| 释义 |
jester|ˈdʒɛstə(r)|
Forms: 4–5 iestour, (6 iesture), 6 gester, -ar, (Sc. geister), (7 gestor), 6–7 ieaster, iester, 7– jester.
[f. jest v. + -er1; a variant spelling of gester.]
1. A professional reciter of romances. arch.
c1380–1496 [see gester]. 1814Scott Ld. of Isles ii. ii, Harper's strain And jester's tale went round in vain. a1861Mrs. Browning Summing up in Italy viii, Some pale feudal jester.
2. A mimic, buffoon, or merry-andrew; any professed maker of amusement, esp. one maintained in a prince's court or nobleman's household.
[c1362Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees) 565 Cuidam Istrioni Jestour Jawdewyne in festo Natalis D'ni, 3s. 4d.] c1510Barclay Mirr. Gd. Manners (1570) E iij, Seke not to get glory nor lawdes vnto thee Of a common gester or bourder hauing name. 1551Robinson tr. More's Utop. i. (1895) 77 The cardinal..sent away the iester by a preuy beck. 1569Nottingham Rec. IV. 133 To Lockewood, the Quen's Iester ijs. 1573–80Baret Alv. G 164 A Gester, or dizard faining and counterfeiting all men's gestures, pantomimus. 1694Luttrell Brief Rel. 13 Nov. (1857) III. 399 Mr. Henry Killigrew has a warrant to be jester to the King, with {pstlg}300 per ann. to be setled on him. 1762–71H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Paint. (1786) V. 66 A small whole length of Archee, the king's jester. 1858Doran Crt. Fools 162 The jester was now a higher personage than the fool.
3. One who jests, or speaks or acts in jest; a person given to uttering jests or witticisms; a joker.
c1510More Picus Wks. 11/1 The flesh chaungeth..the rauenous extorcioner in to a wolfe,..y⊇ mocking gester in to an ape. 1530Palsgr. 224/2 Gestar a scoffer, raillevr. 1598Shakes. Merry W. ii. i. 218, I heare the Parson is no Iester. 1605― Lear v. iii. 71 Iesters do oft proue Prophets. 1728Young Love Fame ii. 124 Dull is the jester, when the joke's unkind. 1866Lowell Biglow Papers Introd., There is no imputation that could be more galling to any man's self-respect than that of being a mere jester.
Hence ˈjestership, the office of a jester.
1858Doran Crt. Fools 134 Patch was thus promoted to a court jestership. 1899Academy 3 June 610/2 The triumph of my career was a jestership to a bishop. |