| 释义 |
▪ I. footling, n.|ˈfʊtlɪŋ|
[f. foot n. + -ling.]
†1. The footstalk or petiole of a flower. Obs.
1562Turner Herbal ii. 41 b, A long small pediculo, that is a footlyng or footstalcke.
2. In a rowing boat: (see quot.).
1857P. Colquhoun Comp. Oarsman's Guide 7 Footlings, or shifting battens..consist of long strips of board 2½ inches broad and an inch apart, secured by cross pieces underneath them.
▪ II. footling, adv. Obstetrics.|ˈfʊtlɪŋ|
[f. foot n. + -ling.]
With the feet foremost.
1734W. Giffard Cases in Midwifery lxxxix. 215 A delivery where the child came footling. 1801Med. Jrnl. V. 312 The child was smaller than usual, and the presentation footling.
▪ III. footling, ppl. a.|ˈfuːtlɪŋ|
[f. footle v. + -ing2.]
That footles or trifles; ‘drivelling’, ‘blithering’, trivial; hence of things.
1897in N.E.D. s.v. footle v. 1905G. B. Shaw in Daily Chron. 15 Mar. 6/3 They are paraphrases of great works, made by footling people. 1907Daily Chron. 2 Apr. 4/4 That dreary room..with its footling little lace window curtains. 1923A. Bennett Things that have interested Me II. ii. 20 A perfectly footling popular play which fails to be popular. 1930T. Thurston Man in Black Hat x. 181, I had heard it before from fatuous idealists and footling divines. 1930W. S. Maugham Breadwinner i. 46 You do talk the most footling rot. 1960Guardian 14 Dec. 8/7 Wondering why he should do ‘footling’ experiments with ball bearings. |