| 释义 |
needless, a.|ˈniːdlɪs|
Forms: 3 neodeles, 4 ned(de)les, -lez, 4–6 nedeles, (6 -lesse), 6–7 need(e)lesse, (6 -les, neadeles), 6– needless.
[f. need n. + -less. Cf. MDu. nodeloos (Du. noodeloos), MHG. nôtlôs (G. nothlos).]
†1. In quasi-adverbial use: Without any compulsion or necessity; needlessly. Obs.
a1225Leg. Kath. 1023 Monnes unmihte þet he neodeles nom upon him seoluen. Ibid. 1176. c 1290 Beket 1630 in S.E. Leg. I. 153 ‘Beth stille’, he seide, ‘ȝe makiez deol neodeles nouþe ech-on.’ a1300Cursor M. 28460 Neddeles oft bot for glotri Stulth o mete and drink did i. c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 51 Þei gon ydel fro contre to contre..beggynge nedles of pore men. 1475Rolls of Parlt. VI. 136/1 For..fere of deth theruppon folowyng, which he must nedles have entred in if he had appered.
2. Not needed or wanted; unnecessary, useless, uncalled for. (Common from c 1570.) Freq. in phr. (it is) needless to say (or add), often used parenthetically.
a1300Cursor M. 1141 For þi nedeles wickedhede, Þou sal lede euer þi lijf in nede. c1380Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 274 Freris þat..robben þe pore peple bi stronge beggynge and nedles. 1475Bk. Noblesse (Roxb.) 72 Many nedeles officers..reignyng and ruling over theym. 1530Palsgr. 643/2 It is nedelesse to speake of the price. 1588J. Udall Demonstr. Discipline (Arb.) 21 That office which is needles in the church is also vnlawful. 1612Woodall Surg. Mate Wks. (1653) 21, I have seen men lamed by the needless use of caustick medicines. 1667Milton P.L. vii. 494 Thou..gav'st them Names, Needless to thee repeated. 1727De Foe Syst. Magic i. ii. (1840) 38 The search after their names would be..needless. 1770A. Young Six Months' Tour North of Eng. I. 185 It is almost needless to add upon the course of crops in question, that the turnips ought..to be fed off the land by sheep. 1770Baretti Journey London to Genoa I. xx. 148 It is needless to say that thousands and thousands have migrated to other places. 1780Bentham Princ. Legisl. xii. §22 It is needless to multiply examples any further. 1826Kaleidoscope 31 Jan. 247/3 The Squire was hard hit by this nonchalance, and (as the newspapers say), ‘it is needless to add’, acted upon Sheridan's suggestion. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. xix. IV. 280 The message was needless. 1880Spurgeon Ploughm. Pict. 117 Beware of evil questions which raise needless doubts. 1885Rider Haggard K. Solomon's Mines vi. 88 That night we covered nearly five-and-twenty miles, but, needless to say, found no more water. 1902R. J. Mecredy in A. C. Harmsworth Motors vii. 122 Needless to say, the shoulder f is thereby raised. 1930Sunday Times 12 Oct. 5/5 Needless to say, such a visitor is immensely impressed and at once enrols for the Pelman Course in the particular language in which he is interested.
†3. Having no want; not in need or want. Obs.
1380Lay Folks Catech. (Lamb. MS.) 666 Þey don here almes more to þe nedles þan to þe verry nedy. 1390Gower Conf. I. 152 Erthe is the most nedeles, And most men helpe it natheles. 1600Shakes. A.Y.L. ii. i. 46 First, for his weeping into the needlesse streame. 1668R. Steele Husbandm. Calling v. (1672) 94 He considers that it's safer to relieve nine needless beggars, than to turn away one needy one. |