| 释义 |
impiety|ɪmˈpaɪɪtɪ|
Also 4 impite.
[a. F. impieté (12th c.) or ad. L. impietāt-em, n. of quality f. impius: see impious and -ity.]
Want of piety; that which is the opposite of piety.
1. Want of reverence for God or religion; irreligion; ungodliness; unrighteousness, wickedness.
a1340Hampole Psalter lxxii. 6 Hilde þai er in wickidnes, & in þaire impite..All bewrapped in wickedness against ther neightbour, & in impietie against god. 1548Hall Chron., Edw. IV 200 The mother of this pernicious commocion was uncharitie, or very impietie. 1600J. Pory tr. Leo's Africa ii. 389 The impietie of Arrius and other heretikes. 1776Gibbon Decl. & F. xiii. I. 387 The titles of the Divinity were usurped by Diocletian and Maximian.. Such extravagant compliments, however, soon lose their impiety by losing their meaning. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) V. 155 The impiety of those who deny the existence of the Gods.
b. With an and pl. An instance of this; an impious, irreligious, or ungodly action, practice, etc.
1529S. Fish Supplic. Beggers (1871) 11 So long shall it seme to euery man to be a greate ympiete not to gyue theim. 1611Bible 2 Esdras iii. 29 When I came thither, and had seene impieties without number. 1743J. Morris Serm. vii. 197 He..did not immediately chastise for their impieties. 1897P. Warung Tales Old Regime 240 Each swore by the most impious of impieties that..he would be its enemy.
2. Absence of natural piety, as of child to parent; want of dutifulness; hence, want of reverence or respect in general.
1588Shakes. Tit. A. i. i. 355 Tit. Bury him where you can, he comes not heere. Mar. My Lord this is impiety in you, My Nephew Mutius deeds do plead for him. 1674tr. Scheffer's Lapland 34 It were impiety to believe this of all, since experience shews us the contrary. 1732Law Serious C. xxi. (ed. 2) 432 Can you think it a less impiety to contemn and vilify a brother? 1895Daily News 2 Nov. 6/1 All this trivial chatter about the mere externals of De Quincey's life..leaves upon our mind a disagreeable impression. It is impiety..in its antique meaning. Mod. A gross instance of filial impiety. |