| 释义 |
anxious, a.|ˈæŋkʃəs|
[f. L. anxi-us troubled in mind (f. ang-ĕre to choke, distress) + -ous.]
1. a. Troubled or uneasy in mind about some uncertain event; being in painful or disturbing suspense; concerned, solicitous.
1623Cockeram, Anxious, Carefull. 1636Rutherford Lett. vi, Often anxious, and cast down for the case of my oppressed brother. 1711Pope Rape Lock ii. 142 They wait, Anxious, and trembling for the birth of Fate. 1810Scott Lady of L. ii. xxxvii, Allan strained his anxious eye.
b. Const., of an issue dreaded (obs.); for an issue desired; about a thing or person involved in uncertain issues.
1711Steele Spect. No. 4 ⁋1 It being the worst way in the world to Fame, to be too anxious about it. a1735Granville (J.) Anxious of neglect, suspecting change. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 197 The counsellors of Charles..were anxious for their own safety.
2. a. Fraught with trouble or solicitude, distressing, worrying. (Obs. exc. where it can be explained as a transferred use of 1, as anxious cares, i.e. such as anxious people cherish. So anxious seats, anxious benches (U.S.): those set apart for anxious inquirers; see also quot. 1839).
1667Milton P.L. viii. 185 Life, from which God hath bid dwell farr off all anxious cares. 1679Penn Addr. Prot. ii. iv. (1692) 117 That which is most of all Anxious is that Morality is denyed to be Christianity. 1744Harris 3 Treat. (1841) 52 Is not both the possession and pursuit of wealth, to those who really love it, ever anxious? 1832F. Trollope Dom. Manners Amer. I. vii. 111 The poor creatures..seated themselves on the ‘anxious benches’. 1835Reed & Matheson Visit to Amer. Churches I. 13, I was speedily led to conclude that..[the preacher] was about to try the anxious seat. 1837Haliburton Clockm. (1862) 232 Settin' on the anxious benches. 1839Marryat Diary Amer. II. xi. 184 In front of the pulpit there was a space railed off, and strewed with straw, which I was told was the Anxious seat, and on which sat those who were touched by their consciences or the discourse of the preacher. 1888J. Kirkland McVeys 19 ‘Seekers’ were sought for and urged forward to the ‘anxious seat’ or ‘mourners bench’ by zealous friends.
b. on the anxious bench or seat (fig.), in a state of anxiety. U.S.
1839Knickerbocker XIII. 345 He did look as if he had been on ‘the anxious seat’, as he used to say, when things puzzled him. 1862Mrs. Stowe Pearl Orr's Isl. ii. i. 159 What a life you did lead me in them days! I think you kep' me on the anxious seats a pretty middlin' spell. 1906N.Y. Even. Post 23 Nov. 1 The entire diplomatic corps at Havana is..on the ‘anxious bench’. 1910W. M. Raine B. O'Conner 25 That extra hour and a half cinches our escape, and we weren't on the anxious seat any without it.
3. Full of desire and endeavour; solicitous; earnestly desirous (to effect some purpose).
1742R. Blair Grave 94 The gentle heart, anxious to please. 1794Nelson in Nicolas Disp. I. 434 The General seems as anxious as any of us to expedite the fall of the place. 1843Carlyle Past & Pr. (1858) 171 Anxious no longer to be dumb. 1860Tyndall Glac. i. §13. 93, I was anxious to see many parts of it once more. |