| 释义 |
▪ I. nettle, n.1|ˈnɛt(ə)l|
Forms: 1 netele, (netel), 1–5 netle, 5 netel(le, netyl(le; 4–5 nettille, 4–6 -yll, 5 -yle, 5–6 -ylle, 6 -yl, -ill, -ell, 5–6 (8) nettel, 3– nettle.
[Common Teut.: OE. netele, netle (and netel) fem. = Fris. nettel, MDu. net(e)le, netel (Du. netel), MLG. net(t)ele, OHG. nez̧(z̧)ila, -ela (MHG. nez̧z̧ele, -el, G. nessel), MDa. næt(h)-, nædlæ, nedle (Da. nelde, nælde), MSw. netla, nätla (Sw. dial. nättla), and netsla, nesla (Sw. nässla, nässel-), Norw. netla, nesla, etc., Icel. netla:—OTeut. *natilōn-, a derivative (see -le 1) from a stem *nat- which appears in the synonymous OHG. naz̧z̧a, and in various Scand. forms, as Sw. dial. nata, näta, Norw. dial. nata, neta, not(a), etc., the relationship of which to each other is obsure.]
1. a. A plant of the genus Urtica, of which the commoner species (U. dioica, the Common or Great Nettle, and U. urens, the Small Nettle) grow profusely on waste ground, waysides, etc., and are noted for the stinging property of the leaf-hairs.
The Greek, Italian, or Roman Nettle is U. pilulifera. With distinctive epithets the name of nettle is also given to a number of plants belonging to other genera, as blind, dea-, dead, deaf, red, white nettle; bee-, hedge-, hemp-, wood-nettle, which are treated under the first element or as main words.
c725Corpus Gloss. 2168 in O.E. Texts 107 Urticeta, netlan. c1000Sax. Leechd. I. 310 Ᵹenim þysse wyrte seaw, þe man urticam, & oðrum naman netele nemneð. Ibid. II. 68 Smale netelan. Ibid. 86 Þa greatan netlan. a1250Owl & Night. 593 Among þe wede, among the netle, Þu syttest & singst. 1303R. Brunne Handl. Synne 7514 With-oute hys celle þornes wore And netles grewe, þat byten sore. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VI. 461 As þe netle groweþ somtyme next þe rose. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) xiv. 65 Humbloks and nettles and swilk oþer wedes. 1481Caxton Reynard 86, I haue nothyng but thystles and nettles. 1563Mirr. Mag., Jane Shore iii, In groping flowers wyth Nettels stong we are. 1578Lyte Dodoens 129 The first kind is now called..in English Greek or Romayne Nettel. 1631E. Jorden Nat. Bathes xi. (1669) 84 The heat of the Sun is no more apt to breed a Nettle than a Dock. 1693Evelyn De la Quint. Compl. Gard. I. 18 Thistles, Nettles, and a Thousand other Plants of no Use to us. a1732Gay Poems (1745) I. 167 Elder's early bud With nettle's tender shoots, to cleanse the blood. 1810Crabbe Borough xviii. 296 At the wall's base the fiery nettle springs. 1849Balfour Man. Bot. §1022 The young shoots of the common nettle are sometimes used like spinach or greens. 1890Knowledge 1 Dec. 274/2 The common nettle occurs in two forms; the male plant which produces the pollen is quite distinct from that which bears the seeds.
transf. and fig.1596Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, ii. iii. 10 Out of this Nettle, Danger; we plucke this Flower, Safety. 1836Gentl. Mag. V. 221 When he did apply the rod, it was generally formed of nettles. 1841–4Emerson Ess., Friendship Wks. (Bohn) I. 88 Better be a nettle in the side of your friend than his echo. 1870Lowell Study Wind. 39 Those driving nettles of frost that sting the cheeks.
b. The Sea-nettle. (Cf. red nettle 2.) rare—1.
1601Holland Pliny II. 444 The sea fish called a Nettle.
c. = nettle-tree 2.
