| 释义 |
formality|fɔːˈmælɪtɪ|
[ad. L. formālitās, f. formālis formal a. Cf. F. formalité (1497 in Hatz.-Darm.).]
†1. Formal or essential nature; the characteristic or distinctive property by which a thing is defined. Also, the condition of possessing formal existence.
1570Dee Math. Pref. 3 Creatures..brought, from Nothing, to the Formalitie of their being and state. 1596Bell Surv. Popery iii. ix. 378 The formalitie of original sin is of two sorts. 1649Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. iii. xvii. 66 This calamity in its own formality..is a punishment. 1672Grew Anat. Plants, Idea Philos. Hist. §7 Those Formalities, wherein their [plants'] Essence doth consist. 1686Goad Celest. Bodies iii. iii. 449 Motion is the Formality of Wind. 1737Waterland Eucharist 19 Mr. Scandret, distinguishing a Sacrament, according to its precise Formality, from a Sacrifice, observes [etc.].
†b. Formal aspect or category. Obs.
1620J. Healey Augustine's City of God i. xiv. 23 The City being nothing but a multitude of men vnited in one formality of religion and estate. 1660Jer. Taylor Duct. Dubit. i. iii, If it be propounded as evil, the will that chooses it under that formality is criminal. 1668Culpepper & Cole Barthol. Anat. i. xxviii. 70 The womb is sensible of Odours, not under the formality of Odours, but is only affected by the..subtile vaporous matter conjoyned.
†2. That which pertains to outward form; also, an outward appearance or semblance (of something). Obs.
1615J. Stephens Ess. & Char., Impudent Censurer (1857) 134 The walking Apes; which on the Mountaines seeme carefull Inhabitants, but at your approach, the formality of man only. 1640Bp. Hall Episc. ii. xxii. 215 There may be some appendances and formalities of government alterable by the wisdome of the Church; yet for the main substance, it is now utterly indispensable. 1645Milton Tetrach. (1851) 191 Sacred things not perform'd sincerely..are no way acceptable to God in their outward formality. 1649― Eikon. xxvii, To root up all true virtue and honour, or to be contented only with some leaves and withering formalities of them, without any real fruits.
†3. Method, regularity. Also, uniform procedure. Obs.
1603Holland Plutarch's Mor. 423 Who greatly commended the Eliens for observing such good order and formality at the Olympick games. 1628Sir R. Le Grys tr. Barclay's Argenis 101 Meleander..had..escaped [poison] by the carefulnesse of his seruants, who did looke to his meate and his clothes with a curious formality. 1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. iii. §182 Such Judges (whose formality was first to Imprison, and after, at their leisure, to Examine). a1650May Satir. Puppy (1657) 15 A strange dejected humour possest him three months, his actions were quite void of formality, his domestick affaires by himselfe neglected. 1655Fuller Ch. Hist. iv. ii. §5 The Archbishop..was very punctual and ceremonious in his proceedings..the formality of his exemplary justice [etc.].
4. Accordance with legal form.
1660Trial Regic. 51 When a man would plead any thing, because he would Plead it in Formality, Councel is allowed. 1693Creech Juvenal xiii. 179 If Men forswear the Deeds and Bonds they draw, Tho' Sign'd with all formality of Law.
†5. Literary or artistic form; agreement with the laws of form. Obs.
1531Elyot Gov. i. xiv. (1883) 149 Than appoynte they howe many plees maye be made for euery parte, and in what formalitie they shulde be sette, whiche is the seconde parte of Rhetorike, called disposition. 1597Morley Introd. Mus. 76 In descanting you must not onelie seeke true cordes, but formalitie also: that is, to make your descant carrie some forme of relation to the plaine song. 1674Playford Skill Mus. iii. 14 If in the first Rule the Notes follow not in expected formality. 1677Phil. Trans. XII. 838 Formality [in music] requires, that the succeeding Notes be agreable to the former.
6. Conformity to established rule; customary propriety. Often in depreciative sense, rigid or merely conventional observance of forms.
1597Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. xxix. §1 The attyre..being a matter of meere formalitie. a1625Chas. I Let. in Athenæum 24 Feb. (1872) 241/3 Which I wryt not for formalities sake, but doe indede fynd myselfe ingaged both in honnor and affection. 1706Atterbury Serm. Funeral Mr. Bennet 13 Nor was his Attendance on Divine Offices a matter of Formality and Custom, but of Conscience. 1874Morley Compromise (1886) 179 If the religious spirit is only a fine name for..mere social formality. 1881Tylor in Nature No. 623. 529 To give an idea of the state of formality into which life has come among these supposed free-and-easy savages.
