| 释义 |
tombstone, tomb-stone|ˈtuːmstəʊn|
1. a. A horizontal stone covering a grave; in early use, the cover of a stone coffin, or the stone coffin itself.
1565Stapleton tr. Bede's Hist. Ch. Eng. 125 The very same tombestone was found to be of a fyt length for the quantitie of the bodie. 1672Wilkins Nat. Relig. 28 Suppose he should dig up a large stone of the shape of an ancient tomb-stone. 1696Phillips (ed. 5), Tomb-stone, a Stone that is laid over a Grave, with an Inscription upon it. 1715–20Pope Iliad xvii. 492 Still as a tombstone, never to be mov'd, On some good man or woman unreprov'd, Lays its eternal weight. 1840Dickens Barn. Rudge i, Sitting down to take his dinner on cold tombstones. 1898Saga-Bk. of Viking Cl. Jan. 34 Two hog-back or coped tomb⁓stones, supposed to be one thousand years old.
b. A stone or monument of any kind placed over the grave of a deceased person to preserve his memory; a gravestone; including a headstone (or the like of wood). (Early quots. may be in sense 1.)
1711Addison Spect. No. 26 ⁋5 When I meet with the Grief of Parents upon a Tomb-stone, my Heart melts with Compassion. 1712Steele ibid. No. 518 ⁋3 There is not a Gentleman in England better read in Tomb-stones than my self, my Studies having laid very much in Church-yards. 1793Smeaton Edystone L. §98 A well shaped Tomb-stone of Granite. 1820W. Irving Sketch Bk. I. 84 (Rip Van Winkle) There was a wooden tombstone in the church yard that used to tell all about him. 1843A. Bethune Sc. Fire-side Stor. 160 That species of erect tombstone which some one has..designated as spectral. 1870F. R. Wilson Ch. Lindisf. 35 The churchyard is crowded with tombstones.
c. fig.
c1611Chapman Iliad iii. 60 For which thou well deserv'st A coat of tombstone not of steel in which thou serv'st. 1658(title) Mistris Shawes Tomb-stone,..Beeing a Narrative of Remarkable Passages in the Holy Life and Happy Death of Mrs. Dorothy Shaw, of Brampton. 1755Smollett Quix. ii. iv. x. (1803) IV. 212, ‘I swear to that condition’, answered Don Quixote: ‘and, for the greater security, will put a tomb-stone over whatever you shall communicate’. 1819J. Montgomery Greenland v. 186 One frozen plain, The mighty tombstone of the buried main. 1902Daily Chron. 24 May 3/1 It puts tombstones to the reputations of many good officers, and buries the blunders of others under cairns of apologetic explanations.
2. slang.
a. A pawn-ticket.
b. See quot. 1903.
1883J. Greenwood Odd People in Odd Pl. 168 The..bag in which the ‘tombstones’ or pawn-tickets were deposited. c1889Sporting Times (Farmer), The collection for master amounted to 4½d., and a tombstone for ninepence on a brown Melton overcoat. 1903Farmer & Henley Slang Dict., Tombstone, a projecting tooth, a snaggle-tooth.
3. Comm. An advertisement displaying the names of the underwriters or firms associated with a new issue or the like. Also tombstone ad(vertisement.
1968Times 27 Feb. 22/3 ‘Tombstones’..are getting bigger. I am referring, of course, to the new issue advertisements. 1972Times 24 Oct. 2 The Times is now able to offer financial advertisers an exclusive service for the placing of Tombstone advertising (public announcements and notices of redemption) in Europe. 1977National Times (Austral.) 17 Jan. 40/2 The advertising of trusts is limited to ‘tombstone’ advertising. 1981U.S. Banker Dec. 56/1 The old tombstone ad, promoting a service and basing the appeal largely on price,..is long gone, according to advertising men. 1983Marketing 24 Mar. 39/1 Financial advertising columnage, i.e. tomb⁓stones, company meetings, prospectuses, takeovers, etc.
4. attrib. and Comb.
1751B. Lynde Diary 16 Oct. (1880) 176 Yesterday Cox and Stacy ½ day abo. Tombstone monument. a1845Hood Valentine ii, Just stopped before The tomb⁓stone steps that lead us to death's door. 1905Daily Chron. 24 Apr. 4/5 An elderly man was sitting dejectedly on the tombstone-shaded bench. |