| 释义 |
leviathan|lɪˈvaɪəθən|
Forms: 4–6 levyathan, (4 -ethan), 5 lyvyatan, -on, 5– leviathan.
[a. L. (Vulg.) leviathan, a. Heb. livyāthān.
Some scholars refer the word to a root lāvāh = Arab. laway to twist (cf. livyāh, conjecturally rendered ‘wreath’); others think it adopted from some foreign lang.]
1. The name of some aquatic animal (real or imaginary) of enormous size, frequently mentioned in Hebrew poetry.
1382Wyclif Job xl[i.] 20 [21] Whether maist thou drawen out leuyethan with an hoc? 1535Coverdale Ps. ciii[i.] 26 There is that Leuiathan, whom thou hast made, to take his pastyme therin. 1555Eden Decades To Rdr. (Arb.) 51 The greate serpente of the sea Leuiathan, to haue suche dominion in the Ocean. 1591Spenser Vis. World's Van. 62 The huge Leuiathan, dame Natures wonder. 1667Milton P.L. vii. 412 Leviathan, Hugest of living Creatures, on the Deep Stretcht like a Promontorie. 1713Young Last Day i. 35 Leviathans but heave their cumb'rous mail, It makes a tide. 1725Pope Odyss. xii. 119 She [Scylla] makes the huge leviathan her prey.
b. transf.; esp. = a ship of huge size.
[1801Campbell Battle of the Baltic ii, Like leviathans afloat.] 1816J. Scott Vis. Paris (ed. 5) 91 They [floating baths]..stretch their long sprawling forms on the water, like so many painted Leviathans. 1818Byron Ch. Har. iv. clxxxi, The oak leviathans. 1858Bright Sp., Reform 21 Dec. (1876) 312 Your splendid river, bearing the leviathans of noble architecture, constructed on its banks. 1892E. R. Suffling Land of the Broads (ed. 2) 13 These immense winged leviathans [wherries].
c. fig. A man of vast and formidable power or enormous wealth.
1607Dekker Knts. Conjur. (1842) 60 The lacquy of this great leuiathan promisde he should be maister. c1630Sanderson Serm. II. 310 So can the Lord deal..with the great..leviathans of the world. 1782Pennant Journ. Chester to Lond. 96 The leviathan who swallowed these manors, was Sir William Paget. 1796Burke Let. Noble Lord Wks. VIII. 35 The duke of Bedford is the leviathan among all the creatures of the crown. 1839De Quincey Recoll. Lakes Wks. 1862 II. 155 A legal contest with so potent a defendant as this leviathan of two counties. 1884Punch 1 Mar. 97/1 Punters, plungers, leviathans, little men.
†2. (After Isa. xxvii. 1.) The great enemy of God, Satan. Obs.
[1382Wyclif Isa. xxvii. 1 In that dai viseten shal the Lord in his harde swerd,..vp on leuyathan,..a crookid wounde serpent.] c1400Destr. Troy 4423 This fende was the first þat felle for his pride..þat lyuyaton is cald. 1412–20Lydg. Chron. Troy ii. xvii, The vile serpent the Leuiathan. 1447O. Bokenham Seyntys (Roxb.) 150 By the envye deceyvyd of hys enmy Clepyd serpent behemot or levyathan. 1595B. Barnes Spir. Sonn. li, Breake thou the jawes of olde Levyathan, Victorious Conqueror!
3. Used by Hobbes for: The organism of political society, the commonwealth. (See quot. 1651.)
1651Hobbes Leviath. (1839) 158 The multitude so united in one person, is called a Commonwealth... This is the generation of that great Leviathan, or rather, to speak more reverently, of that mortal god, to which we owe under the immortal God, our peace and defence. 1657R. Ligon Barbadoes 20 What it is that makes up..harmony in that Leviathan, a well governed Commonwealth. 1690Locke Hum. Und. i. iii. (1695) 17 An Hobbist..will answer; Because..the Leviathan will punish you, if you do not. 1714Mandeville Fab. Bees (1725) I. 195 The gods have..design'd that millions of you, when well joyn'd together, should compose the strong Leviathan.
4. attrib. passing into adj. when sense: Huge, monstrous.
1624Middleton Game at Chess ii. ii, This leviathan-scandal that lies rolling Upon the crystal waters of devotion. 1751H. Walpole Lett. (1846) II. 398, I had suspected that this leviathan hall must have devoured half the other chambers. 1861A. Smith Med. Stud. 12 He has duly chronicled every word..in his leviathan note-book. 1892W. Beatty-Kingston Intemper. v. 32 The leviathan liquor interests.
Hence leˌviaˈthanic a., huge as a leviathan.
1848Tait's Mag. XV. 789 The leviathanic railway that stretches out its fins amongst its contemporaries like Captain McQuhae's sea-serpent. |