| 释义 |
formidable, a.|ˈfɔːmɪdəb(ə)l|
[a. F. formidable (15th c.), ad. L. formīdābil-em, f. formīdāre to fear, dread: see -able.]
That gives cause for fear or alarm; fit to inspire dread or apprehension. Now usually (with some obscuration of the etymological sense): Likely to be difficult to overcome, resist, or deal with; giving cause for serious apprehension of defeat or failure.
1508Fisher 7 Penit. Ps. xxxviii. e e v b, The countenaunce of god shall be so formydable and fereful that [etc.]. 1548Hall Chron., Hen. VII, 5 Of whiche name..foreyne prynces trymbled and quaked, so muche was that name to all nacions terrible and formidable. 1658T. Wall Gods Revenge Enemies Ch. 30 The Leopard..being..of a formidable aspect. 1678Wanley Wond. Lit. World v. i. §97. 468/1 Charles..defeated Barbarossa, that formidable Pirat. a1687Petty Pol. Arith. (1690) 80 The decay of Timber in England is no very formidable thing. 1759Robertson Hist. Scot. I. iii. 178 A party formidable by their number. 1834L. Ritchie Wand. by Seine 74 Swords of formidable dimensions. 1844Thirlwall Greece VIII. lx. 7 He set sail with a formidable armament. 1860Tyndall Glac. i. xiv. 97 Along the edge of a formidable precipice of rock.
b. Const. to.
1665Boyle Occas. Refl. ii. viii. (1808) 38 These commotions of the Appetite which would not else be formidable to me. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. 495 The Episcopal schismatics, thus reinforced, would probably have been as formidable to the new King..as [etc.].
c. Often applied playfully or sarcastically.
1697Dryden æneid Ded., Unless I wou'd swell my Preface into a Volume, and make it formidable to your Lordship, when you see so many Pages yet behind. 1777Sheridan Sch. Scand. iv. i, Here, now, is a maiden sister of his..done by Kneller, in his best manner, and esteemed a very formidable likeness. 1816Keatinge Trav. (1817) I. 275 His majesty has..a corps de musique of most formidable establishment equally in point of execution as of numbers. 1879Cassell's Techn. Educ. vii. 23/2 The Thames..is not a very formidable river at that point. |