| 释义 |
higgledy-piggledy, adv., n., and a.|ˈhɪg(ə)ldɪˈpɪg(ə)ldɪ|
Forms: 6–8 higle- -pigle-, 7– higgle- -piggle-, hickle- -pickle-; 6 -di, -die, 6–7 -de, -tee, 7– -dy, 8 -te, 9 -ty.
[A riming compound of obscure origin.
Mainly an example of ‘vocal gesture’, the odd conformation of the word answering to the thing described; whether founded on pig, with some reference to the disorderly and utterly irregular fashion in which a herd of these animals huddle together, is uncertain, though examples show that such an association has often been present to persons using it. If the collateral higly-pigly were the original form, the sequence pig, pigly, higly-pigly would be not unlikely.]
A. adv. Without any order of position or direction; in huddled or jumbled confusion and disorder; with heads and tails in any or every direction. Usually contemptuous.
1598Florio, Alla rappa, snatchingly, higledi-pigledie, shiftingly, nap and run. Ibid., Alla rinfusa, pelmell, helterskelter, higledi-pigledie. 1674tr. Martiniere's Voy. N. Countries 34 They ly higgledy piggledy, master, mistress, children, men and maid-servants alltogether. c1682Hickeringill Black Non-Conf. xvii. Wks. 1716 II. 137 Rashly, hand over-head, Hickletee-Pickletee. a1700B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Higglede-piggledy, all together, as Hoggs and Piggs lie. 1718Motteux Quix. (1733) III. 39 Not [to] set down at random, higgle-de-piggledy, whatever comes into his Noddle. 1792Gibbon Misc. Wks. (1814) I. 366 The officers..lying higgledy piggledy on the ground with the common men. 1838Hawthorne Amer. Note-bks. (1883) 187 Pigs, on a march, do not subject themselves to any leader among themselves, but pass on, higgledy-piggledy, without regard to age or sex. 1849Darwin in Life & Lett. (1887) I. 375 I will write higglety-pigglety just as subjects occur. 1883Stevenson Silverado Sq. (1886) 60 Our belongings, piled higgledy-piggledy, and upside down, about the floor.
B. n. A confusion; a disorderly jumble.
1659Gauden Tears Ch. Eng. 347 An higglede piggedle of Preachers. 1684tr. Agrippa's Van. Arts lxii. 184 The Massie Body of which Higgle-de Piggle-de is joyn'd and soder'd together with a feign'd Sanctimony. 1859Darwin in Life & Lett. (1887) II. 241 Herschel says my book ‘is the law of higgledy-piggledy’. 1880E. Thring Let. H. D. Harper in Daily News (1897) 12 Feb. 6/3 Higgledy-piggledy has been solemnly dethroned.
C. adj. Void of order or regular plan; confused, jumbled; topsy-turvy.
1832W. Irving in Life & Lett. (1864) II. 483 Robert the Devil is brought out in a higgledy-piggledy manner at various theatres. 1866Sat. Rev. 2 June 647/1 Our principle of arrangement was the great higgledy-piggledy plan. 1890Daily News 8 Jan. 3/1 In a higgledy-piggledy world like this it is impossible to make very nice distinctions between good luck and good work.
Hence ˌhiggledy-ˈpiggledyness, the quality or condition of being higgledy-piggledy.
1854Punch 18 Nov. 204/1 That structural higgledi⁓pigglediness. 1918A. Bennett Roll-Call i. i. 12 An agreeable and original higgledy-piggledyness! |