| 释义 |
▪ I. handkerchief, n.|ˈhæŋkətʃɪf, -iːf|
Forms: α. 6 handekerchefe, -carcheff, handcercheue, -kerchef, 6–7 -kerchiefe, 7 -kercheefe, -chife, -chiffe, hankerchief, 7– handkerchief. β. 6–7, 9 (dial. and vulgar) handkercher, hankercher, 9 dial. hancutcher.
[f. hand n. + kerchief, q.v. also for the form handkercher. The latter was common in literary use in 16–17th c., and remained the current spoken form for some time after handkerchief was commonly written (cf. quot. 1866); it is still a common dialect and vulgar form.]
a. A small square of linen, silk, or other fabric (which may be embroidered, fringed, etc.), carried in the hand or pocket (pocket-handkerchief) for wiping the face, eyes, or nose, or used as a kerchief to cover the head, or worn about the neck (neck handkerchief or neckerchief). Phr. to drop the handkerchief: to throw (or fling) the handkerchief.
to drop or throw the handkerchief, i.e. in young people's games, in which he or she to whom it is thrown runs after and tries to catch the other; hence, allusively, to signify that one may be run after, to invite courtship.
1530Palsgr. 229/1 Handekerchefe, mouchover. 1557N. T. (Genev.) Acts xix. 12 From his body, were broght vnto the sycke, napkyns or handkerchefs. 1563J. Man Musculus' Commonpl. 274 a, The shadow of Peter, the handcercheue of Paull. 1604Shakes. Oth. iii. iii. 434 Haue you not sometimes seene a Handkerchiefe Spotted with Strawberries, in your wiues hand? 1684Bunyan Pilgr. ii. 76 He also wiped mine Eyes with his Hankerchief. 1722Lond. Gaz. No. 6056/1 The Santo Sudario (or Holy Handkerchief)..is to be exposed. 1749H. Walpole Let. 20 July (1903) II. 396 Till all the juries of matrons have finished their inquest, one shall not care to make one's choice—I was going to say—throw one's handkerchief, but at present that term would be a little equivocal. 1764― Let. 5 June (1904) VI. 78 Lord Tavistock has flung his handkerchief to Lady Elizabeth Keppel. 1768–74Tucker Lt. Nat. (1852) II. 477 When, on looking through the window, we see the women pulling their handkerchiefs over their heads, we take this for a sign that it is beginning to rain. 1786E. Sheridan Jrnl. 21–23 Jan. (1960) 79 The hankerchiefs are not so much puff'd out and there is now a very pretty sort of hankerchief much worn open at the neck and exactly made and trim'd like a Boy's shirt. 1825R. Ward Tremaine II. xxxix. 338, I imagine he must do something more than merely throw his handkerchief. 1825H. Wilson Mem. II. 11 The system at White's Club..is..never to black ball any man, who ties a good knot in his handkerchief. 1859Geo. Eliot A. Bede 29, I think his blue linen handkerchief was very wet with tears. 1870Brewer's Dict. Phr. & Fable 384/1 ‘The committee was at a loss to know whom to throw the handkerchief to’ (The Times)..the allusion is to the game called in Norfolk ‘Stir up the dumplings’, and by girls ‘Kiss in the ring’. 1897Outing (U.S.) Apr. 71/2, I was hoping that they would have an English May-pole dance, but instead they played ‘drop the handkerchief’, which Philip said, though not so ancient, was more fun. 1932Times Lit. Suppl. 16 July 506/3 If he hesitate today whether he shall throw the handkerchief to Germany or Russia, does not such an embarrassment prove his power?
