| 释义 |
Minerva|mɪˈnɜːvə|
Also 4 mynerfe, mynerff, 4–6 minerve, 6 mynerve.
[a. L. Minerva, earlier Menerva:—pre-L. *menes-wā (cf. Skr. manasvin ‘full of mind or sense’, Manasvinī name of the mother of the moon) f. *menes- = Skr. manas mind, Gr. µένος courage, fury, f. root *men-: see mind n.]
1. The Roman goddess of wisdom, anciently identified with the Greek Pallas Athene, ‘the goddess of wisdom, warlike prowess, and skill in the arts of life’ (L. & Sc.). † in spite of Minerva (tr. L. invītā Minervā): contrary to one's natural bent, without natural aptitude.
1375Barbour Bruce iv. 262 He callit hir his deir mynerfe. 1390Gower Conf. I. 79 A Sacrifice unto Minerve. 1503Hawes Examp. Virt. iv. 2 A noble vyrgyn there dyde her serue That fyrst made harnes called Mynerue. 1589Puttenham Eng. Poesie iii. xxv. (Arb.) 311 That which he doth by long meditation rather then by a suddaine inspiration,..(and as they are woont to say) in spite of Nature or Minerua. 1611Shakes. Cymb. v. v. 164 For Feature, laming The Shrine of Venus, or straight-pight Minerua. 1638Junius Paint. Ancients 333 In spight (as the common saying is) of Minerva, that is, our nature not giving way to it. 1835Thirlwall Greece iii. I. 67 The goddess Athené, whom, with the Romans, we name Minerva.
†b. fig. (a) Used for: Wisdom, ability. (b) With allusion to the myth that Minerva (Athene) was born from the head of Jupiter. Obs.
1615Chapman Odyss. xiii. 179 Then, the Strand They strew'd with all the goods he had, bestow'd By the renown'd Phæacians, since he show'd So much Minerua. 1665Glanvill Scepsis Sci. xvi. 99 Self-love engageth us for any thing, that is a Minerva of our own. 1685Gracian's Courtiers Orac. 178 Every one then ought to labour to know his Destiny, and to try his Minerva. a1734North Exam. iii. vi. §26 (1740) 442 The Thing itself [is] no better than a Minerva of his own fertile Brain.
2. transf. A woman having the stately mien of Minerva as represented in sculpture.
1877Reade Woman Hater iii, Ashmead..chuckled internally at the idea of this Minerva giving change in a café.
3. Short for Minerva machine (see 4).
1883B'ham Daily Post 11 Oct., Printers.—Youth Wanted, accustomed to Minerva.
4. attrib. and Comb., as Minerva birth; Minerva-like adj. Minerva machine Printing (see quot.). Minerva press, (a) the name of a printing-press formerly existing in Leadenhall Street, London; hence, the series of ultra-sentimental novels issued with the imprint of this press c 1800; (b) (Printing) = Minerva machine.
1632Brome North. Lasse Ded., A Countrey Lass I present you, that *Minerva-like was a brayn-born Child, and Jovially begot. 1894H. Gamlin Romney 51 Reynolds was fortunate in having so Minerva-like a model.
1888Jacobi Printer's Vocab., *Minerva machine, a small platen jobbing machine—the original Cropper machine.
1828Carlyle Misc. (1857) I. 173 So Meister was ranked among the legal coin of the *Minerva Press. 1850Athenæum 7 Dec. 1274/1 The relief provided for the Begum [in Pendennis]..is Minerva Press every grain of it. 1866Ibid. 10 Nov. 602/2 Such a flow of Minerva-press melo-dramatic diction. 1888Encycl. Brit. XXIII. 705 (art. Typography) Fig. 11, Minerva Press. |