| 释义 |
ineffable, a. (n.)|ɪnˈɛfəb(ə)l|
[a. F. ineffable (14th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), ad. L. ineffābilis unutterable, f. in- (in-3) + effābilis: see effable.]
A. adj.
1. a. That cannot be expressed or described in language; too great for words; transcending expression; unspeakable, unutterable, inexpressible.
c1450Mirour Saluacioun 1679 O godde of hiegh pitee inmense and ineffable. 1526Tindale 2 Cor. ix. 15 Thankes be vnto God for his ineffable gyfte. 1559Primer in Priv. Prayers (1851) 109, I stedfastly trust in thine ineffable mercy. 1650Bulwer Anthropomet. 104 Setting forth his ineffable wisdome. 1709Tatler No. 81 ⁋4 The Virgin..smiled with an ineffable Grace at their Meeting, and retired. 1826Disraeli Viv. Grey v. vii, A form of such ineffable and sparkling grace. 1871H. Ainsworth Tower Hill i. ii, ‘Go to, knave!’ cried Henry, with a look of ineffable disgust. 1887Bowen Virg. æneid ii. 3 'Tis an ineffable anguish again thou bidd'st me renew.
b. Applied to a person.
1832Thirlwall in Philolog. Museum I. 492 A thoroughly bad citizen, as well as an ineffable fool. 1961Webster, Ineffable bungler. 1969Spectator 14 Mar. 325/3 The ineffable Mr. George Thomson.
2. That must not be uttered; † not to be disclosed or made known (obs.).
1597A. M. tr. Guillemeau's Fr. Chirurg. 47 b/1 A secreate and ineffable venoume or poyson. 1608Willet Hexapla Exod. 39 The name of Iehouah is ineffable, and not to be vttered. 1744Gray Let. in Poems (1775) 177 If I may be permitted to pronounce..that ineffable Octogrammaton..Laziness. 1864Browning Abt Vogler ix, To whom turn I but to thee, the ineffable Name?
†3. That cannot be uttered or pronounced; unpronounceable. Obs. rare.
1638Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 18 Pliny confesses..That their names and Townes were ineffable. 1686Observ. Chinese Char. in Misc. Cur. (1708) III. 225 The single Strokes may be taken for single ineffable Letters as are the Consonants.
†4. Math. That cannot be expressed in terms of rational quantities; irrational, surd. Obs.
1706Phillips, Ineffable Numbers, the same as Surd Numbers. 1709–29V. Mandey Syst. Math., Geom. 137 Rational or Effable Magnitudes, are those whose Proportions may be exprest by certain Numbers: Irrational or Ineffable, are the contrary.
B. n. (colloq.)
1. pl. Trousers. (A humorous euphemism: cf. inexpressibles, unmentionables.)
1823New Monthly Mag. VIII. 337 Our lower garments, or Ineffables, sit but awkwardly. 1867W. Cory Lett. & Jrnls. (1897) 196 Shoes off, ineffables tucked up.
2. One not to be mentioned or named; an anonymous journalist, etc.; an ‘unutterable’ swell.
1859Sala Tw. round Clock (1861) 31 The ‘Times’ has its secrets by this time..it holds them all fast now, admitting none to its confidence but the Ineffables, the printers, and the ever-throbbing steam-engine. 1861Illustr. Lond. News 15 June 549/1 Two white-hatted and pegtopped ineffables. |