| 释义 |
‖ Nair|ˈnɑːɪr, nɛə(r)|
Forms: α. 6–8 nayre, naire, 7– nair, 8–9 naïr, 20 nayar. β. 6–7 nayro, 7 nairo.
[a. Sp. and Pg. nayre, naire, ad. Urdū (Hindī) nāyar or nāyaṛ. The source of the forms in -o is not clear.]
A member of the noble and military caste in Malabar. Also attrib.
α1582N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. i. xiv. 34 The house of the Nayres, which amongest the Malabars are Gentlemen. 1603R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. 174 Many of the Malaber princes..lay all their hopes and fortunes on the Nairs. 1660F. Brooke tr. Le Blanc's Trav. 56 The third part of them are Naires, or Gentlemen. 1796H. Hunter tr. St.-Pierre's Stud. Nat. (1799) I. 339 Their military is formed of the Nobility, called Naïrs, who possess the second rank in the State. 1845Stocqueler Handbk. Brit. India (1854) 299 The Nairs have great faith in their superhuman knowledge. 1888G. Smith Stephen Hislop iv. (1889) 98 A European officer of the Nair brigade felt aggrieved. 1911Encycl. Brit. XIX. 318/2 Nayar.., a caste or tribe on the W. coast of S. India, who form the dominant race in Malabar. Traditionally they are soldiers, but many have taken to professions... Their total number in all India in 1901 was just over one million. 1922Edin. Rev. Jan. 187 Even the Nayar, when he addresses a Brahman, must use the language of deprecation. 1955M. Gluckman Custom & Conflict in Afr. iii. 68 The father's rôle seems to have been reduced to a minimum among the Nayar castes of Malabar in India in the past.
transf.1791Burke Fr. Rev. (1824) 188 Did the privileged nobility..deserve to be looked on as the Nayres or Mamelukes of this age..?
β1598W. Philip tr. Linschoten (1885) I. 279 Noblemen called Nayros, which are souldiers that doe onely weare and handle arms. 1638Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 301 The Nayroes are his Lords; a sort of Mamaluck. 1698Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 51 Each State having a Representative..to act according to the Votes of the Nairos Gentry. |