7. Ceremony, elaborate procedure.
1666Pepys Diary 11 Apr., To Gresham College; where a great deal of do and formality in choosing of the Council and officers. 1705Stanhope Paraphr. II. 329 Our Enemy makes his Approaches toward us with less Formality..than He..could do against the Holy Jesus. 1725De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 96 Prodigious state and formality. 1865Maffei Brigand Life I. 240 Without a moment's delay, and with scarcely any formality, the sentence was carried into effect.
8. A ceremony; a formal act or observance; a legal, authorized, or customary procedure.
1674Martiniere tr. Voy. N. Countries 52 The pleasant Funeral formalities among the Muscovian Laplanders. 1741Middleton Cicero I. vi. 530 After the election, he was installed, with all the usual formalities, by Hortensius. 1749Fielding Tom Jones xvi. iv, I insist on the formality of its being delivered me, with a full ratification of all the concessions stipulated. 1862Trollope Orley F. i, A codicil to his will, executed with due legal formalities.
9. Something required to be done for form's sake; a requirement of etiquette, custom, etc. (Often depreciatively, implying mere attention to externals.)
1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. i. §20 It would put an end..to all those Formalities, which..might yet retard the Infanta's voyage into England. 1664H. More Myst. Iniq. 453 Antichrist and his adherents..boasting of works and dead formalities. 1685Gracian's Courtiers Orac. 169 He shall never gain the esteem of an able man, who sticks too much upon Formalities. 1840Carlyle Heroes (1858) 282 How, by fasts, vigils, formalities and mass-work, a man's soul could be saved. 1856Kane Arct. Expl. I. viii. 90 Many a warm shake of the hand showed me that our good⁓bye was not a mere formality. 1874Green Short Hist. iv. §2 174 Their presence..became so pure a formality that [etc.].
†b. Ceremonious attention (paid to a person).
1603Knolles Hist. Turks (1638) 96 The Emperour..became his host, entertaining him with all the formalities that feigned friendship could deuise. 1692Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) II. 564 The mayor and aldermen attended on the prince and princesse daily; but had received notice..to desist paying those formalities. 1726G. Shelvocke Voy. round World (1757) 407 Those..they guessed..to be above the common sort. These they always received with such formality as could not be expected in such a place.
10. pl. or collect. sing. Robes or insignia of office or dignity. Obs. exc. Hist. † Also (rarely) in sing., an armorial bearing.
1575R. Laneham Letter (1871) 41 Appeerez then a fresh, in hiz ful formalitee with a louely loock. 1614Selden Titles Hon. 196 Neither haue they now the Crown as a part of their habit, but a formalitie only on their Armorie. 1614T. Lorkin Let. in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) III. 35 Doctors in their formalityes and vpon their foots⁓cloths. 1696Lond. Gaz. No. 3176/1 In the morning the Magistrates went to Church in a Body, and in their Formality. 1751Johnson Rambler No. 173 ⁋8 Divest themselves with too much haste of their academical formality. 1753in Lond. Even. Post 9 Aug., The corporation of Scarborough waited upon the Rt. Hon. Henry Pelham, Esq., in their formalities. 1894Boase Exeter Coll. (Oxf. Hist. Soc.) p. xlvii, The picture of a man kneeling, with his gown and formalities upon him.
†b. In wider sense: Ceremonial or significant garments of any kind. Obs.
1672Cave Prim. Chr. iii. v. (1673) 367 They appeared in all the Formalities of Sorrow and Mourning. 1717S. Centlivre Bold Str. for Wife v, I hoped to have been quiet, when once I had put on your odious formality here [i.e. a Quaker dress].
11. The attribute of being formal; precision, rigid decorum of manners; excessive regularity or stiffness (of style, outline, etc.).
1599Nashe Lenten Stuffe (1871) 33 A universal merchantly formality, in habit, speech, and gestures. a1674Clarendon Hist. Reb. vi. §396 That which look'd like Formality, was a Punctuality in preserving his dignity. 1789Belsham Ess. I. iii. 66 The frozen formality..of Charles occasioned extreme disgust. 1830Hood Haunted H. i. xxv, The very yew Formality had train'd To such a rigid pyramidal stature. 1834Macaulay Pitt, Ess. (1889) 301 His heart was a little cold..his manners decorous even to formality. 1849Florist 285 On our left the lake, the formality of its smooth banks elegantly broken by those willows. |