释义 |
▪ I. † ˈexpedite, a. Obs. Also 5 -dyte, 7 -dit. [ad. L. expedīt-us, pa. pple. of expedīre: see next.] 1. Of a place, road, way: Clear of obstacles or impediments, unimpeded; free from difficulties.
1581Styward Mart. Discipl. ii. 118 Descending from high and hillie places..to places expedite and open. 1581Savile Tacitus' Agric. (1622) 197 All things to follow in an easie and expedite course. a1677Barrow Serm. (1686) III. xix. 216 To the one the way is rough and thorny, to the other beaten and expedite. a1694Tillotson Serm. xi. (1743) I. 260 It being so short and expedite a way for the ending of controversies. fig.1654Jer. Taylor Real Pres. 174 Is there in the world any thing more certain and expedite then that what you see..should be judged to be that which you see. b. Of an action or motion: Unrestricted, unembarrassed; easy, free.
1578Banister Hist. Man ii. 40 The expedite mouyng of the armes procured thereby. 1677Cary Chronology ii. ii. i. ii. 190 The Exposition of that place being to me easie, expedite, and literal. 1691Ray Creation ii. (1704) 327 The Provision that is made for the easie and expedite Motion of them [the bones]. 2. Of soldiers, etc. (after L. use): Lightly equipped, prepared for moving quickly.
1609Holland Amm. Marcell xxi. ii. 169 The most expedite and lightest appointed companies of his auxiliarie forces. 1622Bacon Hen. VII, 182 Hee sent the Lord Chamberlain with expedite Forces to speed to Execester. 1628Hobbes Thucyd. (1822) 126 Eleven days journey for an expedite footman. 1737Whiston Josephus' Antiq. Dissert. iii. xi, With them cohorts that were expedite and nimble. 1792Burke Pres. State Affairs Wks. 1842 I. 584 To support the expedite body in case of misadventure. b. Unencumbered, free to move, active, nimble.
1612T. Taylor Comm. Titus i. 6 The Iewes..tuck up their long garments to make them more expedite and free to a journey or busines. 1748Hartley Observ. Man i. i. §2. 84 Death may..render us more expedite in the Pursuit of our true End. 1794Burke Petit. Unit. Wks. 1842 II. 478 A smaller number more expedite, awakened..courageous. 3. a. Of persons: Ready for action; prompt, alert, ready.
1603Bp. Barlow Conf. Hampton Crt. in Phenix I 148 The king..in points of Divinity shewed himself so expedite and perfect. 1641‘Smectymnuus’ Answ. xii. (1653) 47 The Arians were very expedite in worldly affaires. 1692South Serm. (1697) I. 59 His faculties were quick and expedite. b. Of contrivances, instruments, etc.: Ready for immediate use, conveniently serviceable, handy.
1609Holland Amm. Marcell. xvii. iv. 84 Now adaies a certaine set and expedite number of letters..declareth what⁓soever mans mind is able to conceive. 1638Chillingw. Relig. Prot. i. Pref. §11 If she once had this power..expedite and ready for use. 1662Stillingfl. Orig. Sacr. i. vi. §8 The square letters are less operose, more expedite and facile. 1702C. Mather Magn. Chr. iii. ii. xv. (1852) 429 Several other contrivances made the whole more expedite for the use of them that consulted it. 1792W. Roberts Looker-on (1794) I. 115 Their dress..he wishes to be rendered as expedite as possible. 4. Of an action or process, a means, remedy, etc.: Prompt, speedy, expeditious.
1545T. Raynalde Byrth Mankynde (1564) 56 Tokens of an expedite and easye deliuerance. 1609Holland Amm. Marcell. xxxi. xvii. 431 Remarkable above the rest, was the profitable and expedite service of Julius. 1635R. Brathwait Arcad. Pr. 142 A distemper..requisite to have the expeditest cure. 1664Evelyn Pomona Advts. (1729) 81 The vast Store of Cherries..and their expedite Growth. a1734North Exam. iii. viii. §13 This [the writ de nomine replegiando]..is..more effectual and expedite than an Habeas Corpus. ― Lives II. 392 A wrong determination, expedite, is better than a right one, after ten years vexation. Hence † ˈexpeditely adv., † ˈexpediteness.
1560Becon Jewel of Joy Wks. (Parker Soc.) II. 418, I fear lest my servant doeth not his message expeditely. 1681Grew Musæum i. 19 Nature..left his..ears naked, that he may turn them more expeditely for the reception of sounds from every quarter. 1623in Rushw. Hist. Coll. (1659) I. 134 With what alacrity, with what expediteness and uniformity of heart. 1635R. Brathwait Arcad. Pr. ii. 89 The expeditenesse of his cure expressed the infinitenesse of his care. 1684H. More Answ. Remarks Exp. Apocal., etc. 240 The readiness and expediteness of their Ministry. ▪ II. expedite, v.|ˈɛkspɪdaɪt| pa. pple. 5 expedyte. [f. L. expedīt- ppl. stem of expedīre, f. ex- (see ex- prefix1) + ped-em foot. The L. word etymologically means ‘to free (a person's) feet from fetters’ (the contrary of impedīre: see impede), hence, to free from difficulties, to help forward, to get (a work) out of hand, to dispatch, send off, etc.] †1. trans. To clear of difficulties; to clear up (confusion); to facilitate (action or movement); to disentangle, untie (a knot). Obs.
