| 释义 |
excrescence|ɛkˈskrɛsəns|
Also 6 excressence.
[ad. L. excrēscentia, f. excrēscent-em: see excrescent and -ence. Cf. Fr. excrescence.]
†1. The action of growing out or forth. Also, immoderate growth, overflow, abnormal increase.
1533Bellenden Livy v. (1822) 409 Thare gudis war multiplyit be excrescence of the proffitt that thay have won. 1615Crooke Body of Man 83 There is a double limit, beyond which the excrescence of the Haire dooth not proceede. 1649Selden Laws Eng. i. xl. (1739) 60 This Island..became a common Sewer to the Excrescence of those Eastern peoples. 1677Hale Prim. Orig. Man. ii. ix. 225 Our annual Winters correct the excrescence of Insects. 1752D. Campbell in Scots Mag. (1753) July 347/1 The said excrescence of the rents of that farm would..be accounted for to them.
†b. = efflorescence 4. Obs.
1718J. Chamberlayne Relig. Philos. III. xxvii. §12 The Excrescence of Salt-Petre from old Walls made of Mortar and Stone.
c. Of a feeling, etc.: Exuberant outburst; exuberance. Now rare. In early use: † Overblown pride; swagger.
1629in Biblioth. Regia 28 The insolence and excrescence of the Popish pretended clergy. 1648Milton Observ. Art. Peace Wks. (1858) 565 Of such like stuff we meet not any where with more excrescence then in his own lavish Pen. a1667Jer. Taylor (W.), Excrescences of joy. 1768Johnson Pref. to Shaks. in Wks. (1787) IX. 281 The exuberant excrescence of his diction I have often lopped. 1867A. Barry Sir C. Barry vi. 232 The excrescences of that ardent desire for perfection.
2. Something that grows out; a natural outgrowth or appendage. Now somewhat rare.
1633T. Adams Exp. 2 Pet. ii. 20 Even these excrescences [hairs] are ornaments. 1664Power Exp. Philos. i. 8 Nature having imp'd her [Butterfly's] wings..with these plumeous excrescences. 1782W. F. Martyn Geog. Mag. I. 38 Nor ever cutting their hair or nails to whatever length these excrescences may grow. 1849Ruskin Sev. Lamps vi. §15. 177 Their character of sublimity passes into excrescences;—into mane and beard as in the lion. 1871Darwin Desc. Man II. xii. 35 These horns consist of an excrescence of bone covered with a smooth sheath.
fig.a1681Glanvill Serm. on 1 Pet. i. 22 (1681) 122 Shall we lose a Limb for an Excrescence, or..an Essential of Religion for that which is but accessary? 1755Young Centaur Wks. 1757 IV. iv. 191 They are mere excrescences to the good man's happiness; and he has no more feeling in them than in his hair, or his nail. 1768–74Tucker Lt. Nat. (1852) I. 42 Have we not motives for those excrescences of action? 1868M. Pattison Academ. Org. v. 253 The professor was an excrescence on the examination system.
3. An abnormal, morbid, or disfiguring outgrowth; a disfiguring protuberance or swelling on an animal or vegetable body.
1578Lyte Dodoens i. xli. 61 Wartes, and such like excressence, or superfluous out growings. 1599[see alienate ppl. a. 2]. 1681tr. Willis' Rem. Med. Wks. Voc., Excrescences..warts or pieces of flesh. a1682Sir T. Browne Tracts 60 This is no proper Berry, but a kind of Vessicular excrescence. 1713Cheselden Anat. i. i. (1726) 7 Bony excrescences upon the bones are frequent. 1752Berkeley Tar-Water Wks. 1871 III. 500 Tumours, wens, and preternatural excrescences. 1807J. E. Smith Phys. Bot. 346 Many of our Willows bear round excrescences, as large as peas, on their leaves. 1844Dufton Deafness 97 Fungous excrescences [of the ear] may be removed either by the forceps or the knife.
b. transf. and fig.
a1680Butler Rem. (1759) I. 226 Pedantry is but..A stupified Excrescence, like a Wen, Fed by the peccant Humours of learn'd Men. 1796Morse Amer. Geog. I. 378 A room..from the upper part of which are dependent many excrescences. 1839Murchison Silur. Syst. i. xxxvi. 498 An irregular excrescence from the main ridge of trap. 1871B. Taylor Faust (1875) I. 318 note, The piece [Oberon and Titania's golden wedding] can only be regarded as an excrescence. |