| 释义 |
legendary, a. and n.|ˈlɛdʒəndərɪ|
[ad. med.L. legendārius adj. and n. (F. légendaire, OF. also as n. legendier), f. legenda: see legend n. and -ary.]
A. adj.
1. Pertaining to or of the nature of a legend; connected or concerned with legends; celebrated or related in legend. legendary period, age: one of which the accounts are mostly of the nature of legends.
1563–87Foxe A. & M. (1596) 66/2 All which legendarie miracles I leave to the reader to judge of them as shall seeme good unto him. 1641Milton Prel. Episc. Wks. 1851 III. 78 That other legendarie piece found among the lives of the Saints..does bear the name of Polycrates. 1679J. Goodman Penitent Pardoned iii. iv. (1713) 332 These things are no Romances, nor have I dressed up any legendary Hero. 1748Anson's Voy. iii. ix. 393 The character given of them in the legendary accounts of the Roman Missionaries. 1762–71H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Paint. (1786) V. 6 Confining his labours almost wholly to religious and legendary histories. 1796Bp. Watson Apol. Bible 237 Had they agreed in nothing, their testimony ought to have been rejected as a legendary tale. a1854H. Reed Lect. Eng. Hist. ii. (1855) 47 The legendary period of British history. 1856Stanley Sinai & Pal. ii. (1858) 132 The view, whether historical or legendary, of Mahomet over Damascus. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 261 The legendary Pythagoras is said to have sacrificed a hecatomb. 1900J. G. Frazer Pausanias, etc. 45 Relics of a mythical or legendary past.
absol.1871Earle Philol. Eng. Tongue 25 Something of the legendary hangs over his personal history.
b. Of writers: Relating legends.
1646Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. i. viii. 33 Not to meddle at all with miraculous Authours, or any Legendary relators. 1685Stillingfl. Orig. Brit. i. 45 These Proofs..depend chiefly on the authority of Simeon Metaphrastes or other Legendary Writers. 1748Anson's Voy. ii. vii. 212 These legendary writers, of whose misrepresentations and falsities we had almost daily experience.
2. Containing the ‘legend’ on a coin.
1830[E. Hawkins] Anglo-Fr. Coinage 9 Between the outer angles and the inner legendary circle.
B. n.
1. A collection of legends, esp. of lives of saints; occas. = the Golden Legend.
1513Bradshaw St. Werburge i. 2586 Amonge her systers all She caused to be redde..The swete legendary, for a memoryall. 1571Grindal Injunc. at York B iv, Antiphoners, Masse bookes..Processionals, Manualles, Legendaries. 1577De L'Isle (title) A Legendarie conteining an Ample Discourse of the life and behaviour of Charles Cardinal of Lorraine, and the house of Guise.
2. A writer of legends.
1625Jackson Creed v. xxxii. §3 The Legendaries, the latter Iewish Rabbines, and the Poeticall Encomiasts of heathen Gods or Heroikes. 1630W. T. Justific. Relig. Professed x. 80 Their shamelesse Legendaries report indeed, that we haue put men into Beares skinnes, and set dogges to worry them. 1663J. Spencer Prodigies (1665) 398 The ancient Grecian Historians and more Modern Legendaries studied onely to make their Relations miraculous enough. 1749G. Lavington Enthus. Methodists & Papists (1752) 57 The Legendaries own that St. Catharine was slandered as a fond and light woman. 1849J. Grant Kirkaldy of Gr. vii. 67 A..monastery, built..by special desire (say the legendaries) of St. Michel the archangel.
†3. A legendary or unhistorical personage. Obs.
a1662Heylyn Laud (1668) 474 The expunging of some Saints (which they falsly call Legendaries) out of the Kalendar.
Add: Hence ˈlegendarily adv., according to legend or popular report; famously.
a1961in Webster s.v., Legendarily successful personality. 1978Economist 22 Apr. 16/1 Neither he nor his legendarily chaotic staff has strong contacts with the various interests in the Democratic party. 1994Daily Tel. 1 Aug. 13/6 Whooping cough, the legendarily awful disease of children's imaginations. |