1614Lodge Seneca 1 The Bookes are..confused in order..which a man though circumspect shall hardly expedite. 1643Milton Divorce Introd. (1851) 10 To expedite these knots were worthy a learned and memorable Synod. 1655Fuller Ch. Hist. ii. i. §9 His [Ethelbert's] power had influence even to Humber..which afterward much expedited the passage of the Gospel in England. 1667Milton P.L. x. 474 A broad way now is pav'd To expedite your glorious march. †b. refl. To get (oneself) out of difficulties; to extricate, set free. Const. from. Obs.
1626W. Sclater Exp. 2 Thess. (1629) 172 Two things I commend to euery one desirous herein to expedite himselfe. a1661Fuller Worthies, Exeter i. 272 This active Gentle⁓man had much adoe to expedite himself, and save his life. 1681Glanvill Sadducismus i. (1726) 85 She knows not how to expedite herself from gross corporeal Phantasms. †c. To get (a person) out of the way; to get rid of, dispatch. Obs.
1678Trial Coleman 25 Ashby brought..Treasonable Instructions..to expedite the King by Poison. 2. To help forward, hasten the progress of.
a1618Raleigh Mahomet (1637) 62 Which hee doubted not would expedite his desires. 1655Fuller Ch. Hist. iv. iii. §33 When a Royal Family is once falling, all things conduce to expedite their destruction. 1791Cowper Odyss. vii. 275 But expedite ye at the dawn of day My safe return. 1828J. H. Moore Pract. Navig. (ed. 20) 40 It will greatly expedite the working the proportions..if..all the statings be first made. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. 550 The Speaker..received from the City a thousand guineas for expediting a local bill. 1872H. Macmillan True Vine iii. 122 Nature..expedites the process of flowering and seeding. b. intr. To push on with speed (in travelling).
1602Warner Alb. Eng. xi. lxvi. (1612) 281 And thence, to expedite for Ob, his Labours did reuiue. 3. To perform quickly; to ‘get out of hand’, dispatch, accomplish.
1471Ripley Comp. Alch. vii. in Ashm. (1652) 169 In few words yt wylbe expedyte. 1618Sir L. Cranfield in Fortesc. Papers 61, I have signified his Majesties pleasure..which wee will expedite. 1655Fuller Ch. Hist. ii. iii. §9 The Virgin Mary..is pretended to have shewed her self..to Egwin, Bishop of Worcester, prompting him to expedite a Structure therein. 1698–9Ludlow Mem. (1751) I. 139 The Earl of Ormond..being willing..to expedite that service, accepted their invitation. 1793Smeaton Edystone L. §116 A place..less capable of expediting my orders. c1850Lane Arab. Nts. (ed. Rtldg.) 550 We will..expedite her business. 1871B. Taylor Faust (1875) II. iv. i. 235 Such is my wish: dare thou to expedite it. 4. To send out, issue officially (a document, etc.); to dispatch (a message). Now rare.
a1626Bacon New Atl. iii. (1635) 149 Though such charters be expedited of course. 1648Evelyn Mem. (1857) III. 10 A positive answer to be expedited within fifteen days. 1753tr. Voltaire's Micromegas 232 All the public acts were expedited in that [Norman] language. 1815F. Burney Diary (1876) IV. 303 Thither, also, I expedited a letter, under cover to the Duke. 1818Jas. Mill Brit. India I. iii. iii. 527 The instruments of government to be expedited. 1852A. Jameson Leg. Madonna (1857) 47 When the Bull of Paul V was formally expedited. b. transf. To send out († an army, munitions of war); to dispatch (a courier). rare.
1606Warner Alb. Eng. xvi. ci. 398 Hee To expedite against Prince Rees an armie did decree. 1694Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) III. 347 Orders are sent to the Tower to expedite 10,000 bombs and 10,000 carcasses to the lord Berkly. 1876Bancroft Hist. U.S. VI. xli. 246 A Russian courier was expedited to Stockholm. Hence ˈexpediter, ˈexpediting vbl. n.
1643T. Case Quarrell of Covenant (1644) 99 Thou hast not grace enough..for the expediting thy self out of the next difficulty. 1678Trans. Crt. Spain 169 For the more diligent expediting of this, it would be convenient [etc.]. 1891Pall Mall G. 20 Oct. 1/3 Expediter of the business of the House. |