| 释义 |
▪ I. twang, n.1|twæŋ|
Also 6 twange, twangue.
[Echoic: the tw- element expresses the sound or noise of the twitching or plucking, the -ang element the ringing or resonance.]
1. A vocal imitation of the resonant sound produced when a tense string is sharply plucked or suddenly released; used as interjection or adverb, e.g. to cry twang, twang goes the bow. Also extended, † twangledom twang (obs.). Cf. tang n.2 b.
a1553Udall Royster D. ii. i. (Arb.) 32 Then vp to our lute at midnight, twangledome twang, Then twang with our sonets, and twang with our dumps. 1596Nashe Saffron-Walden Wks. (Grosart) III. 101 He..made Powles Church⁓yard resound, or crie twang againe, with foure notable famous Letters. 1600Dekker Shoemaker's Holiday iii. iv, Ile fill your bellies with good cheare til they crie twang. c1720Prior Advice of Venus 4 Twang goes the bow, my Girls, have at your hearts. a1741Robin Hood & Ranger ix. in Child Ballads (1888) III. 153/1 He made his broad weapon cry twang. 1881Besant & Rice Chapl. of Fleet II. 80 Twang, twang, twang, went the fiddles.
b. A sound of the above character; also, any sharp ringing sound resembling this. In quot. 1565 fig.
1565T. Stapleton Fortr. Faith 8 To go to the matter alleaged directly without idle twanges. 1567Drant Horace, Art Poetry B iij, With twang of harp to stir the stones. 1594Nashe Unfort. Trav. Wks. (Grosart) V. 159 None of them could make the cord come aloft with a twange halfe like him. c1611Chapman Iliad iv. 143 The sinew forged string Did giue a mightie twang; and forth, the eager shaft did sing. 1728Pope Dunc. ii. 254 So swells each wind-pipe; ass intones to ass, Harmonic twang of leather, horn, and brass. 1779Warner in Jesse Selwyn & Contemp. (1844) IV. 133 The last twang of the postman's bell. 1804J. Grahame Sabbath (1808) 65 The buzz..of moss-entangled bee, That, soon as loosed, booms with full twang away. 1853Kane Grinnell Exp. xxiv. (1856) 196 The twang of a bow-string. 1858R. S. Surtees Ask Mamma li, A twang of the horn.
fig.1663Cowley Cutter Coleman St. v. xiii, There should ha' been..a lusty Cudgeling [at the end of the farce] to make it come off smartly, with a Twang at the Tail.
c. transf. and fig. Ringing sound or tone.
1646G. Daniel Poems Wks. (Grosart) I. 89 When to the Twang of meeter, Poesie Shall fall to Sordid Groomes. a1680Butler Elephant in Moon ii. 181 Transported with the Twang Of his own Elocution. 1714R. Fiddes Pract. Disc. II. 345 Great things have been done by the mere twang of two or three good words. 1825T. Hook Sayings Ser. ii. Passion & Princ. ix. III. 168 His father-in-law..had just pitched his voice to the true poetical twang.
2. a. The modification of vocal sound by its passage through the nose; nasal intonation, as formerly attributed to the Puritans; now esp. as characterizing the pronunciation of an individual, a country, or locality. More fully nasal twang, twang of the nose.
1661South Serm., Tit. ii. 15 (1715) I. 201 To make..incoherent Stuff (seasoned with Twang and Tautology) pass for high Rhetorick, and moving Preaching. 1663Butler Hud. i. iii. 1157 To find in lines of Beard and Face, The Physiognomy of Grace; And by the sound and twang of Nose, If all be sound within disclose. 1704Swift Mech. Operat. Spirit Misc. (1711) 300 By this Method the Twang of the Nose becomes perfectly to resemble the Snuffle of the Bag⁓pipe. 1784Cowper Task ii. 436 Odious as the nasal twang Heard at conventicle. 1839Syd. Smith Mem. & Lett. (1855) II. ccccxv, She..has the true Kentucky twang through the nose, converting that promontory into an organ of speech. 1877Sweet Handbk. Phonetics 8 Many speakers pronounce all their vowels with imperfect closure of the nose passage, which gives their pronunciation the so-called ‘nasal twang’. 1902R. Bagot Donna Diana ii, A wealthy American widow, the owner of a pronounced twang.
b. A distinctive manner of pronunciation or intonation differing from that usual, or regarded as the standard, in a country; esp. one associated with a particular district or locality.
