| 释义 |
murderer|ˈmɜːdərə(r)|
[Partly f. murder v. + -er1; partly a. AF. mordreour, murdreour (-drere), agent-n. f. mordrer, mordrir = murder v.]
1. One who murders or is guilty of a murder (see murder n.1 1).
αa1300Cursor M. 23112 Þe first range mast stincand, sal be o wreches mistruand; þat renaid ar traiturs and fals, Murthereres [Fairf. man mirþeres] and monsuorn als. 1470–85Malory Arthur vii. xiv. 233 A saide she they were good knyghtes but they were murtherers. c1515Cocke Lorell's B. 11 There were theues, hores, and baudes; wt mortherers. 1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 235 The Murtherer standyng behynd his backe, letteth dryve at him with an hatchet. 1605Shakes. Macb. i. vii. 15 First, as I am his Kinsman, and his Subiect, Strong both against the Deed: Then, as his Host, Who should against his Murtherer shut the doore, Not beare the knife my self. 1741Middleton Cicero I. i. 54 Roscius prosecuted the Murtherer for damages. 1775Adair Amer. Ind. 158 The Cheerake..still observe that law so inviolably, as to allow their beloved town the privilege of protecting a wilful murtherer.
βc1385Chaucer L.G.W. 2387 Philomene (Cambr. MS.) He wil nat for his shame Don so as Tereus to lese his name Ne serve ȝow as a morderour [v.r. morderere, -roure, -erour, murderour] or a knaue. 1390Gower Conf. III. 340 Slain is the moerdrer and moerdrice. c1440Promp. Parv. 342/2 Moord(e)rare (K., P. morederar), sicarius. 1471Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) I. 63, Y had leuer to be murdrid than a murdrere. 1509Fisher Funeral Serm. Hen. VII, Wks. (1876) 272 King Dauid.., all be it he had ben an auoutrer & murdrer also, yet [etc.]. 1621Donne Serm. xv. (1640) I. 149 A Sheriffe that should burne him, who were condemned to be hanged, were a murderer, though that man must have dyed. 1781Gibbon Decl. & F. xxx. III. 139 note, Those female captives, who gave their charms, and even their hearts, to the murderers of their fathers, brothers, &c. 1841Elphinstone Hist. India I. App. iii. 445 Alexander..proceeded in pursuit of one of the murderers of Darius to the royal city of the Zarangæi. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. iv. I. 487 The false witness..is, in truth the worst of murderers. 1865Dickens Mut. Fr. i. iv, We have got a murderer for a tenant.
b. transf. and fig.
c1381Chaucer Parl. Foules 353 (Camb. MS.) The swalwe mortherere of the foulis smale That makyn hony of flouris frosche & newe. c1585R. Browne Answ. Cartwright 15 The sinner is the murtherer of his owne soule. 1600Shakes. A.Y.L. iii. v. 19 Lye not, to say mine eyes are murtherers. 1611Bible 1 John iii. 15 Whosoeuer hateth his brother, is a murtherer. 1738Gentl. Mag. VIII. 208/2 King Alfred, who hang'd 44 Judges in one Year, as Murtherers of the Law. 1797Godwin Enquirer i. iii. 17 It is the unrelenting murderer of hope and gaiety.
†2. A small cannon or mortar (see quot. 1704).
1497Naval Acc. Hen. VII (1896) 338 Morderers of yron..ij. 1563in Nicolson & Burn Westmoreld. & Cumbld. (1777) II. 223 In the Citadel... Small serpentines 2, fowlers 2, murderers 2. 1617J. Taylor (Water-P.) Dolphins Danger Wks. 1630 iii. 33/1 The Dolphin..hauing..some 19 pieces of Ordnance, and 9 Murtherers. 1628R. Norton Gunner xiv. 59 Morter Peeces, Square Murtherers, Tortles, and Pettards are the sorts of the fourth kind of Ordnance. 1634Relat. Ld. Baltimore's Plantation (1865) 20 We haue built a strong Fort & Palizado, and haue mounted vpon it one good piece of Ordnance, and 4 Murderers. 1670Lond. Gaz. No. 436/1 This week the same Fregats took another prize from the Turks being a vessel of 6 Guns 4 Murtherers and 60 men. 1704J. Harris Lex. Techn. I, Murderers, are small Pieces of Ordnance, either of Brass or Iron, having Chambers (that is Charges made of Brass or Iron) put in at their Breeches: They are mostly used at Sea at the Bulk-heads of the Fore⁓castle, Half-deck, or Steeridge, in order to clear the Decks when an Enemy boards the Ship; they are fastned and traversed by a Pintle, which is put into a Stock.
†3. A dagger or knife. Obs. rare—1.
c1510Robt. Deuyll in Thoms Prose Rom. (1828) I. 10 Robert gate a murderer or bodkin, and thrast his mayster in the bely that his guttes fell at his fete, and so fell downe deed to the erth.
†4. (See quot.) Obs. rare—0.
1690Evelyn Mundus Muliebris, Fop Dict. 19 Meurtrieres. Murderers; a certain Knot in the Hair, which ties and unites the Curls.
5. An instrument used for catching codfish.
1883R. M. Fergusson Rambles in Far North xii. 79 There is a method of catching deep-sea cod..by means of an instrument called a ‘murderer’,..consisting of a long bar of lead measuring about eighteen inches, with numerous hooks attached, and suspended at the end of a long strong line. This instrument is towed at the stern of the fishing boat, and by its means many a large cod bids farewell to the Pentland Firth. 1883Fisheries Exhib. Catal. 12 ‘Murderer’ for catching Codfish.
6. attrib. and Comb.
1592Arden of Feversham iii. i. E 1, Beset With murtherer theeues that came to rifle me. 1594Kyd Cornelia iii. ii. 37 The sword Which murdrer-like against thy selfe he drawes. |