| 释义 |
finger-ˈend, finger's ˈend
Pl. finger-ends, fingers'-ends.
The end or tip of the finger.
c1400Destr. Troy. 8795 Folowand the fell to þe fyngur endys. c1400Lanfranc's Cirurg. 28 Þe skyn of the fyngris endis. 1598Shakes. Merry W. v. v. 88 With Triall-fire touch me his finger end. 1655Sir E. Nicholas in N. Papers (Camden) II. 321, I will never desert whilst I can wagg nose, toes, or finguers end. 1712tr. Pomet's Hist. Drugs I. 135 Fruit, about the size of ones Finger End. 1825Scott Jrnl. 20 Nov., His finger-ends can describe..what he cannot bring out clearly..in words.
b. Phrases: † to arrive at one's fingers' ends: to come to gnawing one's fingers' ends; to reach the extremity of poverty. at one's finger(s' ends: ready at hand. to have (or † know), at (or † on one's finger(s' ends or tips: to have thorough familiarity with (a subject, branch of knowledge, etc.). (to live) by one's fingers' ends: by industry or manual labour. † to suck (anything) out of one's own fingers' ends: to arrive at by one's own ingenuity. to one's finger-ends: completely, entirely, quite. † to get upon the finger ends (= Fr. avoir sur les doigts): fig. to incur a sharp reprimand, to ‘catch it.’
1546J. Heywood Prov. (1562) E ij, I suck not this out of my owne fingers eends. 1553Latimer Serm. (1575) iii. 181 He forgetteth them not, but hath them at hys finger's-ende (as they say). 1561Hoby tr. Castiglione's Courtyer i. C b, You haue at your fingers endes that belongeth thereto. a1568Coverdale Bk. Death xl. (1579) 194 He maie be the better aquainted with them, and have them on his fingers endes. 1577tr. Bullinger's Decades (1592) 581, I..knowe at my fingers ends, what kind of men..are in this citie. 1579Gosson Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 36 If any parte of Musick haue..ariued by fortune at their fingers endes. 1621Burton Anat. Mel. Democr. to Rdr. (1676) 32/2 Thousands..live singular well by their fingers' ends. 1662Greenhalgh in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. IV. 14 Their Service-books..they have at their fingers' end. 1693Apol. Clergy Scot. 37, I am afraid I may get upon the Finger-ends, because I did not name my Witnesses. 1711Steele Spect. No. 156 ⁋5 Names which a Man of his Learning has at his Fingers-Ends. 1816Earl of Dudley Lett. (1840) 143, I already have all these authors completely at my fingers' ends. 1862Carlyle Fredk. Gt. (1865) III. ix. ii. 82 All manner of Military Histories, we perceive, are at his finger-ends. 1883Harper's Mag. Jan. 322/2, I would be Duchess to my finger-ends. |