| 释义 |
womankind|ˈwʊmənkaɪnd|
[f. woman n. + kind n. Cf. womenkind.]
1. The female part of the human race; the female sex; women in general.
c1375Cursor M. 9024 (Fairf.) For alle we come of womman kinde. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) II. 317 Pharao..heelde womman kynde ful feble to be rebel. a1400Prymer (1891) 21 Byseche for the deuowte wommankynde [Prymer (1895) 6 wommans kynde]. c1450Bk. Curtasye 259 in Babees Bk., Speke neuer vnhonestly of woman kynde. 1500–20Dunbar Poems lxxxiv. 4 The foul delyte Off woman-kynd that dreidis for na schame. 1535Coverdale Lev. xviii. 22 Thou shalt not lye with mankynde as with womankynde. 1590Spenser F.Q. iii. v. 52 In gentle Ladies brest, and bounteous race Of woman kind. a1670Hacket Abp. Williams ii. (1692) 35 This man would suffer no woman-kind to do any service within his gates. 1760–72H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) III. 9 In womankind, I can love nothing but you. 1782Cowper Gilpin v, I do admire Of womankind but one. 1822Byron Juan vi. xxvii, My wish is..That womankind had but one rosy mouth, To kiss them all at once from North to South. 1847Tennyson Princess vi. 290 The soft and milky rabble of womankind.
†b. appositively or predicatively: Female. Obs.
c1570R. Coxe Injunctions, Their chyldren and seruauntes both mankinde and womankinde. 1577J. Aylmer Articles to be enquired of A 4 b, Any of his parish..eyther mankind or womankinde. 1614R. Tailor Hog hath lost Pearl ii. D 2 b, Did I but only know her to be woman kind, I thinke it were sufficient.
2. The women of a family, household, company, country, etc.; female relatives and friends (sometimes also servants); (one's) women-folk.
1573L. Lloyd Pilgr. Princes (1586) 8 Agreeing that the womankinde should passe away that night. 1825Southey Lett. (1856) III. 518 My womankind join in kind regards. 1850Thackeray Pendennis lvi, Pen, chafing under the persecution which his womankind had inflicted upon him. 1862Kingston Three Midshipmen viii, All the womankind in and out of the house, for a long way round.
†3. A female human being; a woman. Obs.
a1685Warn. Married Women xxviii. in Child Ballads (1892) IV. 363/2 Since that time the woman-kind Was never seen no more. 1711Acts & Laws Massachusetts (1724) 270 Whosoever shall be convicted of Assaulting..any Woman or Woman-kind. 1816Scott Antiq. ix, ‘Where's the younger womankind?’.. ‘Indeed, brother,..Maria..set away to the Halket Craig-head—I wonder ye didna see her. 1823Byron in Trelawny Shelley (1887) 213 If we had a womankind on board, she would set us all at loggerheads.
†4. Womanhood. (Cf. mankind A. 2.) Obs. rare.
1549Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. 1 Peter iii. 7 Let your wisdome succour the frailtie of their womankynde. |