| 释义 |
▪ I. fortunate, a. (and n.)|ˈfɔːtjʊnət|
Also 4–5 fortunat, 5 fortenat.
[ad. L. fortūnāt-us, f. fortūnāre (see fortune v.).]
1. Favoured by fortune; possessed of or receiving good fortune; lucky, prosperous. Said of persons; also, of an enterprise, event, etc. Const. to and inf.
c1386Chaucer Nun's Pr. Prol. 10 Whan a man..clymbeth vp and wexeth fortunat. 1390Gower Conf. III. 115 He shall be..fortunate to marchandy. c1430Lydg. Min. Poems 37 Wold God of myhte, I had be borne, by influence hevenly, So fortunate, that [etc.]. 1514Bainbridge in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. I. 232 Which [enterprise] I shall besiche the blisside Trynitie to make fortunate. 1603Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 13 Their attempts more desperate..and their success fortunater. 1607Shakes. Cor. iv. iii. 39, I am most fortunate, thus accidentally to encounter you. 1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. i. §70 Nor was he very fortunate in the election of those Dependants. 1705J. Philips Blenheim 48 Burleigh (fortunate..to serve The best of Queens). 1830D'Israeli Chas. I, III. vii. 150 [He] was fortunate enough to save himself by flight. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 171 He..might think himself fortunate when [etc.].
transf.1870Lowell Study Wind. 335 Authors who.. have written one or two pieces so facile in thought and fortunate in phrase as to be carried lightly in the memory.
b. Fortunate Islands (= L. Fortunatæ Insulæ), fabulous isles of the Western Ocean, the abode of the blessed dead. Also fig.
1432–50tr. Higden (Rolls) I. 321 The Yles Fortunate. 1553Eden Treat. Newe Ind. Contents, The fortunate Ilandes, otherwyse called the Ilandes of Canaria. 1639T. Brugis tr. Camus' Mor. Relat. 273 Keepe his course towards the fortunate Ilands of Parmenes favour.
2. Bringing or presaging good fortune; auspicious, favourable, lucky.
c1391Chaucer Astrol. ii. §4 They wol caste that thei have a fortunat planete in hir assendent. 1582Bentley Mon. Matrones ii. 5 Thou..also hast giuen vnto mee the right fortunate gift of grace. 1676Lilly Guide Astrol. 75 To consider in Nativities..if a Fortune fortunate and no way afflicted be in the seventh. 1741Middleton Cicero I. i. 20 Postumius..proclaming it to be a fortunate omen. 1841Lane Arab. Nts. I. 68 Thursday and Friday are considered fortunate. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 154 It ought to be considered as a most fortunate circumstance that [etc.]. 1880Mrs. Forrester Roy & V. I. 11 ‘This is fortunate’, she cries gaily.
3. a. absol. passing into a n. (See next sense.)
1655Stanley Hist. Philos. i. (1701) 29/1 The rich is more able to satisfie his desires..yet the fortunate excels him. 1710Steele Tatler No. 202 ⁋5 Each coming upon the same Errand, to know whether they were of the Fortunate in the Lottery. 1776Gibbon Decl. & F. I. xv. 379 The fortunate are satisfied with the possession of this world.
b. n. (with pl.) A fortunate person or thing; esp. in Astrol. a fortunate planet, sign, etc.
1614T. Tomkis Albumazar v. i, Search your Natiuitie: see if the Fortunates And Luminaries bee in a good Aspect. 1655H. Vaughan Silex Scint. (1858) 37 Marriage of all states Makes most unhappy, or most fortunates. 1894W. B. Harte in Arena (Boston) June 3 The colony of fortunates whom Almighty God sent ready booted and spurred to ride over the millions.
▪ II. † ˈfortunate, v. Obs.
Also 6 pa. pple. fortunate.
[f. L. fortūnāt-, ppl. stem of fortūnāre: see fortune v. and -ate3.]
trans. To make fortunate, give good fortune to, prosper. Also absol.
c1420Pallad. on Husb. i. 180 Let sowe hit on, and God hit fortunate. 1535Shaxton Let. Cromwell in Strype Eccl. Mem. I. App. lxi. 152 [I] shall rejoyce that God hath fortunate my writing. 1611Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. xiii. (1632) 730 These petty braues thus giuen to the King, were farther fortunated with a little victory. 1647Lilly Chr. Astrol. xxvii. 169 If the Lord of the third fortunate the Lord of the second..he will be assisted in procuring an Estate. 1792E. Sibly Astrology I. 18 Some heavenly influence..that..fortunateth or infortunateth by mistake of words, signals, or acts. |