In some of the earlier instances the fig. notion of ‘a smack’ is perhaps intended: cf. twang n.2 2.
1697Bentley Phal. (1699) 313 Phalaris..must needs, for that reason, have a twang of their Dialect. 1705Elstob in Hearne Collect. 30 Nov. (O.H.S.) I. 109 I'll make you Master of ye Gallick Twang. 1706Phillips (ed. Kersey), Twang,..an ill sound in one's Pronunciation. 1707Farquhar Beaux Strat. iii. ii, You talk very good English, but you have a mighty Twang of the Foreigner. 1725tr. Dupin's Eccl. Hist. 17th C. I. ii. iii. 35 His Italian has a twang of the Country in which he liv'd. 1736Drake Eboracum i. vii. 242 The broad open accent, and twang, of the more northern [people]. 1781F. Burney Diary Aug., The Hibernian twang of his pronunciation. 1822Scott Nigel ii, His voice had a twang in it. 1852Thackeray Esmond iii. v, A grating voice that had an Irish twang. Ibid. viii, This family..spoke French with the twang which the Flemings use. 1855Bain Senses & Int. iii. ii. §19 (1864) 485 By ‘accent’ I understand that indescribable accompaniment with the voice, termed also ‘twang’ or ‘brogue’..which constitutes the indelible distinction between English, Irish, Scotch, Americans, French, &c. 1867M. E. Braddon Aurora Floyd xxx, They talked with an honest northern twang. 1883Gd. Words 12 You must not be too near them, or you will hear the Cockney twang.
3. transf. A ringing or resounding blow. Cf. twank v. rare.
1712Steele Spect. No. 504 ⁋1 These can slap you on the back unawares,..ask you how you do with a twang on your shoulders. 1843Lytton Last Bar. i. i, The leathern gauntlet that protected the arm from the painful twang of the string.
4. transf. A sharp pluck or twitch; a tweak; also, the effect of this: a twinge, a sharp pang. Now dial.
1720Lett. Lond. Jrnl. (1721) 29 A Kick in the Breech, or a Twang by the Nose. 1723Ramsay Fair Assembly xvi, 'T wad gi'e your hearts a twang! 1728― To G. Drummond ix, Few twangs of guilt they feel. 1789Burns To the Toothache i, Your venom'd stang, That shoots my tortur'd gums alang; And thro' my lugs gies monie a twang. 1825Brockett N.C. Words, Twang, a quick pull, a tweak—also pain. 1852Tomlinson's Cycl. Usef. Arts (1866) I. 836/1 He then..gives repeated and sudden twangs to the string [in bowing furs for hats].
▪ II. twang, n.2
[Alteration of tang n.1; but often confused or associated with twang n.1]
1. A penetrating or persisting taste, flavour, or odour, usually disagreeable: = tang n.1 5.
1611Cotgr., Deboire, an after taste, ill smacke, or twang, which an vnsauorie thing leaues behind in the mouth. 1670W. Simpson Hydrol. Ess. 69 The brackishness and sulphureous twang of the lee of kelp. 1768Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) I. 468 Though the liquor was not at all impaired thereby..it might get some twang of the vessel. 1809Med. Jrnl. XXI. 476 Its smell is alliaceous, mixed with another twang..still less grateful. 1859F. E. Paget Curate of Cumberworth 242, I particularly dislike a twang of onion. 1891T. Hardy Tess xxii, A customer..complained that the butter had a twang.
b. a tongue with a twang: see tang n.1 5 c.
