| 释义 |
Amphiscians, n. pl.|æmˈfɪʃɪənz|
[f. med.L. Amphiscii (æmˈfɪʃɪaɪ) more commonly used unchanged in Eng. (a. Gr. ἀµϕίσκιοι, f. ἀµϕί on both sides + σκία shadow) + -an.]
A name given to inhabitants of the torrid zone, whose shadows at one time of the year fall northward, at another southward.
1622Heylin Cosmogr. (1674) Introd. 20/1 Amphiscii..so called, because their shadows are both ways. 1623Cockeram Eng. Dict. 111, Amphisceans, people whose shadow is sometime to the North, and sometime to the South. 1652Urquhart Jewel Wks. 1834. 259 Whether Periscians, Hetroscians, or Amphiscians. 1656Blount Glossogr., Amphyscians [ed. 1672 Amphiskians] such people as live under the burning zone, near the equinoctial line. 1751Chambers Cycl. s.v., The amphiscii are called also ascii. 1788Pasquin Childr. Thespis (1792) 145 The wandering Amphiscii, whose singular state, Made sceptics to question the wisdom of Fate. |