| 释义 |
king's man, ˈkingsman
1. a. A partisan of the king; a royalist. In Sc. Hist., (see quot. 1862).
a1639Spottiswood Hist. Ch. Scotl. (1655) 253 [anno 1571] One professing to be the Kings man, another the Queens. 1659–60Hist. 2nd Death Rump 1/1 Two Kings-men Last week to the Country did gallop. 1770Burke Pres. Discont. Wks. 1815 II. 256 The name by which they chuse to distinguish themselves, is that of king's men, or the king's friends. 1862Hunter Biggar & Ho. Fleming xxviii. 357 In the year 1571..the people of Scotland were divided into two inveterate factions, called respectively Queensmen and Kingsmen.
b. the King's men: a name for the dramatic company otherwise known as ‘the King's Majesty's Servants’ under James I.
1613R. Daborne Let. 29 Oct. in P. Henslowe Henslowe Papers (1907) 76 They shall have the play or noe, they rale upon me I hear bycause the kingsmen hav given out they shall hav it. Ibid. 77 Eight pound besyds my rent which J will fully satisfy yu eather by them or the kings men as yu please. 1886Dict. Nat. Biogr. VII. 286/1 Burbage's position justifies the conjecture..that he had been connected with the lord chamberlain's men, subsequently called the king's men, and originally called Lord Strange's company. 1923E. K. Chambers Eliz. Stage II. 218 The King's men gave eight plays at Court..during the winter of 1614–15. 1951M. Chute Shakespeare of London xi. 233 The King's Men gave a Sunday production of The Merry Wives of Windsor and then followed it on St. Stephen's night with Measure for Measure.
c. U.S. One who supported the British cause at the time of the American Revolution. Obs. exc. Hist.
1809P. Freneau Poems II. 11 Whate'er some angry king's-men say, You play a game that must be won. 1857Ladies' Repository XVII. 83/1, I never feed kingsmen if I can help it. 1949Sat. Even. Post 2 Apr. 98/4, I am neither king's man nor rebel.
2. A custom-house officer.
1814Scott Diary 25 Aug. in Lockhart, We observed a hurry among the inhabitants, owing to our being as usual suspected for king's men. 1824Mactaggart Gallovid. Encycl. (1876) 362 He was one of the greatest smugglers on..the Solway, and outwitted the most sagacious kingsmen.
3. slang. (see quot.).
1851Mayhew Lond. Labour I. 51 The man who does not wear his silk neckerchief—his ‘King's-man’ as it is called—is known to be in desperate circumstances.
4. A member of King's College, Cambridge.
1803C. Smart in Gradus ad Cantabrigiam 81 Ev'n gloomiest Kings-men, pleas'd awhile, Grin horribly a ghastly smile. 1852C. A. Bristed Five Yrs. in Eng. Univ. (ed. 2) 127 He came out the winner, with the Kingsman and one of our three close at his heels. 1968Tablet 17 Aug. 820/1 He was anxious, like many Kingsmen, to be recognised as a Fabian. 1973Observer 1 July 32/3 He was a fellow of King's College, Cambridge..and immediately after his death he received what must have been regarded by most Kingsmen as the ultimate accolade. 1974Times Lit. Suppl. 29 Nov. 1346/3 Basileon. A Magazine of King's College, Cambridge...The founder-editors believed that facility in writing resulted from early practice, and their rather solemn purpose was to give Kingsmen a chance of trying their hand...To a Kingsman of between the wars they still give off that faint but delightful savour. |