1889J. H. Maiden Usef. Native Plants 192 Laportea gigas..‘Giant Nettle’. The poisonous fluid secreted from the foliage is very powerful.
2. In phrases, etc.:
a. nettle in, dock out, see dock n.1 3.
b. (See quot. a 1700.)
c. on nettles, in fidgets, uneasy, excited.
1592Greene Upst. Courtier B 3, All these women that you heare brawling..and skolding thus, have seuerally pist on this bush of nettles. a1700B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew s.v. Nettled, He has pist upon a Nettle, he is very uneasy or much out of Humor. 1828Craven Gloss. s.v., ‘Thou's p―d of a nettle this morning’, said of a waspish, ill-tempered person. 1892Stevenson Across Plains i. 56 Some of them were on nettles till they learned your name was Dickson.
d. to cast (throw) one's frock (or cassock) to the nettles [= Fr. jeter le froc aux orties], to renounce the clerical life; also transf. rare.
1916W. J. Locke Wonderful Year xviii. 255 Now, indeed, he had burned his boats, thrown his cap over the windmills, cast his frock to the nettles. 1918― Rough Road vi. 58 Young parsons..threw their cassocks to the nettles and put on the full..panoply of war.
3. ellipt. A nettle-tap moth (see 4 b). rare—1.
1819G. Samouelle Etymol. Compend. 385 Tortrix urticana. The barred Nettle.
4. attrib. and Comb.
a. Simple attrib., etc., as nettle-bed, nettle-blossom, nettle-bush, nettle-field, nettle-juice, nettle-leaf, nettle-plant, nettle-root, nettle-seed, nettle-stalk, nettle-stem, nettle-sting, nettle-top; in sense ‘made with nettles’, as nettle-beer, nettle-broth, nettle-kale, nettle-porridge, † nettle-pottage, nettle-tea; nettle-leaved, nettle-like, nettle-rough, nettle-stung adjs.; † nettle-sting vb. (hence nettle-stinging).
1894R. Kerr Pioneering in Morocco 205 Such commotion about a *nettlebed.
1864Chambers's Encycl. VI. 726/1 The stalks and leaves of nettles are employed..for the manufacture of a light kind of beer, called *Nettle beer. 1910A. Bennett Clayhanger i. xii. 103, I won't have them apprentices drinking!.. Mrs. Nixon'll give 'em some nettle-beer if they fancy it. 1953Word for Word (Whitbread & Co.) 12/2 Nettle beer, brewed from nettles as opposed to barley.
1868Ruskin Pol. Econ. Art Add. 194 The beautiful circlet of the white *nettle blossom.
1825Jamieson, *Nettle-broth, broth made of nettles, as a substitute for greens.
14..Nom. in Wr.-Wülcker 711 Hoc urticetum, a *netyl-bushe.
1919Chambers's Jrnl. May 298/2 In the boggy regions..people have begun to cultivate *nettle-fields. 1965G. B. Schaller Year of Gorilla vii. 171 The guard and I cut a narrow trail through the stands of lobelias and nettle fields.
1747Wesley Prim. Physick (1762) 35 Take an ounce of *Nettle juice. 1846Lindley Veget. Kingd. 261 The causticity of Nettle juice is owing to the presence of bicarbonate of ammonia.
1859Brockie in J. Watson Bards of Border 195 The laich herd's hoose, Where I suppit *nettle kail. 1884Chamb. Jrnl. 8 Mar. 147/1 The common stinging nettle..in Scotland is occasionally used for making a kind of soup termed nettle kail.
1677A. Horneck Gt. Law Consid. ii. (1704) 18 Who would suspect such things as needles, or sharp transparent pikes in a *nettleleaf?
1789J. Pilkington View. Derbysh. I. 351 *Nettle-leaved Bellflower, Great Throatwort, or Canterbury Bells. 1828Sir J. E. Smith Eng. Flow. II. 11 Nettle-leaved Goosefoot.
1777Pennant Brit. Zool. IV. 49 Many species on being handled affect with a *nettle-like burning.
