| 释义 |
ministerial, a. and n.|ˌmɪnɪˈstɪərɪəl|
[ad. F. ministériel, ad. med.L. ministeriālis, f. L. ministerium ministry. But the word appears to have been generally apprehended as a direct derivative of minister n., and this view of the etymology has influenced the sense.]
A. adj.
1. Pertaining to, or entrusted with, the execution of the law, or of the commands of a superior; pertaining to or possessing delegated executive authority.
ministerial act: an act which is a necessary part of a person's official duty, or which is required by law in a given state of circumstances, so that the agent is exempt from responsibility for its propriety or consequences.
1577tr. Bullinger's Decades (1592) 836 And there is also one sort of power which is free and absolute, and another sort of power which is limited, which is also called ministeriall. 1647N. Bacon Disc. Govt. Eng. i. xxiii. (1739) 41 He was partly ministerial, and partly judicial. a1680Butler Rem. (1759) II. 104 He is but subordinate and ministerial to his Wife, who commands in chief. 1765Blackstone Comm. I. 427 There is yet a fourth species of servants, if they may be so called, being rather in a superior, a ministerial, capacity; such as stewards, factors, and bailiffs. 1824J. Marshall Const. Opin. (1839) 325 The warrant of a ministerial officer may authorize the collection of these penalties, &c. 1846McCulloch Acc. Brit. Empire (1854) II. 221 The ministerial or executive duties of the sheriff are multifarious. 1863H. Cox Instit. i. vii. 92 He..puts questions to the vote,..and performs various functions of a ministerial character.
2. Concerned as a subordinate agent, or as an instrument or means; subsidiary; instrumental.
1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) Pref., As Life is the Ministerial Governor and Mover in this World, so is Learning the Ministerial Governor and Mover in Life. a1619M. Fotherby Atheom. i. xi. §4 (1622) 118 The most abiect and ministeriall parts of his body. Ibid. ii. i. §8. 186 Inferior and ministeriall Arts. 1665Sir T. Herbert Trav. (1677) 238 Cyrus..with Harpagus..were ministerial together in the subduing Astyages. a1674Clarendon Hist. Reb. xiii. §7 The States of Holland thought they had merited much in suffering their ships to transport him, and so being ministerial to his greatness. 1713Derham Phys.-Theol. iv. xi. 195 From the Teeth, the grand Instruments of Mastication, let us proceed to the other Ministerial Parts. 1840De Quincey Rhetoric Wks. 1859 XI. 29 We may admit arts of style and ornamental composition as the ministerial part of rhetoric. a1859― Conversat. Wks. 1860 XIV. 167 In speaking above of conversation, we have fixed our view on those uses of conversation which are ministerial to intellectual culture. a1871Grote Eth. Fragm. v. (1876) 136 The supreme, or architectonic, ends, are superior in eligibility to the subordinate, or ministerial.
3. Pertaining to the office, function, or character of a minister of religion.
1561T. Norton Calvin's Inst. iv. vi. 34 There may be vnder hym [Christ] an other ministerial hed (as they terme it) that may be his vicegerent in earth. 1597Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lxxvii. §2 Ministeriall power is a marke of separation, because it seuereth them that haue it from other men. 1653Milton Hirelings Wks. 1851 V. 347 It will not be deni'd that in the Gospel there be but two ministerial Degrees, Presbyters and Deacons. a1716Bp. O. Blackall Wks. (1723) I. 199 Not that 'tis lawful for any Man to invade the ministerial Office, who is not call'd and ordain'd thereto. 1894H. H. Gardener Unoff. Patriot 65 The exigencies of his ministerial life had so far made it necessary for him to leave the plantation but twice.
4. Of or pertaining to a minister of state; of or belonging to or having relations with a public minister or ministry; siding with or supporting the Ministry as against the Opposition.
1655Digges Compl. Ambass. Pref., The cheif ministerial parts lay upon Burleigh and Walsingham. 1735–8Bolingbroke On Parties Ded. 21 There are Persons, who take to Themselves the Title of ministerial Writers. Ibid. 8 They who could never brook a Regal, will have the Merit of saving their Country from the Danger of a Ministerial Tyranny. 1747H. Walpole Lett. (1846) II. 200 My connexions with anything ministerial are as little as possible. 1830Ld. Valletort in Hansard's Parl. Deb. XXIV. 1233 Those who sat on the Ministerial side of the House. 1850H. Martineau Hist. Peace v. i. (1877) III. 183 Parliament was to be dissolved on the first ministerial reverse. 1863H. Cox Instit. iii. viii. 723 The supreme ministerial authority is delegated by the Crown to a Secretary of State. 1879Gladstone Gleanings I. viii. 229 Ministerial responsibility comes between the Monarch and every public trial and necessity, like armour between the flesh and the spear. 1889Daily News 14 May 3/3 Ministerial cries of ‘Oh,’ and cheers from the Irish members. 1969Sci. Jrnl. Sept. 6 As an example of apparent ministerial unconcern he refers to recent exchanges in Parliament on this very problem. 1973H. Trevelyan Diplomatic Channels i. 16 There are the ‘grey eminences’ in the corridors of power, who shun the light, who learn when to feed those dangerous animals, ministers, pacing up and down their party cages, who acquire an unrivalled knowledge of how government actually works beneath the misleading surface of ministerial responsibility. 1974Times 19 Sept. 1/4 In a ministerial broadcast on all channels last night Mr Wilson said [etc.].
B. n.
†1. pl. Subsidiary provisions. Obs.
1647Trapp Comm. Matt. v. 18 The ministerials of this law shall pass away together with this life.
2. Hist. An executive household officer under the feudal system. (Cf. Du Cange s.v. Ministeriales.)
1818Hallam Mid. Ages (1872) I. 182 Prelates and barons, who surrounded themselves with household officers called ministerials. 1849Kemble Saxons in Eng. II. viii. 391 They [the clergy] were called upon to take their place with other landowners, lords, or ministerials in the popular councils. |