| 释义 |
amarant(h)|ˈæmərænt, -ænθ|
Also 6–7 amaranthe.
[a. Fr. amarante, f. L. amarant-us, a. Gr. ἀµάραντ-ος, used as name of a flower, but properly adj. ‘everlasting,’ f. ἀ not + *-µαραντ-ος fading, corruptible, f. µαρ-αν- stem of µαραίν-ειν to wither, decay (root mar-, mor- die). Long used in the L. form amarantus, corruptly written (by form-assoc. with polyanthus, etc.) amaranthus, as if containing the Gr. ἄνθος flower; amarant (now commonly amaranth) being at first only poetic.]
1. An imaginary flower reputed never to fade; a fadeless flower (as a poetic conception). Also attrib.
1616Drummond of Hawthornden in Farr S.P. (1848) 285 Vpon her head shee ware Of amaranthes a crowne. c1630― Wks. 1711, 17/1 Th' immortal amaranthus. 1637Milton Lycidas 149 Bid amaranthus all his beauty shed. 1667― P.L. iii. 353 Thir Crowns inwove with Amarant and Gold, Immortal Amarant. 1815Southey in Q. Rev. XIII. 274 His laurels are entwined with the amaranths of righteousness. 1827Keble Chr. Y. St. Barn., The genial amarant wreath to wear.
2. A genus of ornamental plants (Amarantus, family Amarantaceæ) with coloured foliage, of which the Prince's Feather and Love-lies-bleeding are species.
1551Turner Herbal 22 Amaranthus of Pliny..is rather a purple eare then a floure. 1579Langham Gard. Health (1633) 258 The hearbe called purple veluet flower, or Amaranthus. 1596Spenser F.Q. iii. vi. 45 Sad Amaranthus, in whose purple gore Me seemes I see Amintas wretched fate. 1626Bacon Sylva §512 (R.) Some Plants Blood-Red, Stalke and Leafe, and all; as Amaranthus. 1725Bradley Fam. Dict., Amaranthus, Flower Gentle, called by some, Princes Feathers. 1794Martyn Rousseau's Bot. xvi. 207 The Crested Amaranth..is commonly called Cock's-comb. 1847Lindley Veg. Kingd. (ed. 2) 510 Amaranths grow in crowds or singly.
3. A purple colour, being that of the foliage of Amarantus.
1690Lond. Gaz. mmdlv/4 One amarant and green Mantua and Petticoat. 1858J. R. Planché Fairy Tales 74 Her dress was of amaranth satin.
4. globe amaranth: Gomphrena globosa (family Amarantaceæ).
5. yellow amaranth: A composite plant (Helichrysum Stœchas).
1551Turner Herbal 23 The herbe..called of Galene amaranthus..hath a little white branche..the tope is al yelowe. 1578Lyte Dodoens 89 Ageratum Aurelia..of some Amaranthus Luteus. 1731Bailey, Amarantus luteus, flower maudlin, or baltazar with a yellow flour. 1875I. L. Bird Hawaii 134 Roses, pohas, yellow amaranth.
6. = purple-heart 1 a and (rare) b. Chiefly U.S.
1909in Cent. Dict. Suppl. 1924Record & Mell Timbers Tropical Amer. ii. 234 Peltogyne... Common names: purple heart..amaranth. 1930[see palisander]. 1931Tropical Woods XXV. 1 (heading) Use of amaranth for interior trim and flooring. 1947[see purple-heart 1 a].
Add:[3.] b. A moderately fast red azo dye used for dyeing textiles and as a biological stain and food colouring.
1888Jrnl. Soc. Dyers & Colourists IV. 46/2 An ‘amaranth’ is produced by several colour works from the residue of magenta. 1936Pharmaceutical Jrnl. CXXXVI. 234 A search for an alternative colour led us to examine amaranth, which gives a good clear red, described as ‘raspberry’ in the list. 1976Daily Colonist (Victoria, B. C.) 20 Jan. 1/6 Schmidt's order will permit manufacturers to sell products that already contain the color additive, known generically as amaranth, but will prohibit them from using existing stocks. 1984L. E. Parker in J. Walford Devel. in Food Colours II. i. 8 Studies were being carried out in other parts of the world on amaranth, a colour to which an ADI had been assigned and which was on the EEC list of permitted colours. These studies resulted in the banning of amaranth in the USA, and a need to reconsider its status in the EEC. |