| 释义 |
walkabout|ˈwɔːkəbaʊt|
[Pidgin Eng., f. walk v.1 + about adv.]
1. Austral. A periodic migration by a westernized Aboriginal into the bush. Often quasi-advb. in phr. to go walkabout. Also transf.
[1828Sydney Gaz. 2 Jan. 3 When the executioner had adjusted the rope, and was about to pull the cap over his eyes..he said, in a tone of deep feeling,..‘Bail more walk about,’ meaning that his wanderings were all over.] 1908Mrs. A. Gunn We of Never-Never 218 The day after that was filled in with preparations for a walk⁓about, and the next again found us camped at Bitter Springs. 1918C. S. Stow (title) The walkabouts of Wurrun-Nah. 1927M. M. Bennett Christison xxv. 227 The manager would give them [sc. blackfellows] rations and let them..go off for a month's ‘walkabout’, picnicking, and fishing at favourite waterholes. 1933Bulletin (Sydney) 9 Aug. 35/3 An old bush abo., then on the ‘walk⁓about’. 1938X. Herbert Capricornia (1939) xxii. 330 Wha' name—you go walkabout? 1940F. D. Davison in ‘B. James’ Austral. Short Stories (1963) 63 [Heifers] standing motionless..at the end of one of those walk⁓abouts that cattle running in wild country periodically make. 1950‘N. Shute’ Town like Alice iii. 82 These bloody boongs, they're always going walkabout. 1958L. van der Post Lost World Kalahari ix. 203 Even the Bushman born on these few remote European farms..rediscovers the need for a long ‘walk-about’ in the vast desert around him. 1973P. O'Donnell Silver Mistress i. 15, I like to revert to my childhood ways now and again. Like an aborigine going walk-about. 1984Times 8 Oct. 10/6 First of all the players go walkabout. Then they all return to the stage and sit down. 1985Truck & Driver June 38/2 (caption) The crowds get up close to the racing trucks during the Supergrid walkabout.
2. a. A protracted walk or journey, or one that takes in a number of places.
1946‘M. Innes’ From London Far i. vii. 58, I proposed a walkabout. We were to stroll through Auld Reekie's dusk together. 1956Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch 17 May 22 (heading) End of a six month walk-about [sc. a global tour]. 1974‘G. Black’ Golden Cockatrice i. 9, I've been doing a year's exchange teaching in Hong Kong... These academic walkabouts fascinate me.
b. spec. An informal stroll through the crowd by a member of the Royal Family or other public figure.
1970Daily Tel. 31 Mar. 15/3 The Queen realised she was on to a winner with her New Zealand ‘walkabouts’. 1974Listener 28 Feb. 263/1 Mr Heath's..electioneering by set speech and walkabout tour. 1980Church Times 25 Apr. 2/5 On Saturday the Bishop met local people during a walkabout in the market. 1984Listener 15 Mar. 20/1, I was engaged in a walkabout during last year's Darlington by-election. |