| 释义 |
incumbency|ɪnˈkʌmbənsɪ|
[f. incumbent: see -ency.]
1. The condition of lying or pressing upon something; brooding; a spiritual brooding or over-shadowing. Now rare or Obs.
1651Raleigh's Ghost 226 The sacred Writ..being writen by the peculiar incumbency and direction of the holy Ghost. 1663Flagellum or O. Cromwell (1672) 124 And the addle eggs put under the chill incumbency of other wildfoul. 1805Wordsw. Prelude iii. 116 Felt Incumbencies more awful, visitings Of the Upholder of the tranquil soul.
b. With an and pl.: That which is incumbent; an incumbent weight or mass.
1679Evelyn Sylva i. iii. (ed. 3) 25 We find them [some trees] more fragil, and not so well qualified to support great incumbencies and weights. 1687Phil. Trans. XVI. 456 It becomes altogether unfit for strong Incumbencies, or other robust Uses. 1889Cornh. Mag. Mar. 269 The stream is choked with its compact incumbency of snow.
2. The quality of being incumbent as a duty; an incumbent duty or obligation. Now rare.
a1608Donne Let. Sir H. G. in Lett. (1651) 71 The duties of a man, of a friend, of a husband, of a father, and all the incumbencies of a family. 1667Lond. Gaz. No. 159/2, I have thought it an Incumbency both upon my Place and Duty, to represent to Your Majesty the Scandal, that will be given to all the World. 1798T. Chalmers Posth. Wks. (1849) VI. 9 They will there recognise the doctrines which it is incumbent on them to believe, and..the sources of this incumbency. 1799Washington Lett. Writ. 1893 XIV. 184, I feel an incumbency to inform you, that another copy of that letter has been either surreptitiously obtained, or fabricated. 1846Grote Greece ii. iv. II. 423 The celebration of the Olympic games thus became numbered among the incumbencies of Elis. 1868Browning Ring & Bk. x. 363 Speaks or keeps silence, as himself sees fit, Without the least incumbency to lie.
3. The position or office of an incumbent; now only Eccl. (or transf. from this). Also, the sphere in which an incumbent exercises his functions, and the period during which the office is held.
c1656Bramhall Replic. v. 202 The Pope having instituted one man into a Bishoprick, cannot during his incumbency give the joint government of his Church to another. 1657Howell Londinop. 18 There be many things that concern the incumbency of the Conservator of so noble a River. 1681Burnet Hist. Ref. II. Pref. (R.), They have now the same right by their incumbency that they then had. 1841W. Spalding Italy & It. Isl. II. 37 This bishop's incumbency falls under the reign of Alexander Severus. 1851Gladstone Glean. VI. lxi. 41 Inviting the clergy of the various incumbencies..to frame..lists. 1886Law Times' Rep. LIII. 708/1 [He] has..retired from his incumbency and given up his benefice. 1895Daily News 12 July 5/2 With the present incumbency of the Board of Trade, there is no knowing what may happen. |