| 释义 |
waylay, v.|weɪˈleɪ, ˈweɪleɪ|
Pa. tense and pple. waylaid |weɪˈleɪd, ˈweɪleɪd|. Also 6–7 way-laye, 6–9 way-lay.
[f. way n.1 + lay v.1 (where see senses 18 b, c.), after MLG., MDu. wegelâgen (= MHG. and early mod.G. wegelagen, weglagen, superseded in later German by wegelagern), f. wegelage:—OS., OHG. *wega lâga besetting of ways (wega genit. pl. of weg way + lâge besetting, ambush, related to lay v.1).]
1. trans. To lie in wait for (a person or thing) with evil or hostile intent; to seize or attack in the way.
1513in G. P. Scrope Castle Combe (1852) 292 The saynd [sic] Robert Bruer, Richard Pollen, John Lewis cam and wayelaynd [sic] my kepers man, and so hert hyem. 1596Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, i. ii. 183 [They] shall robbe those men that wee haue already way-layde. 1601― Twel. N. iii. iv. 176, I will way-lay thee going home, where if it be thy chance to kill me [etc.]. 1666Dryden Ann. Mirab. ccii, Now on their Coasts our conquering Navy rides, Way-lays their Merchants, and their Land besets. 1674Milton P.R. i. 184 How thou lurk'st..In Valley or Green Meadow to way-lay Some beauty rare. 1759Johnson Idler No. 73 ⁋3 The rich are neither way-laid by robbers, nor watched by informers. 1779Forrest Voy. N. Guinea 144 Then we should be way-laid by armed corocoros. 1813Scott Rokeby iii. xii, Thou art a wanderer, it is said; For Mortham's death, thy steps way-laid. 1861Sat. Rev. 7 Dec. 578 A screw-steamer of war..waylaid the English Royal West India Mail steamer in the Bahama Channel..and brought her to by firing a round shot across her bows. 1883Manch. Guardian 18 Oct. 4/7 A ruffian..waylaid her in the street and assaulted her in the most brutal manner.
b. fig.
a1616Beaum. & Fl. Little Fr. Lawyer ii. iii, Dost thou way-lay me with ladies? 1635Quarles Embl. iii. Epig. ix, Thy soule's way-laid by sea; by Hell; by earth. 1680C. Nesse Church Hist. 495 That Word of God There must be ten horns way-lays them. 1750Johnson Rambler No. 69 ⁋3 All the other Miseries, which way-lay our Passage through the World, Wisdom may escape, and Fortitude may conquer. 1760Sterne Tr. Shandy iii. vi, The accidents which unavoidably way-lay them.
c. To intercept and seize (a thing in transit). Also fig. to seize (an opportunity).
1599B. Jonson Ev. Man out of Hum. Dram. Pers. (1600) A iij, He way laies the reports of seruices, & cons them without booke, [etc.]. 1639Mayne City Match ii. iii, Use stratagems To get her silver whistle, and way-lay Her pewter knots or bodkin. 1672Essex Papers (Camden) I. 37, I..resolve to waylay all opportunityes for y⊇ future. 1851Helps Comp. Solit. iv. (1874) 43 The fond wife used to waylay and open large packets. 1856Kane Arct. Expl. II. vii. 84 Hans has not returned. I give him two days more before I fall in with the opinion..that Godfrey has waylaid or seized upon his sledge.
2. transf. (without implication of hostility). To wait for (a person) in the way and accost; to stop (a person) in order to converse with him.