1667Dryden & Davenant Tempest ii. i, She had a tongue with a twang.
2. fig. A trace or suggestion of some specified origin, quality, or the like; a ‘smack’, touch, tinge; a taint; = tang n.1 6.
1633Massinger Guardian v. iv, This is neither begging, borrowing, nor robbery; Yet it hath a twang of all of them. 1678Dryden Limberham ii. i, A twang of the mother; but I love to graff on such a crab-tree. 1702Eng. Theophrast. 331 The Fondness or Indifference that Philosophers express'd for Life, was but a particular Twang of the Love of them⁓selves. 1826Scott Jrnl. 2 May, Yesterday had a twang of frost in it. 1855Hawthorne Eng. Note-bks. (1870) I. 284 This position of tutor to a young Englishman..has an ugly twang of upper servitude.
†3. A tooth; esp. a canine tooth, a fang. Cf. tang n.1 2 b. Obs.
1677Plot Oxfordsh. 276 Rapine with her fiery eyes, grinning teeth, sharp twangs, her hand imbrewed in blood. 1682Lond. Gaz. No. 1782/4 Lost.., two Land Spaniels, a Dog and Bitch,..the ends of the two upper Twangs of the Dog cut off.
▪ III. † twang, n.3 Obs.
[Of obscure origin.]
huddle and twang, a term of contempt for a person. Cf. cum-twang, huddle n. 3.
Differently, and perh. improperly, applied in quot. 1591.
1579Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 106 Though Curio be olde huddle and twang, ipse, he, yet Euphues had rather shrinke in the wetting than wast in the wearing. 1591Florio 2nd Fruites 41 Who lets his wife goe to euerie feaste..Shall haue..of his best wife a twang with a huddle. 16001st Pt. Sir J. Oldcastle i. ii. 161 If euer woolfe were cloathed in sheepes coate, Then I am he,—olde huddle and twang, yfaith.
▪ IV. † twang, n.4 Austral. slang. Obs.|twæŋ|
[perh. back-formation from Twankay.]
Opium.
1898Bulletin (Sydney) 1 Oct. 14/3 A few more W.Q. [sc. West Queensland] slang words... Opium ‘twang’, a Chinaman a ‘canary’ [etc.]. 1910O'Brien & Stephens Material for Dict. Austral. Slang 1900–10 (typescript), Twang, opium. 1945T. Ronan Strangers on Ophir (1966) 68 The honest Chinese limits himself to his one pipe of ‘Twang’ per night. 1966Baker Austral. Lang. (ed. 2) 157 Opium was once known as twang in bush slang (the later use of treacle was noted earlier).
▪ V. twang, v.1
[Echoic. Goes with twang n.1]
I. Of sound.
1. intr. To give forth a ringing note, as a tense string or a stringed instrument when plucked; to clang. Said also of the sound produced. Also fig.
† to go off twanging, to be a great success. Obs.
1567[see twanging ppl. a.]. 1570Levins Manip. 23/47 To Twangue, resonare. 1607R. Turner Nosce Te F iij, Now noses twang, guts grone. 1621G. Sandys Ovid's Met. vi. (1626) 114 This said, the bow-string twangs. 1626Massinger Rom. Actor ii. i, Had he died, As I resolve to do,.. It [a play] had gone off twanging. a1700Dryden Iliad i. 70 His bow twanged, and his arrows rattled as they flew. 1728W. Starrat Epist. 48 in Ramsay's Poems (1877) II. 275 What tuneless heart-strings wadna twang When love and beauty animate the sang? 1812H. & J. Smith Rej. Addr., Theatre 27 Winds the French-horn, and twangs the tingling harp. 1840R. H. Dana Bef. Mast xviii. 50 We found the violin and guitar screaming and twanging away under the piazza. 1862Mrs. H. Wood Mrs. Hallib. ii. v, [She] burst in at the door, with a violence that made its bell twang and tinkle.
