| 释义 |
prophesy, v.|ˈprɒfɪsaɪ|
Forms: 4–5 profecy, 5 -ecie; 4–5 prophecien, -esien, 5–6 -ecie, 5–7 -esie, -ecy, 5– prophesy.
[ME. a. OF. prophecier (1245 in Godef.), -phesier, -fecier, -ficier, f. prophecie, -fecie prophecy. The modern differentiation of prophesy vb. and prophecy n. was not established till after 1700, and has no etymological basis, prophesy being at first a mere spelling variant in both n. and vb. For the pronunciation of the final vowel cf. verbs in -fy, also multiply.]
1. intr. To speak by (or as by) divine inspiration, or in the name of a deity; to speak as a prophet.
1382Wyclif Num. xi. 25 And whanne the spiryte hadde restid in hem, thei profecyden, ne more ouer cesiden. 1382― Jer. xix. 14 Cam forsothe Jeremye fro Tofeth..to profecien. 1382― Ezek. xxx. 2 Sone of man, prophecy thou, and sey, Thes thingis seith the Lord God. 1382― Rev. xi. 3 And I shal ȝiue to my two witnesses, and thei shulen prophecie a thousynd dayes two hundrid and sixty. 1535Coverdale 1 Sam. xix. 23 And y⊇ sprete of God came vpon him [Saul] also, and he wente & prophecied likewise before Samuel... Here of came the prouerbe: Is Saul also among the prophetes? 1651Hobbes Leviath. iii. xxxii. 197 The Prophet that was sent to prophecy against the Altar. 1681–6J. Scott Chr. Life (1747) III. 109 He came down immediately from the Father, to prophesy to us. 1880R. Grant White Every-Day Eng. 304, I would..call upon the Furies to aid me while I prophesy against this new thing.
b. spec. To utter predictions, to foretell future events (by inspiration, or generally).
1382Wyclif 1 Pet. i. 10 Prophetes..that prophecieden of the grace to comynge in ȝou. 1432–50tr. Higden (Rolls) I. 419 Therefore there were ij. Merlynes; oon of them..profeciede in Snawdonia in the tyme of Vortigernus. a1450Knt. de la Tour (1906) 90 Brun..was the quene of the whiche Sibille spake and profesied. 1563Winȝet Four Scoir Thre Quest. §79 Wks. (S.T.S.) I. 127 Quhare he [St. Paul] propheciis of the hæretikis, that suld forbid mariage. 1601Shakes. Jul. C. iii. i. 259 Ouer thy wounds, now do I Prophesie,..A Curse shall light vpon the limbes of men. 1817Shelley Rev. Islam ix. vi. 9 Half-extinguished words, which prophesied of change. 1898Westm. Gaz. 19 May 11/1 ‘Never prophesy till you know’, is a safe American saying.
c. In the Apostolic churches, To interpret or expound the Scriptures, to utter divine mysteries and edifying communications (as moved by the Holy Spirit); hence, in the 16th and 17th centuries, applied by the Puritans to the interpretation and expounding of Scripture and the preaching of the Gospel. See also prophesying vbl. n.
1382Wyclif 1 Cor. xiv. 4 He that spekith in tunge, edifieth him silf; forsoth he that prophecieth, edyfieth the chirch of God. Ibid. 39 So, bretheren, loue ȝe for to prophecie [1388 profecie], and nyle ȝe forbede for to speke in tungis. 1583Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 72 It were good..that all could prophesie, that is, that all could preach and expound the truth. 1607Hieron Wks. I. 99 To prophecy, in Scripture, signifieth..secondly, exactly and soundly to interpret the Scripture; to which sense the word is often applyed in the New Testament. a1645Featly Dippers Dipt Epist. B ij, They hold their Conventicles weekly in our chiefe Cities,..and there prophesie by turnes. 1771Wesley Wks. (1872) V. 28 O that, as I prophesy, there might now be ‘a noise and a shaking’! 1860Pusey Min. Proph. 128 Those sons and daughters of the sons of Zion, having received the Spirit, prophesied, i.e. in divers tongues they spake of the heavenly mysteries.
2. trans. To announce or utter by (or as by) divine inspiration; esp. so to announce (a future event); to predict, to foretell.
a. with obj. clause expressing the matter announced.
1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xix. 16 Patriarkes & prophetes prophecyed bifore, Þat alkyn creatures shulden knelen & bowen. 1388Wyclif John xi. 51 He prophesiede, that Jhesu was to die for the folc. 1470–85Malory Arthur x. v. 419 Merlyon profecyed that in that same place shold fyghte two..knyghtes. a1533Ld. Berners Huon lxxxiv. 265 She prophesyed that my father..sholde wynne the batayle. 1682Dryden Mac Fl. 87 For ancient Decker prophesy'd long since, That in this pile should reign a mighty prince. 1802M. Edgeworth Moral T. (1816) I. vi. 33, I prophesy you will not succeed better than I have. 1842Tennyson St. Sim. Styl. 217 By the warning of the Holy Ghost, I prophesy that I shall die to-night, A quarter before twelve.
b. with simple obj.
c1380Wyclif Last Age of Ch. (1851) p. xxix, And þat þat is prophesied schal come. 1382― Jer. xx. 6 There thou shalt be biried, and alle thi frendus, to whyche thou profeciedist lesing [quibus prophetasti mendacium]. c1400Three Kings Cologne 37 Hit was þe same sterre þat was prophecied by balaam. 1481Caxton Myrr. i. v. 24 Philosophres that..prophecyed the holy tyme of the comyng of ihesu cryste. 1585T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. iv. viii. 119 b, The first Sibille..prophesied the myracle of the fiue loaues and two fishes. 1679Dryden Troilus & Cr. Ep. Ded., I am almost ready..to point out, and Prophecy the Man, who was born for no less an Undertaking. 1847Tennyson Princ. i. 141 Dismal lyrics, prophesying change Beyond all reason.
c. fig. To indicate beforehand, foreshow.
1605Shakes. Lear v. iii. 175 Me thought thy very gate did prophesie A Royall Noblenesse.
Hence prophesied |ˈprɒfɪsaɪd| ppl. a., uttered prophetically, foretold, predicted; ˈprophesying ppl. a., that prophesies.
c1440Promp. Parv. 414/2 Profecyed, prophetatus. 1621R. Brathwait Nat. Embassie (1877) 52 The Augur hauing left behind him his Oscines or Prophes[y]ing birds. 1708Shaftesbury Charact. (1733) I. 44 The new prophesying Sect. 1742J. Willison Balm of Gilead xi. (1800) 123 Unlikely this and other prophesied events may appear. |