| 释义 |
‖ Mofussil Anglo-Ind.|məʊˈfʌsɪl|
Also 8 Mofussel, 8–9 -ul, 9 Mofusil.
[Hindustani mufaççil, ad. Arab. mufaççal, pa. pple. of faççala to divide, separate.]
1. In India, the country as distinguished from the ‘Presidency’; the rural localities of a district as distinguished from the chief station.
1781Hicky's Bengal Gaz. 31 Mar. (Yule), A gentleman lately arrived from the Mo[f]ussel. Ibid. 30 June (Ibid.), A gentleman in the Mofussil, Mr. P., fell out of his chaise and broke his leg. 1878(title) Life in the Mofussil; or the Civilian in Lower Bengal. 1886Yule & Burnell Gloss. Anglo-Ind. s.v., Thus if, in Calcutta, one talks of the Mofussil, he means anywhere in Bengal out of Calcutta; if one at Benares talks of going into the Mofussil he means going anywhere in the Benares division or district (as the case might be) out of the city of Benares. And so over India.
2. attrib. Of, pertaining to, belonging to, or living in the Mofussil; rural, provincial.
c1836Macaulay in Trevelyan Life (1876) I. 395 The Mofussil newspapers..have spoken favourably of this measure. 1860Rural Life in Bengal 105 Characteristic of Mofussul life. 1878Life in Mofussil I. 58 The natural dulness of a wet Sunday in a Mofussil bungalow. 1906Advice Note, Office of Superintendent of Govt. Printing, India Voucher No. 5656 When cheques on mofussil banks are sent, they must include the amount of discount.
Hence Moˈfussilite, one residing in the Mofussil; Moˈfussilize v. intr., to live away from a town or residency (nonce-wd.).
1845(title of newspaper) The Mofussilite. 1863Sala Qualk the Circumnavigator 64 Bankrupt scholars, whose parents had been mofussilising in an inordinate degree. 1888Bookseller's Catal. (Bombay) To Purchasers, Mofussilites should always send the price and postage of the books beforehand. |