2. trans. To cause to make a ringing note, as by plucking or twitching a tense string or strings of a bow or of a musical instrument; hence, to play on (an instrument). Also fig.
1579–80North Plutarch (1595) 949 The Scythians, when they are disposed to drink drunk together, do diuerse times twang the strings of their bowes. 1652Benlowes Theoph. iii. i, Muse, twang the powerful harp, and brush each String. 1788R. Cumberland Aristoph., Clouds viii, He would not sit twanging the lute, not he. 1855Thackeray Newcomes xxxi, Musicians came and twanged guitars to her. 1864Engel Mus. Anc. Nat. 45 The strings are of lamb's gut, and are twanged with two small plectra. 1910J. MacIntosh in Ayrshire Poets 139 Hoar Winter twangs his trump in vain.
†b. to twang one's nose, to blow the nose loudly (see also 6). Obs.
1748Richardson Clarissa V. 343 The mother twang'd her damn'd nose. 1810S. Green Reformist I. 202 Percival felt for his handkerchief, twanged his nose.
3. intr. To produce a ringing note by or as by plucking a string or stringed instrument; hence (in depreciative sense) to play on a stringed instrument. to twang (all) upon one string, the same string: cf. harp v. 2.
1594Lyly Moth. Bomb. iii. iv, I wish'd for a noyse Of crack-halter Boyes, On those hempen strings to be twanging. 1624Gee New Shreds O. Snare 18 The plots of their Comedies twang all vpon one string. 1671H. Foulis Hist. Rom. Treasons (1681) 88 Both twang upon the same string. 1840R. H. Dana Bef. Mast xxvii. 92 The musicians were still there,..scraping and twanging away. 1885Chr. World 15 Jan. 38/5 They took to twanging away on what seemed an inferior kind of guitar.
†b. In the phrases the worst that, as good as, ever twanged. Obs.
1542Udall Erasm. Apoph. 110 b, A minstrel..y⊇ wurste that euer twanged. 1579Gosson Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 24 His skill is showne too make his Scholer as good as euer twangde. 1678Ray Prov. (ed. 2) 285 As good as ever twang'd. 1681W. Robertson Phraseol. Gen. (1693) 486 The worst that ever twang'd; He has all the ill qualities that you can name.
4. trans. To play (a melody or the like) on a stringed instrument; to sound forth on a twanging instrument. Also said of the instrument or its strings.
1542Udall Erasm. Apoph. 207 Paris with his harpe did nothyng but twang fonde fansies of daliaunce and lasciuiousnesse. 1577Stanyhurst Descr. Irel. viii. in Holinshed I. 28/2 When the harper twangeth or singeth a song, all the company must be whist, or else he chafeth like a cutpurse, by reason his harmony is not had in better price. 1582― æneis i. (Arb.) 41 Curled Iöppas Twanged on his harp golden, what he whillon learned of Atlas. 1809W. Irving Knickerb. iv. iii. (1820) 240 His sturdy trumpeter..twanging his trumpet in the face of the whole world. 1842Thackeray Fitz-Boodle's Conf., Ottilia ii, She twanged off a rattling piece of Liszt. 1851H. D. Wolff Madrilenia (1853) 111 Three guitar players, hired for the occasion, twanged a variety of airs. 1872Black Adv. Phaeton xiv, The cords of the guitar twanged out a few notes.
†5. Of a speaker:
a. trans. To utter with a sharp ringing tone; = tang v.2 2. Obs. rare.
1601Shakes. Twel. N. iii. iv. 198 A terrible oath, with a swaggering accent sharpely twang'd off.
†b. intr. To speak. Obs. rare.
1601B. Jonson Poetaster i. ii, The tongue of the oracle neuer twang'd truer. Ibid. v. iii, Thou twang'st right, little Horace.
6. intr. To speak with a nasal intonation or twang. Also trans. with nose (cf. 2 b). rare.
