| 释义 |
worthiness|ˈwɜːðɪnɪs|
Forms: α. 4 worþi-, worþynes(s(e, 4–7 worthi-, worthynes, 5–6 worthy-, 5– worthiness; 4 wurþy-, 5 wurthyness(e, wurthines (wurghtinesse); 6 woorthi-, woorthyness(e, wourthines. β. 5 wordynesse, 6 Sc. wirdines.
[f. worthy a. + -ness.]
1. The character or quality of being worthy, in various senses:
a. Of persons.
α1340Hampole Pr. C. 3757 Þe help..Availles til þe saules in purgatory,..Aftir þai er of worthynes. c1374Chaucer Troylus ii. 178 In al þis world þer nys a bettre knyght Than he þat is of worthinesse welle. 1390Gower Conf. I. 90 Remembrance That thei toke of his worthinesse Of knyhthod and of gentilesse. 1447O. Bokenham Seyntys, Anna 607 This lady to preysen..Aftyr þe meryte of hyr worthynesse, Fer pasyth my wyt. c1489Caxton Blanchardyn xliii. 167 By the hyghe prouesse & grete worthynes of blanchardyn. a1533Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) L vj b, All the world feared Rome onely, for her worthynes in armes. 1550Crowley Inform. Sel. Wks. (1872) 163 Stand not to much in your own conceyte, gloriynge in the worthyness of your bloude. c1590Faire Em. i. iv. 35 Such costly robes As may become her beauties worthynes. 1604Shakes. Oth. ii. i. 212 He is a good one, and his worthynesse Do's challenge much respect. 1651Hobbes Leviath. i. x. 46 Worthinesse, is a thing different from the worth, or value of a man; and also from his merit, or desert; and consisteth in a particular power, or ability for that, whereof he is said to be worthy. a1676Hale Common Law (1713) 239 They are in Law in the same Right of Worthiness and Proximity of Blood, as their Root..was. 1741Richardson Pamela I. 104, I am awaken'd to see more Worthiness in you, than ever I saw in any Lady in the Land. 1801Wordsw. Prioress' T. i. 30 My knowledge is so weak,..To tell abroad thy mighty worthiness. 1879Farrar St. Paul (1883) 173 A Divine Charity not only perceives real worth, but even creates worthiness where it did not before exist.
βc1450Merlin xiv. 203 Thei semede to be of grete wordynesse. c1489Caxton Blanchardyn xiv. 49 O thou free knyght, replenysshed wyth prowesse & of grete wordynesse.
b. Of things or qualities.
1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xvi. vii. (1495) 556 Siluer..bereþ þe prise after golde in worþines and valow. c1400Rom. Rose 5536 For ther may be no Richesse Ageyns frendshipp of worthynesse. 1426Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 17383 For love excellyth in worthynesse Euery tresour and rychesse. 1450–1530Myrr. Our Ladye ii. 288 All erthly creatures restored ageyne in maner to the worthynesse of effecte that they were made for. 1541Act 33 Hen. VIII, c. 37 ⁋1 Suche..hereditamentes shoulde be knytt unyted and annexed,..agreable to the worthiness and dignitye thereof. 1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. ii. 67 Next vnto the Rose in woorthynesse, for his Sauour and beautifull whitenesse is the Lillye. 1638Junius Paint. Ancients 47 Art can doe nothing without the materiall; whereas the materiall without Art hath her own worthinesse. 1675Baxter Cath. Theol. ii. i. 235 Is there ever the less worthiness in it, because God causeth it? a1768Secker Serm. (1771) VI. 132 Convinced of their Mission from Heaven by..the singular Worthiness of their Conduct. 1850Clough Poems, etc. (1869) I. 167 Say, if you can,..when was there most real worthiness of existence.
c. With a (and plural), that, or this.
13..tr. ælred in Engl. Stud. VII. 328 Now, suster,..go nyer and chalange sum partye of alle þis swete wurþynesse. c1449Pecock Repr. ii. xv. 235 Forto be..deuoutli remembrid..upon Goddis worthinessis. 1450–1530Myrr. Our Ladye ii. 91 A prerogatyue is an excellente worthynes. 1590J. Stockwood Rules Construct. 8 This woorthiness of one person aboue another, is not of birth or blood. 1657Jer. Taylor Disc. Friendship 39, I may take in also the accidental and extrinsick worthinesses. 1685Baxter Paraphr. N.T. Matt. x. 11 There is a worthiness consistent with free Grace. 1753Richardson Grandison (1781) I. xxxvi. 256 My Brother is valued by those who know him best, not..for this or that single worthiness [etc.]. 1803Southey Lett. (1856) I. 243, I could make a swelling..passage about the old gentlemen and their worthinesses. 1860Trench Serm. Westm. Abbey xxxiii. 382 There is a worthiness in God's saints,..though that worthiness is itself of God's free giving.
†2. With possessive pron., as a title. Obs.
1390Gower Conf. Prol. 50* He..bad me doo my besynesse That to his hihe worthinesse Som newe thing I scholde boke. a1400–50Wars Alexander 1938 Sire, wetis it wele, ȝoure worthines [etc.]. Ibid. 3163 First wrate I to ȝour worthines. 1455Rolls of Parlt. V. 287/1 The grete and outrageouse costes and expenses not unknowen unto your wurthynesses, which..I bare, in execution of the said charge. 1564Brief Exam. B j, Your worthynesse may knowe what my iudgement is. 1602Chettle Hoffman i. (1631) C 1, We know your worthinesse is experienc't in all true wisedome. 1608Heywood Sallust, Hist. Ded., Your worthinesse.
†3. Ceremony, pomp. Obs.—1
a1450Contin. Brut 428 The Quene was dellyuyryd of a feyre sone,..whiche with high and grete worthynesse was brought forthe, and cristenyd.
†4. The quality of deserving to be treated in a specified manner. Obs.—1
1396–7in Eng. Hist. Rev. (1907) XXII. 303 Ȝet [this sin]..passith in worthinesse to ben punischid in peynis of helle. |