| 释义 |
ˈfirst-born, a.
[f. first adv. + born a.]
1. That is born first, eldest.
1382Wyclif Luke ii. 7 Sche childide her firste born sone. 1413Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) iii. viii. 55 Cayn the fyrst borne child. 1611Bible Deut. xxi. 15 If the first borne sonne be hers that was hated. 1847Mrs. A. Kerr Hist. Servia 250 He often called him ‘Son’; saying, ‘Alexa, his first-born son, was not dearer to him’.
transf.1784Cowper Task iv. 701 The firstborn efforts of my youthful Muse. 1807Crabbe Newspaper 449 Read your first-born work a thousand times.
b. nonce-use. That is the right of the first-born.
1770Goldsm. Des. Vill. 256 Spontaneous joys..The soul adopts, and owns their first-born sway.
2. absol. (quasi-n.)
a1340Hampole Psalter cxxxiv. 8 He smote þe first borne of egipt fro man til best. 1587Golding De Mornay vi. 71 The Firstborne of God. 1667Milton P.L. i. 489 Jehovah..equal'd with one stroke Both her first born and all her bleating Gods. 1712Steele Spect. No. 263 ⁋1 Camillus and his first-born dwell together. 1837Lytton E. Maltrav. iii. iv, Teresa was trying to teach her first-born to read.
transf.1830Tennyson Ode to Memory 92 The love thou bearest The first-born of thy genius.
b. rarely as n. with plural ending.
1866J. H. Newman Gerontius ii. 21 All praise to Him..By whom proud first-borns from their thrones are cast. |