| 释义 |
‖ virtuoso|vɜːtjuːˈəʊsəʊ|
Also 7–8 vertuoso. Pl. virtuosi (7 vert-) and virtuosos.
[It. virtuoso (also vertuoso) ‘learned, skilled, skilful, full of learning’ (Baretti):—L. virtuōsus: see virtuous a. Hence also F. virtuose, † virtuoso.]
It is frequently difficult in particular instances to decide which of the senses is intended.
†1. One who has a general interest in arts and sciences, or who pursues special investigations in one or more of these; a learned person; a scientist, savant, or scholar. Obs.
Sometimes tending towards a depreciatory sense, as in 2.
α1651in Brent tr. Sarpi's Counc. Trent (1676) xxv, There have happened to come to Venice..divers Virtuosi in several professions. 1660Boyle New Exp. Phys. Mech. Proem 2 Perceiving by Letters from..Paris, that several of the Virtuosi there, were very intent upon the examination of the Interest of the Ayr in hindring the descent of the Quick-silver. 1684–5― Min. Waters 73 The little Bodies that the ingenious Mr. Lewenhoeck, and since him divers other Virtuosi, have observ'd in Water wherein Pepper has been infus'd. 1709T. Robinson Nat. Hist. Westmoreld. xii. 69 That new Hypothesis so stiffly maintained by some of our learned Virtuosi. 1739Dublin Soc. Weekly Observ. I. No. 26. 172 Some Virtuosi tell you that continued Fermentation and repeated racking certainly spoil your Cyder. 1754Fielding Voy. Lisbon ⁋16 The former receives the thanks of mankind; the latter [i.e. the antiquary] of that valuable part, the virtuosi. [1855Kingsley Westward Ho! xvi, Philip Sidney..has given up his rightful place toward the head of the table that he may have a knot of virtuosi all to himself.]
β1656Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. i. v. 8 The gallant Dispute which arose..between some Letterati of the State, deserves to be written; every one of these Vertuosie defended their own Opinion as the best. 1665Glanvill Scepsis Sci. xi. 58 As great Wits, as it may be e're saw the Sun, such as Pythagoras, Des-Cartes, Copernicus, Galileo, More, Kepler, and generally the vertuosi of the awakened world. 1700T. Brown tr. Fresny's Amusem. 36 The Projectors who are generally broken Citizens, were coop'd up in the Counters and Ludgate;..the Vertuosi were confined to Gresham-College.
γ1656Blount Glossogr., Virtuoso,..a learned or ingenious person, or one that is well qualified. 1660N. Ingelo Bentiv. & Ur. ii. (1682) 22, I must not offend these Virtuoso's with laughing at them. 1676Glanvill Ess. iii. 30 Another excellent Virtuoso of the same Assembly, Mr. John Evelyn, hath very considerably advanced the History of Fruit and Forest-Trees. 1706E. Ward Wooden World Diss. (1708) 60 He's no Digbian Virtuoso,..for he knows not how to sympathize with any mans Wounds whatever. 1732Berkeley Alciphr. ii. §14 Certain particularities discovered in that animal by a modern virtuoso. 1788Eng. Gazetteer (ed. 2) s.v. Comb-Martin, They were neglected till the reign of queen Elizabeth, when Sir Beavis Bulmer, a virtuoso in refining metals, got great quantities of silver from them. [1834Southey Doctor vi. (1862) 19 There were in him undeveloped talents which might have raised him to distinction as..a virtuoso of the Royal Society.]
δ1656Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. i. ii. 5 Appearing much displeased at the affront done this man, he first honoured him with the name of Vertuoso [etc.]. 1683Kennett tr. Erasm. on Folly 60 To these are to be added those plodding Vertuoso's that plunder the most inward recesses of Nature. 1691Wood Ath. Oxon. I. 852 He was afterwards an eminent Physician, Vertuoso, and Knight. 1700T. Brown tr. Fresny's Amusem. ix. (1709) 89 The Vertuoso despises the Rich for making such a bustle about so foolish and pale-fac'd a Metal as Gold.
2. One who has a special interest in, or taste for, the fine arts; a student or collector of antiquities, natural curiosities or rarities, etc.; a connoisseur; freq., one who carries on such pursuits in a dilettante or trifling manner.
α, β1662Evelyn Chalcogr. iii. 34 The Greeks and inventive Romans, who..publish'd so many thousands of medails, and coynes as are in the hands and collections of the Virtuosi. 1675Hobbes Iliad To Rdr., There be many men called critiques, and wits, and vertuosi, that are accustomed to censure the poets, and most of them of divers judgements. a1711Shaftesbury Charac. III. 157 A Worse thing than this happens commonly to these inferior Virtuosi. In seeking so earnestly for Raritys, they fall in love with Rarity, for Rareness-sake. 1781J. Moore View Soc. Italy (1790) II. lxxi. 367 The beautiful head of Alexander is universally admired by all the virtuosi. 1839Hallam Hist. Lit. ii. viii. §61 The well-known word virtuosi, applied to these lovers of what was rare and beautiful in art or nature. 1851D. Wilson Preh. Ann. (1863) I. v. 153 The virtuosi to whose inspection it was submitted. 1876Morley Crit. Misc. Ser. i. (1877) 349 For intellectual dilettanti and moralising virtuosi.
