| 释义 |
mandrake|ˈmændreɪk|
Forms: α. 4–6 mandragge, 4–7 -drage, 6–7 -drag, (6 mendrage). β. 5– mandrake, (4 mondrake, 5, 7 mandrak).
[ME. mandrag(g)e (cf. MDu. mandrage, mandragre), a shortening of mandragora; the form mandrake (mondrake), though recorded earlier than -drage, is prob. due to association with drake.]
1. Any plant of the genus Mandragora, native to Southern Europe and the East, and characterized by very short stems, thick, fleshy, often forked, roots, and fetid lance-shaped leaves.
The mandrake is poisonous, having emetic and narcotic properties, and was formerly used medicinally. The forked root is thought to resemble the human form, and was fabled to utter a deadly shriek when plucked up from the ground. The notion indicated in the narrative of Genesis xxx, that the fruit when eaten by women promotes conception, is said still to survive in Palestine.
α1382Wyclif Gen. xxx. 14 Ruben goon out in tyme of wheet heruest into the feeld, fonde mandraggis [1388 mandragis]. c1440Promp. Parv. 324/2 Mandragge, herbe,..mandragora. 1562Leigh Armorie (1597) 99 b, He beareth Argent, a mandrage proper. 1580Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 473 They that feare theyr Vines will make too sharpe wine, must..graft next to them Mandrage [ed. 1581 Mendrage], which causeth the grape to be more pleasaunt. 1594― Moth. Bomb. v. iii, Your sonne Memphis, had a moale vnder his eare:..you shall see it taken away with the iuyce of mandrage. 1601Holland Pliny II. 235 In the digging vp of the root of Mandrage, there are some ceremonies obserued. 1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 330 Oyl of Mandrag..bindeth together..bones being either shivered or broken. 1656Blount Glossogr., Mandrake or Mandrage.
βa1310in Wright Lyric P. 26 Muge he is ant mondrake. c1450ME. Med. Bk. (Heinrich) 231 Leues of mandrake. c1475Pict. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 787/4 Hec mandracora, a mandrak. 1560Bible (Geneva) Gen. xxx. 14 Reuben..found mandrakes [marg. Which is a kinde of herbe, whose rote hath a certeine likenes of y⊇ figure of a man] in the field. 1592Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iv. iii. 47 And shrikes like Mandrakes torne out of the earth. 1593― 2 Hen. VI, iii. ii. 310. 1600 Heywood 2nd Pt. Edw. IV Wks. 1874 I. 154 The mandrakes shrieks are music to their cries. 1610Donne Pseudo-martyr Pref. c iij, Annibal, to entrappe and surprise his enemies, mingled their wine with Mandrake, whose operation is betwixt sleepe and poyson. 1635[Glapthorne] Lady Mother v. ii. in Bullen O. Pl. II. 196 Horrid grots and mossie graves, Where the mandraks hideous howles Welcome bodies voide of soules. 1712tr. Pomet's Hist. Drugs I. 80 The Mandrake is a Plant without a Stem. 1879J. Timbs in Cassell's Techn. Educ. IV. 106/1 The Greeks and the Romans used the root of the mandrake to cause insensibility to pain.
†b. in allusive and fig. uses: (a) as a term of abuse; (b) a narcotic; (c) a noisome growth.
1508Kennedie Flyting w. Dunbar 29 Mandrag, mymmerkin, maid maister bot in mowis. a1585Montgomerie Flyting 71 Trot, tyke, to a tow, mandrage but myance. 1593G. Harvey Pierce's Super. Wks. (Grosart) II. 293 Correct the Mandrake of scurrility with the myrrhe of curtesie. 1597Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, i. ii. 67 Thou horson Mandrake. 1604Dekker Honest Wh. Wks. 1873 II. 9 Gods my life, hee's a very mandrake. 1610J. Mason Turk ii. i, Thou that amongst a hundred thousand dreames Crownd with a wreath of mandrakes sitst as Queene. 1636Davenant Wits iv. i, He stands as if his Legs had taken root; A very Mandrake! 1649Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. i. iv. 132 When we lust after mandrakes and deliciousness of exteriour ministries. 1660R. L'Estrange Plea for Limited Monarchy 7 Our laws [sc. during the Commonwealth] have been Mandrakes of a Nights growth. 1676Marvell Gen. Councils Wks. 1875 IV. 101 If they have a mind to pull up that mandrake, it were advisable..to chuse out a dog for that imployment.
2. The root of White Bryony: see quots.
1585Lupton Thous. Notable Th. iii. xliii. (1595) 61 The counterfeat Mandrag which hath bene sold by deceyuers for much money. 1597Gerarde Herbal ii. lx. 281 The idle drones that haue little or nothing to do but eate and drinke, haue bestowed some of their time in caruing the rootes of Brionie, forming them to the shape of men & women; which falsifying practise hath confirmed the errour amongst the simple..people, who haue taken them vpon their report to be the true Mandrakes. 1657W. Coles Adam in Eden cxci. 300 The Root [of Briony] somtimes groweth to the bigness of a Childe of a yeare old, so that it hath been by some cut into the forme of a Man, and called a Mandrake, being set againe into the Earth. 1785Martyn Rousseau's Bot. xvi. (1794) 197 These pretended Mandrakes are said to be roots of Angelica or Bryony.
3. U.S. The May-apple, Podophyllum peltatum.
1836Backwoods of Canada 248 There is a plant in our woods, known by the names of man-drake, may-apple, and duck's foot. 1845–50A. H. Lincoln Lect. Bot. App. 143/2 Podophyllum peltatum (wild mandrake, may-apple). 1887Family Physician 872 Mandrake, may apple, or hog apple.
4. attrib., as mandrake juice, mandrake root; mandrake apple, the fruit of the mandrake; † mandrake shriek (see sense 1, note); mandrake wine (see quot. 1753 for mandrake root).
1563T. Gale Antidot. i. i. 1 b, Of simple medicines repercussiue these are some..*Mandrage apples, & iuse. 1603Sir C. Heydon Jud. Astrol. xx. 417 Rachel enuying her sister Leahs fertilitie importuned Mandrag apples, to supplie her barrennesse.
c1592Marlowe Jew of Malta v. (1633) I 2, I dranke of Poppy, and cold *mandrake juyce.
1753Chambers Cycl. Supp., Mandragorites Vinum, Mandrake Wine, a sort of medicinal impregnation of wine with the virtues of *Mandrake root. 1824Hen. Phillips Flora Hist. I. 354 The Mandrake root is an anodyne and soporific.
1620Dekker Dreame Wks. (Grosart) III. 39 Being mounted on a Spirits back, which ran With *Mandrake-shrikes, and like a Lubrican.
1621Burton Anat. Mel. ii. ii. vi. i. (1651) 293 A friends counsel is a charm, like *mandrake wine. 1753[see Mandrake root]. |