| 释义 |
▪ I. amnesty, n.|ˈæmnɪstɪ|
[a. Fr. amnestie (16th c. in Litt.), or ad. its original, L. amnēstia, a. Gr. ἀµνηστία oblivion, f. ἄµνηστος not remembering. Used occas. in 16–17th c. in L. and Gr. form.]
1. Forgetfulness, oblivion; an intentional overlooking.
1592Sir T. Smith in T. Wright Q. Eliz. Orig. Lett. (1838) I. 456 To treade all underfoote that hath gone heretofore, with a perpetuall ἀµνηστία, and to begyn a new lyfe. 1605Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. xxiii. §6. (1873) 223 Reconcilement is better managed by an amnesty, and passing over that which is past. 1624Sanderson Serm. Ad. Pop. v. (1674) 242 Quite forgotten, and buried in a perpetual Amnesty. 1647Howell Lett. III. vi, I did not think Suffolk waters had such a lethæan quality in them, as to cause such an amnestia in him of his friends. 1724Watts Logic i. iv. §2. (1822) 60 Amnesty, an unremembrance. 1880Contemp. Rev. XXXVII. 474 By mutual amnesty men avoid seeing the real drift of each other's statements.
2. a. An act of oblivion, a general overlooking or pardon of past offences, by the ruling authority.
1580North Plutarch (1676) 1020 A law that no man should be called in question nor troubled for things that were past..called Amnestia, or law of Oblivion. 1693Mem. Count Teckely ii. 105 He should grant them in due form an Amnesty for all that was pass'd. 1782Burke Penal Laws agst. Irish Cath. Wks. VI. 274 An act of amnesty and indulgence. 1787Madison in Sparks Corr. Am. Rev. (1853) IV. 167 The insurgents decline accepting the terms annexed to the amnesty. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 174 An amnesty was granted, with few exceptions, to all who, during the late troubles, had been guilty of political offences.
b. spec. Amnesty International, an international organization, founded in 1961, whose principal purpose is to uphold and campaign for the human rights of prisoners of conscience; freq. abbrev., as Amnesty; formerly the (Appeal for) Amnesty Campaign.
1961Observer 28 May 21/1 Peter Benenson..conceived the idea of a world campaign, Appeal for Amnesty, 1961. Ibid. 21/7 The success of the Amnesty Campaign depends on how sharply..it is possible to rally public opinion. 1962Listener 26 Apr. 731/2 The international movement known as Amnesty..has drawn particular attention to the plight of the prisoners of conscience in different countries. 1963Amnesty iv. 9/1 Amnesty International (our new name) starts the New Year with the appointment of a young secretary. 1973Athens News 1–2 Apr. 3 The West German branch of Amnesty International..called for an investigation into..inhuman torture of political prisoners. 1977Guernsey Weekly Press 21 July 6/6 At a meeting of the Guernsey Branch of Amnesty International in St. Peter's recently members discussed a variety of topics covering their international activities. 1982Observer 21 Feb. 9/3 There is an amnesty within Amnesty.
▪ II. amnesty, v.|ˈæmnɪstɪ|
[f. prec. n.]
To give amnesty to, to admit to amnesty; to proclaim the overlooking of the past offences of (rebels).
1809[See amnestied.] 1837Carlyle Fr. Rev. II. v. iii. 294 And so hereby all is amnestied, and finished? 1851‘L. Mariotti’ Italy i. 33 It was, in fact, the pope himself, or the papacy that was amnestied. 1869Echo 13 Dec., Mr. Gladstone..won't be bullied into amnestying the Fenian convicts. |