1764Museum Rust. II. 159 The fibres of the *nettle plant.
1660–1Pepys Diary 25 Feb., There we did eat some *nettle porridge.
1776T. Percival Ess. (1776) III. 258 The children breakfasted of *nettle-pottage, that is, oatmeal gruel with fresh nettles boiled in it.
1747Wesley Prim. Physick (1762) 36 Chew *Nettle root.
1850Mrs. Browning Poems I. 337 The thought I called a flower, grew *nettle-rough.
c1440Promp. Parv. 355/1 *Nettyl-seede, gnydisperma. 1601Holland Pliny II. 121 As touching Nettle seed, Nicander affirms, That it is a very counterpoison against Hemlock. 1643J. Steer tr. Exp. Chyrurg. iii. 7 A sharpe and pricking pain, like as though the skin were rubbed with Nettle-seed.
1684Ray Phil. Lett. (1718) 175, I wish I had Assurance..that those Sorts of Linen..are made of *Nettle-Stalks. 1766Museum Rust. VI. 429 Making cloth of Hop Binds and Nettle Stalks.
1891T. Hardy Tess liv, The pale and blasted *nettle-stems of the preceding year.
1822–34Good's Study Med. (ed. 4) II. 337 Florid, itching, *nettle-sting wheals. 1898Westm. Gaz. 30 Sept. 4/1 The dock-leaf..is useful as a remedy for nettle-sting.
1598E. Guilpin Skial. (1878) 40, I applaud my selfe For *nettle-stinging thus this fayery elfe. 1666W. Boghurst Loimogr. (1894) 93 Little red superficiall pimples in clusters like nettle stinging.
1891C. T. C. James Rom. Rigmarole 102 The leaf of the common dock I have found efficacious, if applied..to *nettle-stung legs.
1758Wesley Wks. (1872) XII. 203 *Nettle-tea..would do you more good than any other. 1843Penny Cycl. XXVI. 62/2 ‘Nettle-tea’ is a popular remedy for many diseases.
1797Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3) XVIII. 693/2 *Nettle-tops in the spring are often boiled and eaten by the common people. 1836–48B. D. Walsh Aristoph., Knights i. iii, Like those who're fond of nettle-tops.
b. Special combs.: nettle battery, one of the stinging organs of a hydrozoon; nettle-bird = nettle-creeper; nettle-blight, æcidium urticæ, a parasitic plant common on nettles (Ogilvie Suppl. 1855); nettle-bulb (see quot.); nettle butterfly, Vanessa urticæ, whose larvæ feed on nettles; nettle cell, a stinging cell; † nettle cheese (see quots.); nettle-creeper, a name applied to the Whitethroat (Sylvia cinerea), and the Golden Warbler (Sylvia hortensis) from their nesting in hedge-bottoms among nettles; nettle-docken, the common dock, which is used to relieve nettle-stings; nettle-earnest Sc., downright earnest; nettle-fever, urticaria (Cent. Dict. 1890); nettle-fish, a stinging jelly-fish (ibid.); nettle-geranium, Coleus fruticosus; nettle-grub, a stinging caterpillar injurious to the tea-plant (Stand. Dict. 1895); nettle-hemp = hemp-nettle s.v. hemp n. 5; nettle-lichen, a skin disease (see lichen n. 3); nettle-monger, (a) the Reed Sparrow or Reed Bunting; (b) the Whitethroat; (c) the Blackcap; nettle-spring dial., nettle-rash; nettle-tap (moth), a moth which frequents nettle-beds; nettle-thread, one of the stinging hairs of acalephs (Cent. Dict. 1890); nettle-tom dial., the White-throat; nettle-weed U.S., a plant of the nettle family; nettle-whip (see quot.); nettle-wort, (a) a spurgewort of the genus Acalypha; (b) a plant of the nettle family; nettle-yarn, the prepared fibre of nettles.
1888Rolleston & Jackson Anim. Life 770 Cnidoblasts, from which new ‘*nettle batteries’ are derived in growth.