1612–15Bp. Hall Contempl., O.T. xix. i. (1625) 1355 The Prophet..way-layes the King of Israel, and sadly complaines of himselfe in a reall parable. a1625Fletcher Chances iv. i, Our loves shall now way-lay ye; welcome, Gentlemen. 1728Sir R. Walpole Let. 8 Oct. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. i. 241 Our scheme about the Duke of Riperda must be alter'd unlesse you can way-lay this Evening or to⁓morrow morning, & prevail wth him to alter his course. 1804Wordsw. ‘She was a Phantom’ 10 A dancing Shape, an Image gay, To haunt, to startle, and way-lay. 1807Miss Mitford in L'Estrange Life (1870) I. iii. 62 The driver of the Reading coach is quite accustomed to be waylaid by our carriage. 1840Dickens Old C. Shop xlviii, Being directed to the chapel [he] betook himself there, in order to waylay her, at the conclusion of the service. 1886Ruskin Præterita II. 60, I have held it a first principle of manners not to way⁓lay people. 1914Blackw. Mag. Nov. 577 The canal lock-keepers waylay me for the latest information.
†3. To impede or intercept (a person) in his progress; to block the path of. Also, to impede or obstruct (an activity). Obs.
1625Bacon Ess., Usury (Arb.) 543 For the Employment of Money, is chiefly, either Merchandizing, or Purchasing; And Vsury Way-layes both. 1649Milton Eikon. viii. 68 Using a strange iniquity to require justice upon him whom he then waylayd and debarr'd from his appearance. 1660N. Ingelo Bentiv. & Ur. i. (1682) 156 By this means we endeavour to way-lay an inconvenience which others accelerate by Excess in meats and drinks. 1681J. Flavel Right Man's Ref. 170 'Tis our wisdom to way-lay our troubles. 1688Bunyan Jerus. Sinner Saved (1886) 121 Art thou crossed, disappointed, and way-laid, and overthrown in all thy foolish ways and doings?
4. To beset or blockade (a road, position, district) with an armed force or the like. ? Obs.
1609[Bp. W. Barlow] Answ. Nameless Cath. 292 The Pope caused them to bee staied from that meeting, way⁓laying the Coastes of Verona and Millan. 1618J. Taylor (Water P.) Pennyles Pilgr. F 1 b, Then all the valley on each side being way-laid with a hundred couple of strong Irish Grey-hounds, they are let loose as occasion serues vpon the heard of Deere. 1757Washington Lett. Writ. 1889 I. 498, I..ordered the passes of the mountains to be waylaid by commands from other places. 1784J. Belknap Tour to White Mts. (1876) 19 The next morning they waylaid the road and killed these men. 1813Scott Rokeby ii. xiii, Is our path way-laid? 1828W. Irving Columbus viii. iii. II. 237 He spread his army through the adjacent forests; and waylaid every pass.
Hence waylaid ppl. a. waylayer, one who waylays. waylaying vbl. n. and ppl. a. (Stress variable, as in the vb.)
1626Breton Fantasticks C 4, The quarter Sessions take order with the way-layers. 1666Dryden Ann. Mirab. xxv, Like hunted Castors, conscious of their Store, Their way⁓laid wealth to Norways coasts they bring. 1674N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 71 Something..as powerful to check or bind motion, as the way-laying of a gross unweildy body. 1694Motteux Rabelais v. xxvi. 125 As we went back to our Ships, we saw three Way-Layers [Fr. trois guetteurs de chemins], who having been taken in Ambuscado, were going to be broken on the Wheel. 1759Dilworth Life of Pope 149 A lurking way-laying coward. 1828Smeeton Doings in London 222 That fellow..is one of the way-layers, a contemptible class of thieves, who attend the waggon and coach⁓yards, pretending to be porters; they watch the country people, and offer their services to carry their parcels. 1855Landor Imag. Conv., Asin. Pollio & Licin. Calvus i. Wks. 1876 II. 437 Wherever there are rich wayfarers there also are sly and alert waylayers. 1870Morris Earthly Par. II. iii. 501 Without a will for aught, did Bodli stand, Nor once cast eyes on the waylayer's band. 1872Greg Enigm. Life v. 190 It [sc. death] continues the most waylaying thought of the thoughtful man, till he silences its importunity by listening to all it has to say, and reasoning it back into the tomb. 1897‘O. Rhoscomyl’ White Rose Arno 224 Ned ran rapidly over the history of the waylaying of Ithel. |