| 释义 |
informal, a.|ɪnˈfɔːməl|
[in-3.]
Not formal.
1. a. Not done or made according to a recognized or prescribed form; not observing forms; not according to order; irregular; unofficial, disorderly.
1608Bacon Sp. Union Laws in Resuscitatio (1661) 24 If our Laws, and proceedings, be too Prolixe and Formall, it may be theirs are too informall and Summary. 1649Bp. Guthrie Mem. (1702) 61 His Majesty's Warrant sent to them for prorogation was so informal, that it could not subsist in Law. 1774S. Hallifax Anal. Rom. Civil Law (1795) 36 Soldiers and Sailors, in England, have the Privilege of making Informal Testaments. 1786Burke Charge agst. W. Hastings iii. iv, The said Hastings..did..send to the Rajah a charge in writing, which, though informal and irregular, may be reduced to four articles. 1823Lamb Elia Ser. ii. Pref., The informal habit of his mind, joined to an inveterate impediment of speech, forbade him to be an orator. 1836W. Irving Astoria III. 255 He accordingly made an informal overture to the President of the United States..through Mr. Gallatin, offering to renew his enterprise. 1874Green Short Hist. iii. §2. 119 In a previous though informal gathering..the convent had already chosen its sub-prior..as Archbishop.
b. Done, performed, etc. without formality or ceremony; unceremonious.
1828Webster, Informal..2 Not in the usual manner; not according to custom; as, an informal visit. 1864Ibid., Informal, without ceremony. 1881Confess. frivolous Girl 174 That word informal is one of the deadliest foes to higher civilization. It is only a synonyme for free-and-easy. 1883Harper's Mag. Oct. 652/1 His breakfast was a very informal meal.
c. N.Z. and Austral. Of a vote or voting-paper: not in due form, spoilt, invalid.
1957Wanganui Herald 2 Dec. 5/2 (table) Cotterill 6121 Mrs MacLean 4626 Marks 3167. There were 39 informal votes on the preliminary count. 1965Parliamentary Handbk. Austral. 359 Victoria, 1951. No. on Rolls, 1,388,116. No. who Voted, 1,332,339. No. of Informal Ballot-papers, 90,887. 1966Official Year Bk. Western Austral. 105 Number of Informal Ballot Papers, 922.
d. Pertaining to or in respect of the non-compulsory admission of a patient to a mental hospital, esp. by his or her own volition.
1959Act 7 & 8 Eliz. II c. 72 §5 (heading) Informal admission of patients. Ibid., Whenever possible admission and treatment should be on an informal basis and..compulsion should only be resorted to where it is absolutely essential in the interests of the patient and for his safety or that of the public. 1964B. Ackner Handbk. Psychiatric Nurses (ed. 9) 3 The Mental Health Act of 1959..permitted mentally ill patients to be admitted on an ‘informal’ basis without any documentation. 1968K. O'Hara Bird-Cage vii. 65 ‘I don't understand this about informal patients.’ ‘It should have been explained to you. We don't call it certification now, but we do still need powers to protect patients from themselves.’ 1970Times 9 Sept. 16/6 (Advt.), Is there a Christian community who would accept a maladjusted 29-year-old girl? She is an informal patient in a mental hospital. 1972Guardian 11 Aug. 11/3 An informal patient can sign for himself; the next of kin of a detained patient must give his permission.
†2. ? Disordered in mind. Obs. (Cf. formal 4 c.)
1603Shakes. Meas. for M. v. i. 236, I doe perceiue These poore informall women, are no more But instruments of some more mightier member That sets them on.
†3. = inform a. 2 b: tr. L. informis. Obs.
1826K. Digby Broadst. Hon. ii. (1846) 319 That which Lewis Grenadensis calls the living faith, that which is joined with love, in opposition to the informal or dead faith which is without love. |