1854A. E. Baker Northampton Gloss. Add. II. 415 *Nettle-bird, the white-throat.
1888Rolleston & Jackson Anim. Life 783 Some Rhizostome genera also possess ‘*nettle-bulbs’, stalked processes with or without a terminal opening.
1802Bingley Anim. Biog. (1813) III. 211 The *Nettle tortoise-shell butterfly. 1826Kirby & Sp. Entomol. xxix. III. 101 The eggs of..the nettle butterfly..when laid in summer are hatched in a few days. 1902R. W. Chambers Maids of Paradise xiii. 222 The scarlet-banded nettle-butterflies flitted and hovered.
1870Nicholson Zool. 109 The ‘*nettle cells’ or ‘cnidæ’ of the Cœlenterata. 1896tr. Boas' Text-bk. Zool. 107 Numerous ‘batteries’ of nettle cells.
1615Markham Eng. Housew. ii. iv. 118 A very dainty *nettle Cheese, which is the finest summer Cheese which can be eaten... You shall lay [the curd] vpon fresh nettles and couer it all ouer with the same. 1694Ladies' Dict. 155/1 Cheese, of which there are two kinds, Morning-Milk-Cheese, Nettle Cheese.
1817T. Forster Nat. Hist. Swallows (ed. 6) 79 Sylvia atricapilla, Black-cap, Haychat, *Nettlecreeper, or Nettlemonger. 1845Encycl. Metrop. XXV. 364/2 The White Throat..is seen..among weeds and nettles, whence one of its provincial names is the Nettle Creeper.
1891M. M. Dowie Girl in Karp. 234 The common *nettle-docken, the stuff that no creature will eat.
1818Hogg Brownie of Bodsbeck xiii, Ane canna speak a word but it is taen in *nettle-earnest.
1860Piesse Lab. Chem. Wonders 67 Two very luxuriant *nettle-geraniums. 1597–1744 *Nettle-hemp [see hemp n. 5].
1822–34Good's Study Med. (ed. 4) IV. 432 The Urticose or *Nettle Lichen is, perhaps, the most distressing form of all the varieties.
1712Mortimer Northampt. 428 The Reed Sparrow..is found upon Willows and Bushes by our Brook-sides, as also upon Bunches of Nettles; and is therefore called the *Nettlemonger by some. 1831Rennie Montagu's Ornith. Dict. 42 The provincial names of Mock-nightingale, Nettle-creeper, Nettle-monger.
1819G. Samouelle Entomol. Compend. 364 Tortrix lutosa. The early *Nettle-tap. Ibid. 442 Tortrix Oxyacanthæ. The Autumn Nettle-tap. 1845Encycl. Metrop. XXIV. 597/1 Flitting with a very peculiar flight over the tops of nettles, and thence termed Nettle-taps.
1830in W. Cobbett Rur. Rides (1885) II. 320 The sweet and soft voice of the white-throat or *nettle-tom.
1843‘R. Carlton’ New Purchase I. xix. 159 They gathered a peculiar species of nettle, (called there *nettle-weed,) which they succeeded in dressing like flax. 1867‘T. Lackland’ Homespun i. 18 Their blackened skeletons..overgrown with nettleweeds and long grasses.
1888Rolleston & Jackson Anim. Life 783 ‘*Nettle-whips’..are elongated funnel-shaped openings,..beset with digitelli.
1834Miller's Dict. Gard. 46 Acalypha.., *Nettle Wort. 1846Lindley Veget. Kingd. 261 Nettleworts will then be easily known from Morads and Hempworts, which have a hooked embryo.
1885J. S. Stallybrass tr. Hehn's Wand. Plants & Anim. 469 The Germans also made nets of *nettle-yarn.
▪ II. ˈnettle, n.2
[f. nettle v.]
A state of uneasiness or impatience.
1723Dk. Wharton True Briton No. 60 II. 516 Trebellius, you may be sure somewhat upon the Nettle, addresses himself to the Favourite. 1792M. Cutler in Life, etc. (1888) I. 487 Congress..are extremely tedious in their debates..and, at the same time, all in a nettle to rise and adjourn.
