution, in geometry, the unfolding, or opening of a curve, and making it describe an evolvent. 1828Hutton Course Math. III. 352 To determine the nature of the curve by whose evolution the common parabola AB is described.
b. Arith. and Alg. The extraction of any root from any given power; the reverse of involution.
1706in Phillips (ed. Kersey). 1734Builder's Dict., Evolution, The Extraction of Roots out of Powers. 1806Hutton Course Math. I. 200 Evolution is..the method of finding the square root, cube root, etc., of any given quantity. 1859Barn. Smith Arith. & Algebra (ed. 6) 262 Evolution is the inverse of Involution; being the method of finding any root of a given quantity.
5. a. The process of evolving, developing, or working out in detail, what is implicitly or potentially contained in an idea or principle; the development of a design, argument, etc.
1677Hale Prim. Orig. Man. iii. ii. 259 It must have potentially at least the whole Systeme of Humane Nature, or at least that Ideal Principle..thereof, in the evolution whereof the complement and formation of the Humane Nature must consist. 1768Johnson Pref. to Shaks. Wks. IX. 247 His plays..in the successive evolutions of the design, sometimes produce seriousness and sorrow, and sometimes levity and laughter. 1774J. Bryant Mythol. I. p. xv, They [certain names] may be again resolved by an easy and fair evolution. 1820Coleridge Let. C. A. Tulk (in Sotheby's Catal. May 1890), I had arrived at this conclusion by necessary evolution from the First Principle of my Philosophy. 1870R. W. Dale Week-day Serm. iv. 83 Some slip in the evolution of an argument. 1878Simpson Sch. Shaks. I. 140 A chorus is introduced to make up for the want of dramatic evolution.
b. concr. The result of this process.
1820Coleridge Let. C. A. Tulk (in Sotheby's Catal. May 1890), The sensible world is but the evolution of the Truth, Love, and Life, or their opposites, in Man. 1856R. A. Vaughan Mystics (1860) I. 19 Philosophers who believe themselves organs of the world-soul, and their systems an evolution of the Deity. 1862F. Hall Hindu Phil. Syst. 55 note, In the Sánkhya, happiness, misery, will, and activity..are evolutions from..the internal organ.
6. Biol.
a. Of animal and vegetable organisms or their parts: The process of developing from a rudimentary to a mature or complete state.
1670Phil. Trans. V. 2078 By the word Change [in Insects] is nothing else to be understood but a gradual and natural Evolution and Growth of the parts. 1745Needham Microsc. Disc. Introd. 1 Nature..ever exerting its Fecundity in a successive Evolution of organised Bodies. 1791E. Darwin Bot. Gard. ii. 8 note, The gradual evolution of the young animal or plant from its egg or seed. 1801Med. Jrnl. V. 588 A series of experiments on the evolution of the Chick. 1805Ibid. XIV. 336 The formation and evolution of this part of the brain. 1839Johnston in Proc. Berw. Nat. Club I. 201 Masses of eggs, in different stages of their evolution, are met with in the same nest.
b. theory of evolution: the hypothesis (first propounded under that name by Bonnet 1762) that the embryo or germ, instead of being brought into existence by the process of fecundation, is a development or expansion of a pre-existing form, which contains the rudiments of all the parts of the future organism. Also called ‘the theory of Preformation’; the latter name is now preferred, to avoid confusion with the following sense.
1831[see epigenesis]. 1877Huxley Encycl. Brit. VIII. 745.
c. The origination of species of animals and plants, as conceived by those who attribute it to a process of development from earlier forms, and not to a process of ‘special creation’. Often in phrases doctrine, theory of evolution.
1832Lyell Princ. Geol. II. 11 The testacea of the ocean existed first, until some of them by gradual evolution, were improved into those inhabiting the land. 1852H. Spencer Developement Hypoth. Ess. (1883) I. 381 Those who cavalierly reject the Theory of Evolution, as not adequately supported by facts, seem quite to forget that their own theory is supported by no facts at all. 1859Darwin Orig. Spec. vii. (1873) 201 At the present day almost all naturalists admit evolution under some form. 1863E. V. Neale Anal. Th. & Nat. 185 The diversity of species has arisen by the evolution of one species out of another. 1881Sir J. Hooker in Nature No. 619. 446 The doctrine of the orderly evolution of species under known laws.
7. The development or growth, according to its inherent tendencies, of anything that may be compared to a living organism (e.g. of a political constitution, science, language, etc.); sometimes contrasted with revolution. Also, the rise or origination of anything by natural development, as distinguished from its production by a specific act; ‘growing’ as opposed to ‘being made’.
1807Knox & Jebb Corr. I. 367 Its [our British constitution's] tardy evolution bespeaks something fitter to endure. 1833Chalmers Const. Man (1835) II. vii. 39 When commerce is left to its own spontaneous evolutions. 1837Sir F. Palgrave Merch. & Friar (1844) 138 Our constitutional form of government has been produced by evolution. 1847Grote Greece II. xvii. (1862) II. 431 The same great evolution of Scythian power. 1873H. Spencer Study Sociol. v. 98 Psychology..deals with the evolution of the faculties..by what processes..ideas grow from concrete to abstract and from simple to complex.
8. The formation of the heavenly bodies according to the received theory which supposes it to have taken place by the concentration and consolidation of cosmic matter.
