| 释义 |
undeˈtermined, ppl. a.
[un-1 8 and 5 b.]
1. Not authoritatively decided or settled; not brought to an end by decision.
1442in Proc. King's Council Irel. (Rolls) 275 Many grete tresons..stonde yet vndetermyned. a1513Fabyan Chron. vii. ccxxviii. 257 The pope gaue suche a defuse sentence in this mater yt he left y⊇ stryfe vndetermyned and vnassoyled. 1541Act 33 Hen. VIII, c. 39 Thinges nowe..dependinge before them vndiscussed and vndetermined. 1628Coke On Litt. (1629) 40 b, Hanging the voucher and vndetermined, the wife of the feoffee brings her action of dower. 1698Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) IV. 396 To leave the points undetermined to the arbitration of King William. 1771Luckombe Hist. Print. 1 It long remained an undetermined point..concerning the place. 1826Art Brewing (ed. 2) 127 The question, therefore, still remains undetermined. 1885Sir L. W. Cave in Law Rep. 15 Q.B.D. 327 The question..was discussed and left undetermined in the case of Reg. v. Robson.
b. Not definitely settled or fixed; still subject to alteration or uncertainty.
1668[see unconsented]. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. i. 30 Thou, whose undetermin'd State Is yet the Business of the Gods' Debate. 1736Butler Anal. i. iv. (1834) 88 Which miseries are, beforehand, just as contingent and undetermined as their conduct, and left to be determined by it. 1779Forrest Voy. N. Guinea 171 All the charts..leave the north coast of Waygiou undetermined by a dotted line. 1831Scott Ct. Rob. xxxiii, I vow..that the combat was yet within the undetermined doom of Providence, when [etc.]. 1862Spencer First Princ. i. v. §29 (1875) 102 That conception of disorder, or undetermined order, which underlies every superstition.
2. Not definitely ascertained or identified; uncertain, doubtful.
1588[see undeterminable a. 2]. 1697Bentley Phal. (1699) 191 Though the date be undetermined, it might fairly be presumed to be more recent than He. 1794R. J. Sulivan View Nat. I. 435 Onyx, an undetermined transparent gem. 1839H. T. De la Beche Rep. Geol. Cornw. etc. viii. 223 A few casts of one or two undetermined species. 1884Higgs Magn. Dyn. Electr. Mach. 269 Where ρ, the only quantity remaining unexplained, represents the undetermined factor.
3. Not definitely limited or restricted in meaning or application; indefinite, vague.
1611Florio World of Words Rules 640 The Preterpluperfect or vndetermined tence. 1656tr. Hobbes' Elem. Philos. 21 Some names are of certain and determined, others of uncertain and undetermined signification. 1705Berkeley Cave of Dunmore Wks. 1871 IV. 506 Such undetermined expressions as wide, narrow, deep. 1769Sir J. Reynolds Disc. ii. (1778) 47 By precepts only, which will always be fleeting, variable and undetermined.
4. Not restrained within limits; left free or open.
1627May Lucan Ep. Ded., The vast strength and forces of the Prince gaue him too absolute and vndetermined a power. 1697Congreve Mourn. Bride ii. viii, Not so the mind, whose undetermined view Revolves, and to the present adds the past. 1712Addison Spect. No. 412 ⁋2 Such wide and undetermined Prospects are..pleasing to the Fancy. 1818Shelley Let. to Peacock 5 June, The mountains are wide and wild, and the whole scenery broad and undetermined.
5. Not determined or fixed in respect of character, action, etc.
a1676Hale Prim. Orig. Man. (1677) 74 Possibly Matter it self undetermined to any particular form, or under any particular constitution. 1712Addison Spect. No. 458 ⁋2 False Modesty..is only a general undetermined Instinct. 1754Edwards Freed. Will ii. ix. 83 A Self-determining Power in the Understanding,..independent, undetermined by any Thing prior to its own Acts and Determinations.
6. Undecided, irresolute.
1718Pope Iliad xv. 595 How long on these cursed confines will ye lie, Yet undetermined or to live or die? 1796F. Burney Camilla III. 110 Perceiving him undetermined, [she] called forth all her artillery of eloquence. 1862Borrow Wales I. 1 We were undetermined for some time with respect to where we should go. |