| 释义 |
masterless, a.|ˈmɑːstəlɪs|
[f. master n.1 and (sense 2) v. + -less.]
1. a. Having no master. Of animals: Deprived of a controlling hand or influence.
c1400Destr. Troy 11131 Þai mellit with the mirmydons, þat maisturles were. c1420Lydg. Assembly of Gods 881 Full lothe they were to be [printed he] mastyrles. c1430Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 4192 Many a feire stede went a-stray Mastirles that same day. 1590Spenser F.Q. i. vii. 19 His silver shield, now idle, maisterlesse. a1600Flodden F. iv. (1664) 34 And many a servant masterless. 1673Lady's Call. i. ii. §12 God sets not the same value upon their [widows] being masterless, which some of them do. 1686Lond. Gaz. No. 2196/1 The Grand Signior..has..turned loose his Grey⁓hounds to run up and down the streets Masterless. 1834James J. Marston Hall xiv, The Count's horse, masterless and foaming, darted into the courtyard. 1870Morris Earthly Par. I. ii. 582 Yielded towns were set aflame; For all the land was masterless. 1887C. T. Martin in Dict. Nat. Biog. IX. 59/2 Being again left masterless, he [Carew] went over to the enemy's camp.
b. In 16–17th c. statutes, etc., used to designate one who has no reputable means of living; vagrant, vagabond. Obs. exc. Hist.
c1471in Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 279 Like maysterles men away thay wente. 1530Palsgr. 563/2, I loyter as an ydell or masterlesse person dothe. 1535Act 27 Hen. VIII, c. 25 Such ruffelers..as..shall frequent hunt or loyter masterles and out of seruice. 1555Act 2 & 3 Ph. & Mary c. 16 §1 Watermen..for the most parte been masterles men. 1626in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 474 All idle and maisterlesse personnes and such others as shall not finde maisters or men of quallitie to undertake for them. 1651Hobbes Leviath. ii. xviii. 94 That dissolute condition of masterlesse men. 1720Strype Stow's Surv. (1754) II. v. xxx. 535/1 Valiant and sturdy rogues and masterless men. 1881Shorthouse J. Inglesant I. xvii, A number of vagrant and masterless people.
c. transf. Of unknown authorship or provenance.
1899A. Lang Homeric Hymns 6 The conventional attribution of the Hymns to Homer..is merely the result of the tendency to set down ‘masterless’ compositions to a well-known name. 1903Library IV. 397 It has become possible to assign to..Peter von Olpe a small group of books hitherto masterless.
†2. That cannot be mastered; ungovernable. Obs.
1619W. Sclater Expos. 1 Thess. (1630) 290 Their power masterlesse on earth, makes them forget that they also haue a Master and Iudge in heauen. 1651N. Bacon Disc. Govt. Eng. ii. xiii. (1739) 74 The King..yielded up his Power to his Queen, (a masterless and proud woman). 1687Lond. Gaz. No. 2275/2 The flame grew at last masterless. 1767G. White Selborne, To Pennant vii, Such vast heath-fires are lighted up, that they often get to a masterless head.
Hence ˈmasterlessˌness.
1827–48Hare Guesses Ser. ii. (1867) 476 For Johnson to make such a parade of masterlessness as he does by prefixing these lines to the Rambler. |