1850Nichol Archit. Heav. Pt. iii. (title) Psyche, or Evolution. Ibid. 239 (heading of page) Universal Evolution. 1851Ibid. (ed. 9) 289 As on Earth, there is [sic] also—ruling these high Heavens—vast processes of evolution. 1880Haughton Phys. Geog. i. 2 The idea of the evolution of planets is due to the great astronomer..Laplace.
9. In recent philosophical speculation used in a more comprehensive sense, of which the senses 6 a, 6 c, 7, 8 are regarded as special applications. social evolution, the development of human societies.
According to Herbert Spencer, whose views have greatly influenced not only the technical but also the popular use of the word, all the changes in the universe, whether material or psychical, are phenomena either of Evolution or of the reverse process of Dissolution; his definition of the former is quoted below.
1853H. Martineau tr. Comte's Positive Philos. II. vi. 156 The elements of our social evolution are connected, and always acting on each other. 1862H. Spencer First Princ. ii. xvii. §145 (1875) 396 The formula finally stands thus:—Evolution is an integration of matter and concomitant dissipation of motion; during which the matter passes from an indefinite, incoherent homogeneity to a definite, coherent heterogeneity; and during which the retained motion undergoes a parallel transformation. 1865Geo. Eliot in Fortn. Rev. I. 54 The high complexity of the causes at work in social evolution. 1878J. Sully in Encycl. Brit. VIII. 765 Mental evolution is a progressive composition of units of feeling in more and more complex forms. Ibid., Mr. Spencer's elaboration of the subject of social evolution has not been carried far enough. 1883A. Barratt Phys. Metempiric 32 The laws of Evolution apply to both universes..a universe of material forces, and a universe of conscious states. 1885Clodd Myths & Dr. ii. i. 144 Evolution is advance from the simple to the complex. 1907J. London Iron Heel viii. 113 You fellows have studied business..but you have not studied social evolution at all. 1958A. R. Radcliffe-Brown Method in Social Anthropol. ii. v. 179 In social evolution societies with more complex structure or organisation have been progressively developed from less complex forms.
II. A tactical movement (and derived senses).
10. Mil. and Naut. The unfolding or opening out of a body of troops or squadron of ships; hence gen. any movement or change of position, such as counter-marching, wheeling, etc., required in the due disposition of a force, whether for review, or for active operations. Also fig.
1622F. Markham Bk. War iv. viii. 151 But if it be to performe any Evolution or alteration of figure..then he shall see that they obserue at least six foote distance..betweene one Horseman and another. [1697P. Hoste (title) L'Art des Armées Navales, ou Traité des Evolutions Navales.] 1704Cocker App. Terms of War, Evolutions, when a Body of Men change their form..This is done by doubling of Ranks or Files, Counter-marches, or Wheelings. 1751Chambers Cycl. s.v., By naval evolutions he [Hoste] means, the motions made by a fleet, squadron, or naval armament, in order to put themselves into a proper disposition for attacking the enemy, or defending themselves with the most advantage. 1796–7Instr. & Reg. Cavalry (1813) 90 This countermarch of each division is an evolution of great utility. 1836Thirlwall Greece II. xv. 307 The Persian ships were turned by the wind and the waves, their evolutions were thwarted. 1853Stocqueler Mil. Encycl. s.v., That evolution is best which, with a given number of men, may be executed in the least space. 1878R. B. Smith Carthage 253 The surrounding country was level and suitable to the evolutions of cavalry.
fig.1771Burke Corr. (1844) I. 296 That versatility, those sudden evolutions..have something derogated from the credit of all public professions. 1841D'Israeli Amen. Lit. (1867) 580 Jonson's intense observation was microscopical when turned to the minute evolutions of society. 1847Helps Friends in C. (1873) I. vii. 90 Evolutions of patience and temper are performed at the fireside.
11. transf.
a. A wheeling about; a movement in dancing, gymnastics, etc. Also, one of the regulated and recurring movements of a portion of a machine.
a1691Boyle (J.), The spontaneous coagulation of the little saline bodies was preceded by almost innumerable evolutions. 1770Langhorne Plutarch (1879) I. 79/1 They move in an agreeable manner, performing certain involutions and evolutions in a quick measure. 1823J. Badcock Dom. Amusem. 41 Clouds..of a dark brown colour, floating in varied evolutions. 1825J. Nicholson Operat. Mechanic 73 The various evolutions and positions to which every revolution of the wheel subjects each paddle. 1833J. Holland Manuf. Metals II. 214 The short evolution which the bar has to traverse, not being more than one fourth of a circle. 1837New Monthly Mag. LI. 471 A perfect artiste of the ballet..going through her admirable evolutions. 1850Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xi, Haley..made him..perform various evolutions to show his muscles.
†b. A winding about, an intricate form. Obs.
1763Johnson 5 July in Boswell, It is not in the showy evolutions of buildings..that the wonderful immensity of London consists. 1774J. Bryant Mythol. I. 270 Roots..and sprays are often so fantastic in their evolutions as to betray a remote resemblance [to a human fabric].
III. 12. In etymological sense: The action of rolling (anything) out on a spindle. rare.
1880R. Owen Sanctorale Cathol. 271 From the horrible manner of his death by the evolution of his intestines, Italians regard him [St. Elmo] as their advocate against spasmodic pains. |