βc1532G. Du Wes Introd. Fr. in Palsgr. 907 The hande kercher..mouchoir. 1583Hollyband Campo di Fior 31 Put this hande-kircher at thy girdle, to make cleane thy nose. 1583in North. N. & Q. I. 77 Gloves, hand-carchaes, gyrdylles. 1601Shakes., All's Well v. iii. 322 Mine eyes smell Onions, I shall weepe anon: Good Tom Drumme lend me a handkercher. 1666Pepys Diary (1879) IV. 46, I took occasion to fall out with her [my wife] for buying a laced handkercher without my leave. 1828Craven Dial., Hancutcher, handkerchief. 1837Thackeray Yellowpl. (1887) 29 A blue bird's-eye handkercher. [1866Lowell Biglow P. Introd. Poems 1890 II. 166 Voltaire tells his countrymen that handkerchief was pronounced hankercher..This enormity the Yankee still persists in.]
b. attrib. and Comb., as handkerchief blouse, handkerchief-box, handkerchief-case, handkerchief-cloth, handkerchief dress, handkerchief-hat, handkerchief-loom, handkerchief-monger, handkerchief-pin, handkerchief pocket, handkerchief sachet, handkerchief table, handkerchief-turban, etc.; handkerchief-head (see quot. 1942).
In several of the collocations applied to parts of costume made up of squares resembling or suggesting handkerchiefs.
1711Swift Jrnl. to Stella 4 May, I have been a mighty handkerchiefmonger. 1790E. Wynne Diary 17 Jan. (1935) I. ii. 30 Betzy bought..a handkerchief pin. 1880L. Higgin Handbk. Embroidery 106 (Advt.), Handkerchief sachets, from {pstlg}3. 3s. 1885J. J. Manley Brit. Almanac Comp. 25 There was also a remarkable handkerchief-loom exhibited. 1890Ld. Lugard Diary 27 Mar. (1959) I. iv. 161, I..presented the women with a return present viz. a dhoti of ‘handkerchief cloth’. 1893‘Mark Twain’ in Cent. Mag. Dec. 238/2 She took off her handkerchief-turban. 1895Montgomery Ward Catal. Index, Handkerchief Boxes and Cases. 1896E. Turner Little Larrikin x. 106 She had conceived the idea of making Ruffy a present of a handkerchief-sachet. 1899Daily News 1 July 4/3 The revival of the handkerchief dress. 1900Westm. Gaz. 9 Aug. 3/2 The handkerchief blouse. 1903Daily Chron. 18 July 8/4 The sleeves are handkerchief ones. 1922Joyce Ulysses 99 His inner handkerchief pocket. 1932D. C. Minter Mod. Needlecraft 246/1 Handkerchief case..oblong folded to form pocket and flap. 1942Amer. Mercury LV. 95 Handkerchief-head, sycophant type of Negro; also an Uncle Tom. 1950A. Lomax Mr. Jelly Roll (1952) v. 231 This corny old handkerchief-head would assert that Count Basie did not know piano. 1956S. Longstreet Real Jazz 147 A ‘handkerchief-head’ is an old-fashioned Negro who doesn't know his rights. 1960Encounter XIV. ii. 39 The Negro officer isn't a ‘handkerchief head’, an Uncle Tom. 1960H. Hayward Antique Coll. 138/2 Handkerchief table, an American term for a single-leaf table with leaf and top triangular in shape. Closed, the table fits in a corner, opened it is a small square. 1963Sunday Express 3 Nov. 19/1 A group of handkerchief hats in pastel glove leather. 1971P. D. James Shroud for Nightingale v. 170 An embroidered handkerchief sachet with a dozen handkerchiefs carefully folded.
Hence ˈhandkerchiefful; † ˈhandkerchiefly a., such as calls for the use of a handkerchief.
1753C. Cibber in Richardson's Corr. (1804) II. 177 Having as handkerchiefly a feeling of it as Mr. Sylvester himself. 1876Daily News 27 Oct. 5/3 An orderly produced a handkerchiefful of bread and cheese.
▪ II. ˈhandkerchief, v. rare.
[f. prec. n.]
a. intr. To use a handkerchief.
b. trans. To cover or wipe with a handkerchief.
1754Richardson Grandison (1811) II. xvi. 179 The servants entering with the dinner, we hemmed, handkerchiefed, twinkled, took up our knives and forks. 1778F. Burney Diary Sept., I began now a vehement nose⁓blowing, for the benefit of handkerchiefing my face. |