1615[see twanging vbl. n.]. 1826Scott Woodst. v, With yonder Puritanic, Round-headed soldiers..I..twanged my nose and turned up my eyes. 1844Willis Lady Jane i. 238 Nasal Smith and Jones Will twang as usual in ‘the better sphere’.
b. trans. To utter or pronounce with a nasal or other twang.
1748Richardson Clarissa (1810) IV. xxviii. 154 [She] Twanged out a heigh-ho through her nose. 1754J. Shebbeare Matrimony (1766) I. 17 The Master of the Family..twangs the Dictates of the Gospel through his Nose all Sunday. 1836T. Hook G. Gurney I. 155 Hearing Miss Crab..twang out the following. 1851Thackeray Eng. Hum. ii. (1858) 69 The Cicerone twangs his moral. 1864Daily Tel. 29 July, A purer Whitechapel accent..than that with which a damsel with a dulcimer twanged out a nasal-guttural lyric. 1893Saltus Madam Sapphira 191 ‘Now Becky,’ twanged the ponderous person, ‘what is your name?’
II. Of the action (without special reference to the sound).
7. trans. To pull or pluck (the string of a bow), so as to shoot.
1600Fairfax Tasso vii. ciii, But from his quiuer huge a shaft he hent, And set it in his mightie bowe new bent, Twanged the string, out flew the quarell long. 1715–20Pope Iliad i. 67 He twang'd his deadly bow, And hissing fly the feather'd fates below. 1890C. Martyn W. Phillips 236 Those [wits] twanged their bow-strings and sped their arrows of ridicule at so plain a target. 1891E. Field Bk. Western Verse 25 He twanged his bow.
b. Used with reference to the bow (see bow n.1 13) employed in hat-making; also with the material as obj.
1882Floyer Unexpl. Baluchistan 326 A boy ‘twanging’ wool with a bow, and reducing it to a coarse fluff. 1886Cheshire Gloss. s.v. Bow, To ‘twang the bow’ was formerly considered a very skilful branch of hat manufacturing.
8. trans. To discharge (an arrow) with a twang of the bow-string; to let fly (an arrow). In quot. 1751 absol. Also fig.
1751Smollett Per. Pic. lxxxvii, She..twanged off with the appellations of b― and w―. 1807W. Irving Salmag. viii. (1824) 124 To be shot by the first lady's eye that can twang an arrow. 1833Mrs. Browning Prometh. Bound Poems 1850 I. 172 Where Scythia's shepherd peoples dwell aloft,..And twang the rapid arrow past the bow. 1847Tennyson Princ. ii. 380 A thousand baby loves Fly twanging headless arrows at the hearts. 1862Thackeray Philip xi, This..may not have been the precise long bow which George Firmin..pulled; but..he twanged a famous lie out. 1863Reader 31 Oct. 502 An athletic man..has twanged an arrow from his box against some object.
b. intr. Of an arrow: To leave the bow-string with a twang.
1795Coleridge Lines in Manner of Spenser iv, When twanged an arrow from Love's mystic string. 1831James Phil. Augustus I. v. The missile twanged away from the string.
†9. intr. To pluck, twitch at. Obs. rare—1.
a1678Marvell Appleton House 648 At my lines the fishes twang.
▪ VI. twang, v.2
[f. twang n.2, or alternation of tang v.1]
†1. trans. To furnish with a tang or point; in quot. fig.; cf. tang v.1 2. Obs. rare.
1678Dryden & Lee Œdipus v. i, With her thundring Voice she menac'd high, And every Accent twang'd with smarting Sorrow.
2. To cause (a sharp object) to pierce through something; to thrust through. rare.
1821Clare Vill. Minstr. I. 155 How deep was the sorrow.., Like a bramble-thorn twang'd through her heart!
3. intr. To have a twang or ‘smack’ of something specified; to savour of. rare—1.
1821Scott Kenilw. iv, Your speech twangs too much of the old stamp. |