| 释义 |
▪ I. mastiff, n.|ˈmɑːstɪf, -æ-|
Pl. mastiffs. Forms: α. 4–5, 7 mastif, 5–7 mastife, 5–6 mastyf(e, (5 mestyf, 6 mastyve, Sc. mastew), 6–8 mastive, 6–7 mastiffe, 7– mastiff; pl. 4–5 masteves, 4–6 mastyves, 5 mastyfes, maistyves, 6 mastiffes, maistiffes, mastyvys, 6–9 mastives, 7– mastiffs. β. 5–6, 9 dial. mastis, mastice. γ. 5–7, 9 dial. masty, 6–7, 9 dial. mastie, (6 mastye).
[repr. OF. mastin (mod.F. mâtin) = Pr. masti-s, Sp. mastin, Pg. mastim, It. mastino:—popular L. type *mansuētīnus, f. L. mansuētus tame (see mansuete a.).
The form of the Eng. word is difficult to account for. Possibly the word was first known to Englishmen in the Pr. form masti-s; as this coincides with the form that would have been assumed in early OF. by the subject-case of a noun *mastif, the αforms may be due to grammatical interpretation, while the βand γforms may have been taken directly from Pr. The word was more or less confused with OF. mestif mongrel. The form mastin occurs only in Caxton's translations from Fr.: cf. mâtin.]
A large, powerful dog with a large head, drooping ears and pendulous lips, valuable as a watch-dog. Also mastiff dog.
αc1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 189 On þer first eschel he smot in fulle hastif, & þorgh þam ilka del, als grehound or mastif. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VIII. 187 Houndes and masteves [MSS. β, γ mastyves, Caxton maistyves] beeþ i-slawe in all þe forestes of Engelond. c1400Mandeville (1839) xv. 167 There ben Rattes in that Ile, als grete as Houndes here: and men taken hem with grete Mastyfes. 1494Fabyan Chron. vii. ccxxxi. 263 A mastife or great curre dogge. 1509Fisher Serm. Hen. VII, Wks. (1876) 278 Euen as ye se these wood dogges these grete mastyues that be tyed in chaynes. a1529Skelton Sp. Parrot 321 Suche malyncoly mastyvys and mangye curre dogges Ar mete for a swyneherde to hunte after hogges. 1550Crowley Epigr. 11 b, To kepe wyth daunger, a greate mastyfe dogge. 1599Shakes. Hen. V, iii. vii 59 Their Mastiffes are of vnmatchable courage. 1601Holland Pliny I. 218 The Colophonians and Castabaleans maintained certain squadrons of mastiue dogs for their war seruice. a1652Brome Queenes Exch. v. i. Wks. 1873 III. 537 There's a crust I brought To stop the open mouth of the Mastive, if he had flown at us. 1717De Foe Mem. Ch. Scot. iii. 96 A Gentleman who was set upon by a Furious Mastive Dog. 1807Med. Jrnl. XVII. 273 In the porch..was lying a large, savage, mastiff dog. 1809Scott Let. to Southey 14 Jan. in Lockhart, We can only fight like mastiffs, boldly, blindly, and faithfully. 1812Southey Omniana I. 293 Sir Thomas Roe took out some English mastives to India. 1877Encycl. Brit. VII. 330/1 The Mastiff..is usually of a buff colour, with ears and muzzle darker.
β1483Cath. Angl. 230/2 A Mastis, liciscus. a1500Forest Laws §12 in Sc. Acts (1814) I. 690/2 Ande gif ony mastice be fundyn in þe forest [etc.]. 1513Douglas æneis ix. Prol. 49 The cur, or mastis, he haldis at small availl. 1869Lonsdale Gloss., Mastice,..corr. of mastiff. 1878Cumberld. Gloss., Mastis. 1893Northumbld. Gloss., Mastis.
γ1540St. Papers Hen. VIII, VIII. 482 Certeyne masties..for his hunting. 1566Drant Horace Sat. ii. vi. (end), Also the vaste and ample house of mastie dogges did sounde. 1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iii. (1586) 154 The mastie that keepeth the House. 1652D. Osborne Lett. to Sir W. Temple (1888) 105 A masty is handsomer to me than the most exact little dog that ever lady played withal. 1676Wycherley Pl. Dealer iv. i, Surly, untractable, snarling Brute ! he ! a Masty-dog were as fit a thing to make a Gallant of. 1687Miege Gt. Fr. Dict. ii. s.v., A great Masty, un gros Mâtin. 1882W. Worc. Gloss. Add., Mastie-dog, mastiff.
b. with an adj. prefixed, indicating a foreign variety, as Cuban mastiff, Dutch mastiff, German mastiff, Tibet mastiff.
