| 释义 |
largeness|ˈlɑːdʒnɪs|
[f. large a. + -ness.]
†1. Liberality, open-handedness; freedom in giving or spending. Obs.
a1300Cursor M. 27404 Largenes [es] sett again couetteis. c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 174 Prestis weiward of lif..colouren..glotonye bi largenesse & fedynge of pore men. a1400–50Alexander 3404 Syn it lokid has þe largenes of þe lord of heuen, Þat me þis diademe of Dary demed is & graunted. 1500–20Dunbar Poems xlvi. 84 Luve makis wreches full of lergeness. a1540Barnes Wks. (1573) 362/1 The grace, which is geuen of the largenes of God. 1598R. Grenewey Tacitus' Ann. i. xi. (1622) 21 That Germanicus had purchased the souldiers fauour by largenesse. a1626Bp. Andrewes Serm. vii. (1661) 436 His largenesse or bounty, as it were..the casting abroad of His new coine.
personified.1377Langl. P. Pl. B. v. 632 Largenesse the lady heo let in ful manye. c1430Hymns Virg. 63 Quod largenes in almesse dede. 1627Donne Serm. clvii. VI. 274 Alacrity married with a Thoughtfulness and Largeness married with a Providence.
†2. Lengthiness or prolixity (of discourse or writing). Obs.
1561T. Norton Calvin's Inst. iii. 221 Y⊇ stile runneth of it selfe into such largenesse with plentie of matter, yt [etc.]. 1597Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. l. §3 In other things we may be more briefe, but the waight of these requireth largenes. 1655Fuller Ch. Hist. iv. ii. §5 The Reader I presume will pardon our largeness..in relating the proceedings against this first Martyr. 1655Stanley Hist. Philos. i. (1701) 46/2 By reason of the largness of the Discourse. 1664–94South Serm. II. 192 If the Matter of our Prayers lies within so narrow a compass, why should the Dress and Out-side of them spread..into so wide and disproportioned a largeness?
3. Amplitude of dimension; great size, volume, or bulk; bigness. † Also, magnitude or size in the abstract (obs.).
1303R. Brunne Handl. Synne 7024 Myȝte no man ayme þe largenesse [F. grandur]. c1430Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 794 In a twelmonth he waxed more Of largenes..Than any othir in yeres thre. 1448Hen. VI Will in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) I. 370 Ouer the said librarie an hows of the same largenesse. a1400–50Alexander 68 For all þe largenes of lenth at he luke myȝt. 1523Act 14 & 15 Hen. VIII c. 6 One other way..of as greate largenesse in bredeth or larger than the said olde way. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 85 The bones of a great..man, among the which bones, the huckle bone..was of such largenesse, as..did declare the man to be .xiiii. foote. 1603Owen Pembrokeshire (1891) 2 Other sheres in Wales of farre more lardgnes. 1653–4Whitelocke Jrnl. Swed. Emb. (1772) I. 111 By reason of the largenes, and roughnes of the water. 1661Lovell Hist. Anim. & Min. Introd. b 6, Their motion is slow, by reason of their largenesse. 1708J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. ii. i. ii. (1737) 305 Glasgow..in respect of Largeness, Building, [etc.]..is the chief city in the Kingdom next to Edinburgh. 1726Swift Gulliver ii. i. 98 Each hook about the largeness of six scythes. 1785S. Fielding Ophelia I. xix, The largeness of the assembly. 1807G. Chalmers Caledonia I. iii. x. 458 They were similar, in the largeness of their joints, and in the likeness of their hair.
b. semi-concr.
c1611Chapman Iliad xviii. 314 Then wrapt the body round In largenesse of a fine white sheete. 1871R. Ellis tr. Catullus lxxxvi. 3 In all that bodily largeness Lives not a grain of salt, breathes not a charm anywhere.
4. Of immaterial things: Amplitude; (large) size or extent; extensiveness.
1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 220 Of suche largenes it may of ryght be sayd and called catholicall. 1605Bacon Adv. Learn. i. Ded., I..wonder at..the largenesse of your capacitie. 1606Shakes. Tr. & Cr. i. iii. 5 The ample proposition that hope makes..Fayles in the promist largeness. 1651Fuller Abel Rediv., Fox (1867) II. 85 Considering the height of his friends and largeness of his deserts. 1832H. Martineau Each & All viii. 109 Complaints were made against the largeness of their profits. 1856Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) I. i. 57 The largeness of the power..committed to the councils was at once a temptation..to abuse those powers. 1864Bowen Logic xiii. (1870) 428 The largeness of his information. 1886Manch. Exam. 9 June 5/3 The unexpected largeness of the majority.
†5. Breadth, width. Obs.
c1400Mandeville (1839) xxv. 258 It..strecchethe toward the West in lengthe..in largenesse, it durethe to the Cytee of Alizandre. 1597A. M. tr. Guillemeau's Fr. Chirurg. 14/2 Consideringe the largenes and length of the wounde. 1607Markham Caval. vi. (1617) 19 Lay ouer it two or three other Blankets at their vttermost largenesse. 1747Carte Hist. Eng. I. 11 The largeness, depth or rapidity of the stream of rivers, which they had occasion to pass.
6. The attribute or quality of not being circumscribed or limited in scope, range, or capacity; the reverse of narrowness.
1382Wyclif 1 Kings iv. 29 God ȝaf wisdam to Salomon, and myche prudence.., and laargenesse of herte. 1551T. Wilson Logike (1580) 8 b, If any worde be used that hath a double meanyng, restrain the largenesse thereof, and declare how you will have it taken. 1690Locke Hum. Und. iv. xvii. (1695) 388 Some Men of that Strength of Judgment, and Largeness of Comprehension, that [etc]. 1692L'Estrange Fables viii. (1708) 10 If the Largeness of his Heart shall carry him beyond the Line of Necessary Prudence. a1715Burnet Own Time (1724) I. 589 A man of his temper, and of his largeness in point of opinion. 1845–6Trench Huls. Lect. Ser. i. iii. 36 One who..in the largeness of his love would send none empty away. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. xx. IV. 492 A man..distinguished..by the largeness of his views and by his superiority to vulgar prejudices. 1874Green Short Hist. viii. §1. 456 The largeness of temper which characterized all the nobler minds of his day.
b. Of artistic treatment: Breadth.
1885Manch. Exam. 21 May 5/4 A frequent largeness of phrase, with quaintness of response. 1885Athenæum 23 May 669/3 This picture..may be mentioned as a true illustration of breadth and largeness of style.
†7. Freedom, scope, opportunity. Obs. rare.
a1631Donne Lett. lxxx. Serm. etc. (Alford) VI. 397 Your man brought me your letter of the 8th of December this 21st of the same, to Chelsey and gives me the largeness, till Friday, to send a letter to Paul's house.
8. Lofty bearing, pomposity.
1887Hall Caine Deemster xxvii. 175 The perspiration started from his temples, but his dignity and his largeness did not desert him. |