| 释义 |
waspish, a.1|ˈwɒspɪʃ|
[f. wasp n.1 + -ish.]
1. Pertaining to or resembling a wasp or some characteristic of it.
1596Shakes. Tam. Shr. ii. i. 211 If I be waspish, best beware my sting. 1681S. Colvil Whigs Supplic. (1751) 90 Thy waspish tongue will never fail To prat, to scold, revile and rail. 1822Scott Halidon Hill i. ii. 354 Let a body of your chosen horse Make execution on yon waspish archers. 1865Trollope Belton Est. iv. 40 Her waist showed none of those waspish proportions. 1915B. Digby in Travel July 22/1 In the dock lay a pair of waspish, one-funnelled steamers.
2. esp. Quick to resent any trifling injury or affront; irascible, petulantly spiteful.
1566Drant Horace, Sat. a iv b, Satyre of writhled waspyshe Saturne may be namde. a1568R. Ascham Scholem. i. (Arb.) 33 In aige, sone testie, very waspishe. 1673Hickeringill Gregory F. Greybeard 222 The leven of whose religion makes them waspish, peevish, touchy, clamorous. 1751Johnson Rambler No. 177 ⁋11 Their conversation was, therefore, fretful and waspish, their behaviour brutal. 1808Southey Lett. (1856) II. 112 It is lamentable that that good heart of his should be coupled with so bad a judgement and so waspish a temper. 1838Disraeli in Corr. w. Sister 23 Jan. (1886) 90 Sharp and waspish, he would have made a good petulant Opposition speech. 1861Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. ix, Such a set of waspish, dogmatical, over-bearing fellows. a1901W. Bright Age of Fathers (1903) II. 375 He had been charged by waspish enemies with ascribing a heavenly origin to the holy body of Christ.
Comb.1610Shakes. Temp. iv. i. 99 Her waspish headed sonne [sc. Cupid], has broke his arrowes, Swears he will shoote no more, but play with Sparrows.
b. Marked or characterized by virulence or petulance, spiteful.
1870Even. Standard 9 Sept. 1 This waspish article created great indignation. 1880Scribner's Monthly May 118 ‘The Literati’..are a prose Dunciad, waspish and unfair, but [etc.].
quasi-adv.1855Kingsley Westw. Ho! ix, We may excuse Raleigh's answering somewhat waspish to some quotation of Spenser's from the three letters of ‘Immerito and G. H.’
Hence ˈwaspishly adv.; ˈwaspishness.
1593Bilson Govt. Christ's Ch. 116 That they be not cast out of the church by the weaknes, waspishnes (frowardnes) or rashnes of the bishop. 1653W. Ramesey Astrol. Restored 334 Where he is pleased now and then..to vent his waspishness. 1684–94tr. Plutarch's Morals (1718) III. 24 To preserve her from being waspishly proud, out of a Conceit of her Fidelity and Vertue. 1797Godwin Enquirer i. x. 87 A state of continual waspishness. 1827De Quincey Murder Wks. 1862 IV. 24 Berkeley, feeling himself nettled by the waspishness of the old Frenchman, squared at him. 1883R. Broughton Belinda iv. iv, ‘Well, may I go?’ ‘Why do you ask?’ retorts he waspishly. |