| 释义 |
impoverish, v.|ɪmˈpɒvərɪʃ|
Forms: 5 en-, empoveris, -poverys(s)h, inpoveryssh, 6 impoverys(s)h, -yshe, -ishe, 6–9 empoverish, 7 ym-, 6– impoverish.
[ad. OF. empoveriss-, lengthened stem of empov(e)rir, -pauvrir to make poor, f. em-:—L. im- (im-1) + povre, pauvre poor.]
1. trans. To make poor; to reduce to poverty.
1440J. Shirley Dethe K. James (1818) 8 Also of the gredi covatise that he oppressid and enpoverisid his comonalte. 1494Fabyan Chron. ii. xxxix. 27 He enriched hym self and inpouerysshed his subiects. 1555Eden Decades (Arb.) 54 England is in fewe years decayed and impouerysshed. 1642Fuller Holy & Prof. St. i. iii. 9 He that impoverisheth his children to enrich his widow, destroyes a quick hedge to make a dead one. 1771Junius Lett. lvii. 295 Corruption..impoverishes and enslaves the country. 1866Rogers Agric. & Prices I. xxix. 692 The trader was impoverished by high poor-rates.
†b. To reduce or diminish (wealth or a stock of anything). Obs.
1611Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. viii. vii. §25. 405 A former warre against the French had empouerished much of their wealth. 1661Boyle Style of Script. (1675) 207 The dayes consecrated to God's service rather improve than impoverish our stock of time.
†c. To make bare, to strip of (some form of wealth). Obs.
1611Speed Theat. Gt. Brit. v. (1614) 9/2 Iron and glasse..impoverish the country of woods. 1726G. Roberts 4 Years Voy. 391 They impoverished the Island of its Cattle.
2. To make weak or poor in quality or productiveness; to exhaust the strength or native quality of.
a1631Donne in Select. (1840) 108 But when..God shall deject, and impouerish, and evacuate that spirit. 1767A. Young Farmer's Lett. People 290 The unprofitable practice of ploughing up pastures..tends perpetually to impoverish them. 1784Twamley Dairying 29 Many People may think Water will hurt the Milk or impoverish the Cheese; experience shews it will not. 1876Mozley Univ. Serm. v. 99 Such theories..impoverish the minds which they absorb. 1897Allbutt Syst. Med. III. 81 Other depressing forces may have come into play impoverishing the blood. |