| 释义 |
examen|ɛgˈzeɪmɛn|
[a. (through Fr. examen or directly) L. exāmen means of weighing, tongue of a balance, fig. testing, examination, for *exagmen, f. *exag-, exigĕre to weigh accurately: see exact v.
The sense ‘tongue of a balance’ (ligula) rests on the authority of the scholiast to Persius; it seems to occur in Virg. æn. xii. 725, where, however, ‘scale-beam’ would equally suit the context. Servius obscurely explains it as ‘filum quo trutina regitur.’ (L. exāmen ‘swarm of bees, flock’ is related to exigĕre in the sense ‘to lead or drive out’.) The Romanic forms, It. esame, Sp. exámen, Fr. examen, are synonymous with Eng. examination.]
1. Examination, scrutiny (of a doctrine, system, etc.); investigation (of an affair). Now rare.
1618Bolton Florus To Rdr. 4 The doctrines..are such as thou art to expect from an Heathen..and their examen will elsewhere fall out fitly. 1645City Alarum 17 They allow the Prince of Orange every summer a tun or two of gold without examen, for Intelligence. 1715Leoni Palladio's Archit. (1742) I. 45 Things..which I had learnt by a very laborious Examen and long Study. 1801Fuseli Lect. Art i. (1848) 370 Recalled his pupil to the examen of the great principle. 1890E. Johnson Rise Christendom 123 That only [is] wise which..the law of God or the examen of his senior has pointed out.
b. Eccl. and Law. (a) A formal examination (of the conscience or soul). (b) The examination (of a candidate for ordination). † (c) A legal examination or inquiry (obs.).
1651Life Father Sarpi (1676) 99 In all those days he made a most exact examen of his Soul. 1669Woodhead St. Teresa ii. vii. 59 This Examen shall have a Bell to ring to it..Let every one..at the time of the Examen, kneel down and briefly examine her conscience. 1685H. Consett Pract. Spirit. Courts 95 To compel them to..undergo the Examen the Judge imposeth upon them. 1696Phillips, Examen, a Trial, Proof, particularly of one that is to be admitted to Orders or Employment. [So1721in Bailey.] 1853Faber All for Jesus 36 We might ask it..in our examen of conscience. 1885Catholic Dict. s.v. Examination of Conscience, St. Ignatius..also recommends a particular examen to be made, at least daily..on that particular sin into which the individual most frequently falls.
†2. A critical dissertation or treatise (on any subject); an examination, disquisition. Obs.
1606Holland Sueton. To Rdrs, Correct what is amisse according to the Examen and Review annexed to the end of all. 1651Baxter Inf. Bapt. Apol. 7 Having greedily read over his Exhortation and Examen a little before. 1667Boyle (title), An Examen of The Origine (and Doctrine) of Substantial Formes. 1738Johnson Let. to Cave Sept. in Boswell, An Examen of Mr. Pope's Essay, &c.
†3. Investigation by experiment; a test, assay.
1661Glanvill Vanity Dogmat. viii. 73 The only way to know what is sophisticate is to bring all to the Examen of the Touchstone. 1664Evelyn Sylva (1776) 25 Some..might here recommend to us a more accurate Microscopical Examen. 1717F. Slare in Phil. Trans. XXX. 565, I made a yet more nice and certain Examen of these Waters, by mixing Milk with them. 1765Wilkinson ibid. LV. 103 We proceeded to the more important examen, to discover the precise quantity of cork necessary to sustain a man in the water.
4. The tongue of a balance. rare.
[1832Gell Pompeiana I. iii. 44 Common scales..were found..without that little projecting point above the beam which serves to mark more accurately the absence of equipoise, and which was called by the..Romans..ligula, and examen.] 1833J. Holland Manuf. Metals II. 292 When the beam does, by the position of its examen or vertical spur over the axis, appear to have its two brachia exactly in equilibrio. 1850Weale Dict. Terms s.v. |