| 释义 |
ambage|ˈæmbɪdʒ|
Pl. ambages |ˈæmbɪdʒɪz, or as L. æmˈbeɪdʒiːz|.
[a. 14th c. Fr. ambages, a. L. ambāges circuits, circumlocutions, f. amb- about + ag-ĕre to drive. Thoroughly naturalized in 16th c. as ˈambages, with sing. ˈambage (as in Fr.) in sense I, but owing to the coincidence of the spelling with the original L., there has been a growing tendency to look upon it as merely L., and to use it accordingly, thus restricting the sense and altering the pronunciation.]
I. Of language (from Fr.; pron. ˈambages; with sing.) Roundabout or indirect modes of speech.
1. For deceit: Equivocation, quibbles, ambiguities. Obs. or arch.
c1374Chaucer Troylus v. 897 If Calkas lede us with ambages, That is to seyn, with dowble wordes slye. 1553–87Foxe A. & M. (1596) 666/1 Without ambages and sophistication of wordes. 1669Gale Crt. Gentiles i. iii. x. 108 An Ambages of words is very deceitful. a1733North Exam. i. ii. ⁋26. 43 Factious polemic Tricks, Ambages, and treacherous Counsels. 1857Sir F. Palgrave Norm. & Eng. II. 415 He commenced by a few politic ambages, or—to speak more plainly—lies.
†2. For concealment: Dark or obscure language, ambiguity. Obs.
1520Whittinton Vulgaria (1527) 2 Tendre wyttes with suche derke ambage be made dull. 1664H. More Myst. Iniq. 211 That Prophecies are delivered in obscure Ambages. 1713Berkeley Hylas & Phil. iii, To use some ambages, and ways of speech not common.
†3. For delay: Circumlocutions, beating about the bush. Obs. exc. as a case of II. 6.
1567Drant Horace Ep. vii. D vj, For to make the ambage shorte, And not to draw it on. 1568C. Watson Polybius To Reader, With any tedious ambage or painted preamble. 1607Dekker Wh. Babylon 240 Vmh: ya're ful of Ambage: I answere as my spirits leade me, thus. 1678A. Behn Sir P. Fancy v. i. 303 Without more ambages, Sir, I have considered your former desires, and have consented to marry him.
†4. Rhet. (in sing.) Periphrasis. Obs.
1589Puttenham Eng. Poesie (1869) 203 Periphrasis, or the Figure of ambage. Ibid. 24 Tedious ambage and long periods.
II. Of paths, ways. [A later adoption from L., and in recent times as a L. word ambāges.]
5. Circuits, windings, circuitous paths. arch.
1615Sandys Trav. 99 [The river] running from South to North (besides in ambages) aboue one and forty degrees. 1677Grew Anat. Plants iv. iii. vii. §2 (1682) 191 The Elongation of the seed-vessels, sometimes directly, as in Plums and Nuts, and sometimes by several Ambages before they shoot into the Seeds, as in Tulip. 1796Pegge Anonym. (1809) 373 You will find it, through the windings and ambages, eight, or perhaps nine miles. 1823Lamb Elia Ser. ii. xxiv. (1865) 409 After hunting and winding through all the possible ambages of similar sounds.
6. fig. Circuitous, indirect, or roundabout ways or proceedings; delaying practices.
1546Langley Polyd Verg. iv. iv. 87 b, When a Byshop was consecrated ther was used no other rytes or ambages. 1605Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. 33 He shall, by Ambages of diets, bathings, anointings, etc. prolong life. 1657Austen Fruit Trees i. 38 Meat and drink work upon the spirits by ambages and length of time. 1726Ayliffe Parergon 65 The Ambages of Law Suits.
†7. Dark, secret, or mysterious ways of action. Obs. (Cf. Livy i. 56.)
a1626Bacon Theol. Wks. (1838) I. 337 The ways and ambages of God. 1704Swift T. Tub Wks. 1768, 141 The other cost me so many strains and traps and ambages to introduce. a1797H. Walpole George II (1847) II. iv, He would not enter into all the ambages of the Corps Diplomatique. |