1774Goldsm. Nat. Hist. III. 286 The Dutch mastiff. 1859Wood Illustr. Nat. Hist. I. 307 The Cuban Mastiff is supposed to be produced by a mixture of the true Mastiff with the bloodhound. 1877Encycl. Brit. VII. 330/2 The Thibet Mastiff is larger than the English breed. 1883R. Groom Great Dane 4 The German Mastiff.
c. transf. and fig.
16022nd Pt. Return from Parnass. v. iv. (Arb.) 71 Furor. Farewell my masters, Furor's a masty dogge. 1610B. Jonson Alch. i. i, May, murmuring mastiffe? I, and doe. 1781Cowper Table-talk 35 To see a people scattered like a flock, Some royal mastiff panting at their heels.
d. attrib. and Comb., as mastiff-bitch, † mastiff-cur, mastiff dog (see 1), † mastiff-hound, mastiff mouth, mastiff race, † mastiff strind (Sc.); mastiff-like adj.; mastiff bat, day jocular (see quots.); mastiff-fox, a variety of fox (see quot. 1828).
1851Gosse Nat. in Jamaica 159 The Chestnut *Mastiff-bat. 1871Cassell's Nat. Hist. I. 319 The Pale Chestnut Mastiff Bat [Nyctinomus brasiliensis]... This species is found commonly in South America and the West Indies. Ibid. 320 The Smoky Mastiff Bat [Molossus nasutus]..is a well-known South American species.
1621in Naworth Househ. Bks. (Surtees) 184 A *mastie bich. 1797Coleridge Christabel i. 7 Sir Leoline..Hath a toothless mastiff bitch.
1522Skelton Why not to Court? 294 Our barons..Dare not loke out at dur For drede of the *mastyue cur, For drede of the bochers dogge. 1608T. James Apol. Wyclif 49 They did as it were so manie woolues, or mastie curs woorie them [the flock].
1781H. Walpole Let. to H. S. Conway 5 June, Last week we had two or three *mastiff days; for they were fiercer than our common dog-days. 1774*Mastiff fox [see greyhound 4]. 1828J. Fleming Hist. Brit. Anim. 13 Mastif-Fox.—This is of a dark brown colour, somewhat less [than the Greyhound Fox], but more strongly made.
a1400–50Alexander 321 A mouthe as a *mastif hunde vn-metely to shaw. 1475Bk. Noblesse (Roxb.) 16 Every man kepyng the scout wache had a masty hound at a lyes.
1500–20Dunbar Poems liii. 47 Quhou *mastew-lyk [v.r. mastive lyk] about ȝeid he! 1851Gosse Nat. in Jamaica 293 The mastiff-like physiognomy [of the monk bat].
1809W. Irving Knickerb. (1861) 35 He was a short, square, brawny old gentleman, with a double chin, a *mastiff mouth, and a broad copper nose.
1877Encycl. Brit. VII. 330/1 The *Mastiff race of dogs..includes the Mastiff, the Bull-dog, and the Pug.
1500–20Dunbar Poems lx. 21 Mismad mandragis of *mastyf strynd [v.r. kynd].
▪ II. † ˈmastiff, a. Obs.
Also 5 mestyf.
[Seems to be partly a derivative of mast n.2, and partly a perversion of massive, in both cases due to association with mastiff n. Cf. masty a.]
1. Of a swine: Fattened; = masted a., masty a. 2.
c1440Promp. Parv. 334/2 Mestyf, hogge, or swyne, maialis.
2. Massive, solid, bulky.
1495Trevisa's Barth. De P.R. v. lvii, Some [bones] ben..holowy. And some mastyffe [MS. Bodl. massye] and sadde for the more stedfastness. 1733Cheyne Eng. Malady i. xi. §4. 101 Those [persons] of large, full, and (as they are call'd) mastiff Muscles,..are generally of a firmer State of Fibres, than those of little Muscles.
3. Burly, big-bodied; = masty a. 3.
1668Kirkman Eng. Rogue ii. xi. (1671) 96 Perceiving them to be too hard for us (for they were two stout Mastiff Queans). a1675Whitelocke Mem. (1732) 112, I did the like to another great Mastiff Fellow, an Officer also of the King's Army, and took away his Sword from him. |