| 释义 |
incredible, a. (n.)|ɪnˈkrɛdɪb(ə)l|
Also 6 increadible.
[ad. L. incrēdibilis unbelievable, unbelieving, f. in- (in-3) + crēdibilis credible: cf. obs. F. incrédible (16th c. in Godef.).]
1. Not credible: that cannot be believed; beyond belief.
1412–20Lydg. Chron. Troy iv. xxx, For incredible was..To se howe he through his great myght The Grekes put proudely to the flyght. 1539Bible (Great) Acts xxvi. 8 Why shulde it be thought a thynge incredyble vnto you, that God shuld rayse agayne the deed? 1613Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 503 Pliny reports things more incredible. 1736Butler Anal. i. i. (1884) 33 There is nothing incredible in the general doctrine of religion. 1860Tyndall Glac. ii. ix. 269 The assertion that a glacier moves must appear..startling and incredible. 1871L. Stephen Playgr. Europe x. (1894) 226 The small nucleus of fact round which so many incredible stories have gathered.
b. In weakened sense: Such as it is difficult to believe in the possibility of, or to realize; said esp. of a quantity, quality, number, etc., of a degree beyond what one would a priori have conceived as possible; inconceivable, exceedingly great.
1482Monk of Evesham (Arb.) 33 An inestymable and incredibulle swetenes of ioyfull conforte. 1559W. Cuningham Cosmogr. Glasse 176 Ther are iij. mountaines of an incredible height. 1579Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 72 Euphues was surprised with such increadible joye at this straunge event that he had almost sounded. 1655Fuller Ch. Hist. i. v. §4 It is incredible, how speedily and generally the Infection spread by his preaching. 1777Burke Corr. (1844) II. 147 These stories do incredible mischief. 1856Kane Arct. Expl. II. xiv. 144 Off they sprang with incredible swiftness. 1856Emerson Eng. Traits, 1st Visit Wks. (Bohn) II. 7 The incredible sums paid in one year by the great booksellers for puffing.
c. Of a person. rare.
1802–12Bentham Ration. Jud. Evid. (1827) II. 67 Unless you maintain that the same man is credible or incredible, honest or dishonest, according as [etc.]. Ibid. v. 83 He was heard; yes; but upon what occasion? On the occasion on which he is deemed incredible?
†2. Unbelieving. Obs. rare.
1557North tr. Gueuara's Diall Pr. 191 a/1 Incredible of that is told him. 1624Jackson Serm. Introd. Knowl. Jesus §29 Their relations of it are so plain..that the incrediblest Gentiles of that age were inexcusable. 1640Walton Life Donne 26 The incredible reader may find in the Sacred Story that Samuel did appear to Saul even after his death. 1761L. Howard Hist. Bible, 2 Kings vii. note, This incredible nobleman saw the plenty but did not partake of it.
B. as n. An incredible thing. (Chiefly pl.)
1610Healey St. Aug. Citie of God xxii. viii. (1620) 825 This incredible thing which was not seene, was confirmed by other incredibles which were seene.
Hence inˈcredibleness, incredibility.
1611Florio, Incredibilita, incrediblenesse. 1613Purchas Pilgrimage i. ii. 12 The quantitie and the swiftnesse is much more after the former then after this later opinion, which doth better salue the incrediblenesse thereof. 1668M. Casaubon Credul. & Incred. 180 (T.) The very strangeness, or incredibleness of the story. 1706Phillips, Incredibility or Incredibleness. |