γ, δc1665Cowley Queen's repairing Somerset-house 86 If any prouder Virtuoso's sense At that part of my Prospect take offence. 1667Dryden & Dk. Newcastle Sir M. Marall iii. (beginning), I am sure, in all companies I pass for a virtuoso. a1700Evelyn Diary 1 Mar. 1644, One of the greatest virtuosos in France, for his collection of pictures, achates, medalls, and flowers. 1729Mandeville Fab. Bees ii. 414 Look upon the mighty labours of antiquaries, botanists, and the vertuoso's in butterflies, cockle-shells, and other odd productions of nature. 1749Fielding Tom Jones viii. x, A great number of nicknacks and Curiosities, which might have engaged the attention of a virtuoso. 1787F. Burney Diary June, Virtuosos being next..named, Colonel Manners inveighed against them quite violently. 1825Gentl. Mag. XCV. i. 332 The Virtuoso will appreciate justly this small volume as a very instructive and agreeable manual. 1858Merivale Rom. Emp. liii. (1865) VI. 324 For painting and sculpture, as Grecian arts, he may have acquired the taste of a virtuoso. 1885J. Payn Talk of Town I. 183 He was a virtuoso and antiquary himself, and therefore recognised the full extent of his danger.
transf.1829Lytton Devereux ii. vi, Salter is a shaving virtuoso. 1837Lockhart Scott IV. v. 161 Excellent dishes,—such..as Scotland borrowed from France before Catherine de Medicis brought in her Italian virtuosi to revolutionize the kitchen like the court.
3. a. One who has special knowledge or skill in music; spec., in modern use, one who excels in, or devotes special attention to, technique in playing or singing.
1743Bp. Berkeley in Fraser Life viii. (1871) 289 Such virtuosi as the country affords; I mean in the way of music. 1764Advert. in N. & Q. 3rd Ser. IV. 386 The late famous Vertuoso Handel, received during his Life-time, such particular protection. 1834Beckford Italy II. xxxi. 222 note, All these virtuosi..were either contraltos of the softest note, or sopranos of the highest squeakery. 1859Wraxall tr. R. Houdin xi. 155, I had often heard a nightingale sing, which I thought was the ‘star’ among the virtuosi. 1900Daily News 19 June 4/7 A piece of little or no musical merit..has of late years come again into fashion with violin virtuosi.
b. transf.
1921H. Crane Let. 1 Nov. (1965) 69 [Ben] Hecht is a virtuoso and arouses suspicions that one would never feel for Dreiser or Anderson. 1950E. H. Gombrich Story of Art xviii. 268 For him to be an artist was no longer to be a respectable and sedate owner of a workshop: it was to be a ‘virtuoso’ for whose favour princes and cardinals should compete. 1952A. Huxley Let. c 20 July (1969) 647 On the basis..of what I have seen done..by a man who is probably the greatest living virtuoso in the field of hypnosis..I would advise you very strongly to try hypnosis.
4. attrib., as virtuoso collection, virtuoso country, virtuoso expression, virtuoso kind, virtuoso scheme, etc. Now also passing into adj.
1668Cowley Ess. Verse & Prose, Of Avarice, As if thou No other Use of precious Gold didst know, But that of curious Pictures to delight With the fair stamp thy Virtuoso Sight. 1700T. Brown tr. Fresny's Amusem. x. (1709) 100 The Philosophical, or Virtuosi Country. 1710Shaftesbury Charac. (1711) I. 157 In Philosophy, Matters answer exactly to this Virtuoso-Scheme. Ibid. 333 To the Academys of Painters, Statuarys, and to the rest of the Virtuoso-Tribe. 1727Gay Fables i. xvi. 24 Her head's of virtuoso kind. 1775S. J. Pratt Liberal Opin. civ. (1783) III. 251, I would peep into the..opinions of men, with a sort of virtuoso vigilance. 1835Willis Pencillings I. vi. 38 About his mouth and eye there was the proper virtuoso expression of inquisitiveness and discrimination. 1856Kane Arct. Expl. II. ix. 93 Near these is a virtuoso collection of cups grouped in a tumulus or cairn. 1882A. Edwardes Ballroom Repent. I. 52 With her Stradivarius tucked, in true virtuoso style, under her chin. 1947A. Einstein Mus. Romantic Era xi. 225 These compositions are intimate confessions, often difficult but never virtuoso. 1952S. Kauffmann Tightrope v. 82 ‘Look,’ he said, staring intently into her eyes, giving a virtuoso performance of sincerity, ‘I can't say all this makes me happy.’ 1978J. Updike Coup (1979) iv. 129 The virtuoso arabesques of her sullen profile. 1984Times 7 Sept. 20/8 Another virtuoso set of interim figures from Bunzl left the share price up 2p at 305p. |