| 释义 |
antiquity|ænˈtɪkwɪtɪ|
Forms: 4 antiquytee, 4–6 -iquite, 5 -yqwyte, 5–6 -yquyte, -yquytye, -iquitye, 6–7 -itie, 6– -ity.
[a. Fr. antiquité, 11th c. antiquitet, ad. L. antīquitāt-em, n. of quality f. antīqu-us: see antique and -ity.]
I. As abstract n.
1. The quality of being old (in the world's history) or ancient; long standing, oldness, ancientness.
c1450Court of Love lxxii, This statute was of old antiquite. 1532More Confut. Tindale Wks. 1557, 707/1 Then be you Jewes of more antiquitie then they. 1687T. Brown Saints in Upr. Wks. I. 73 A rusty spear, and a cloak of antiquity. 1752Johnson Rambl. No. 192 ⁋2 Every Man boasted the antiquity of his family. 1851D. Wilson Preh. Ann. II. iii. vi. 153 The geological antiquity of man.
†2. Old age (of human life); seniority. Obs.
1596Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, i. ii. 208 Is not your voice broken?..and euery part about you blasted with Antiquity. 1618Bolton Florus i. i. 7 Who for their authoritie should be called Fathers, and for their antiquitie, Senators, or Aldermen. 1677Act in Marvell Growth Popery 30 Three..to be placed in such Order as the said Prelates..think fit, without regard to dignity, antiquity, or any other form.
3. Ancient character or style.
1850Lynch Theoph. Trin. ix. 164 There is much novelty without hope, much antiquity without sacredness. 1867Max Müller Chips (1880) III. xiii. 248 The air of antiquity which pervades that county [Cornwall].
II. Elliptical senses.
4. The time of antiquity, olden time.
a. generally.
c1380Sir Ferumb. 1316 An old for-sake ȝeate? of þe olde antiquytee. 1580Baret Alv. A 421 Historie is the reporter of antiquitie, or of things done in olde tyme. 1605Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. ii. §7 Antiquity is like fame, caput inter nubila condit, her head is muffled from our sight. 1664H. More Myst. Iniq. 473 The errours and Mistakes of dark Antiquity. 1712Spect. No. 548 ⁋4, I cannot think of one real hero in all antiquity so far raised above human infirmities. c1854Stanley Sinai & Pal. ii. (1858) 119 To what an antiquity does this carry us back! Ruins before the days of those who preceded the Philistines!
b. spec. The period before the middle ages, the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
c1450Songs & Poems Costume 53 Famous poetis of antyquyté, In Grece and Troye. 1594T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. II. 535 The writings of al antiquity. a1704T. Brown Comic. View Wks. I. 157 Galen and other reverend blockheads of antiquity. 1874Blackie Self-Cult 73 The coolest and most practical thinker of all antiquity..Aristotle.
c. The early ages of the Christian era; the early centuries of the Church; more explicitly Christian antiquity.
1564Harding Answ. Jewel 173 To see antiquitie for proufe hereof..Let him reade [etc.]. 1574Bristow Brief Treat. Diuerse Plain Waies (1599) 54 All Antiquity is full of such practise. 1753Challoner Cath. Chr. Instr. 77 This Custom..is as ancient as Christianity, as appears from the most certain Monuments of Antiquity. 1850Newman Difficulties of Anglicans ii. 34 He would..have given up the Establishment, rather than have rejected antiquity. 1860A. P. de Lisle in E. Purcell Life (1900) I. x. 185 Christian Antiquity.
5. The people (or writers, etc.) of ancient times collectively; ‘the Ancients.’
1538Starkey England iii. 78 Aftur the opynyon of the wyse and auncyent antyquyte. 1598Barret Theor. Warres v. iii. 152 This manner of marching..we reade antiquitie to have vsed. 1641Milton Prel. Episc. (1851) 73 That indigested heap, and frie of Authors, which they call Antiquity. 1726De Foe Hist. Devil ii. vi. (1840) 246 We have Antiquity on our side, we have this truth confirmed by the testimony of many ages. 1876Mozley Univ. Serm. i. 3 We think we have excelled all antiquity. We have excelled a later antiquity, but not the earliest and first.
6. (Now pl. or collect., formerly often sing.) Matters, customs, precedents, or events of earlier times; ancient records.
1557North Diall of Princes A ij b, Paulus Diaconus..sheweth an antiquitie right worthy to remember. 1629Coke On Litt. 69 a, Which Antiquity I cite for that it concurreth with the act of Parliament. 1660H. Bloome Archit. Title-page, Gathered with great diligence..out of Antiquities. 1782Priestley Corrupt. Chr. I. i. 107 Whiston..was certainly well read in Christian antiquity. 1876Digby Real Prop. ii. §8. 94 The subject belongs entirely to the antiquities of our law.
7. (Now usually pl.; formerly sing. or collect.) Remains or monuments of antiquity; ancient relics.
1513More Hist. Edw. V, Ded. 1 The great care..that hath alwaies been observed..for the preservation of antiquities. 1605Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. ii. §1 Antiquities are history defaced, or some remnants of history which have casually escaped the shipwreck of time. 1622Peacham Compl. Gentl. xii. (1634) 112, I come to the last of our select Antiquities, Coynes. 1676D'Urfey Mad. Fickle iii. i, Rust adds to an Antiquity, 'tis our Friend. 1728Stukeley in Phil. Trans. XXXV. 430 At Paunton..I have heard of much Antiquity being found. 1787T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 133 The Pont du Gard, a sublime antiquity, and well preserved. 1869Rawlinson Anc. Hist. 2 Antiquities, or the actual extant remains of ancient times.
8. Comb. or attrib., as antiquity-hunting, antiquity piece.
1860Vac. Tour. 119 The bishop of Ossory, who was antiquity-hunting in Sutherland. 1711London Gaz. mmmmdccclv/4 A small Gold Ring, with an Antiquity Piece hanging to it. |