▪ III. ˈnettle, n.3
variant of knettle, knittle.
1841Dana Seaman's Man. 43 Take two parts of different yarns and twist them up taut into nettles... Lay half the nettles down [etc.]. 1875Bedford Sailor's Pocket Bk. x. (ed. 2) 360 Nettle stuff.
▪ IV. nettle, v.|ˈnɛt(ə)l|
Forms: 5 nettil, nettyl(le, 5–7 netle, 6 nettel(l, nettyll, 6– nettle.
[f. nettle n.1 Cf. MDu. netelen (Du. nettelen), G. nesseln.]
1. trans. To beat or sting (a person or animal) with nettles.
c1440Promp. Parv. 355/1 Netlyn, urtico. 1483Cath. Angl. 253/2 To Nettylle, vrticare. 1530Palsgr. 644/1, I nettyll, je ourtie. If a horse be well nettelled under the tayle he wyll kycke jolyly. 1596Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, i. iii. 240, I am whipt & scourg'd with rods, Netled, and stung with Pismires. 1616Surfl. & Markh. Country Farme i. xv. 71 To nettle him with the strongest and most stinging Nettles that you can get. 1670Ray in Phil. Trans. V. 2064 Ants, if they get into peoples clothes,..will cause a smart and tingling, as if they were netled. 1882R. Holland in N. & Q. 6th Ser. VI. 54 It is customary in Cheshire to punish those who do not wear a sprig of oak by nettling them.
b. refl. To get (oneself, one's hands, etc.) stung by nettles.
1719D'Urfey Pills II. 284 Like Boy that had nettl'd his Breech. 1869W. Cory Lett. & Jrnls. (1897) 267, I worked hard at lighting a fire, nettling my hands in gathering fuel. 1902M. Barnes-Grundy Thames Camp 111 I nettled myself badly.
c. (Also absol.) To sting as a nettle does.
1858Lewes Sea-side Stud. 149 If the capsules are the nettling organs, why do they not nettle in those parts where they are most abundant? 1879S. Lanier Poems (1884) 92 A flower That clung with pain and stung with power, Yea, nettled me, body and mind.
2. To irritate, vex, provoke, pique.
1562J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 82 She nettled him. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 683 The Erle of Warwicke..toke many riche ships of the Duke of Burgoyns countries, (which sore netteled the Duke). 1601B. Jonson Poetaster i. ii, I know this nettles you now, but answere me. 1668Dryden Even. Love i. ii, She has nettled me; would I could be revenged on her! 1722De Foe Col. Jack (1840) 211 This last discourse nettled me. 1761F. Sheridan Sidney Bidulph II. 319 This foolish woman's behaviour nettled me extremely. 1814I. D'Israeli Quarrels Auth. (1867) 308 A ridiculous story..nettled Pope more than the keener remonstrances. 1859Masson Milton I. 618 Cottington would now and then nettle his Grace by a jibe.
absol.1726Swift To Lady Wks. 1751 XIV. 229 But with Raillery to nettle, Sets your Thoughts upon their Mettle.
b. In pa. pple. Irritated, vexed, provoked, annoyed. Const. at, by, with, etc.
a1400–50Alexander 737 Now is ser Nicollas anoyed & nettild with ire, As wrath as a waspe. c1460Towneley Myst. xxx. 169 She that is most meke..can rase vp a reke if she be well nettyld. a1548Hall Chron., Hen. IV 19 He beyng netteled with these uncurteous..prickes & thornes. 1579Fenton Guicciard. viii. (1599) 310 Cæsar being netled by so many infamies..received. 1618Bolton Florus (1636) 267 Cæsar, throughly nettled at the newes, resolved [etc.]. 1672Marvell Corr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 410 Sir Philip..knew not so much and is well netled. 1724De Foe Mem. Cavalier (1840) 171 Essex, nettled to be both beaten in fight, and outdone in conduct, decamps. 1782F. Burney Cecilia ii. iv, The haughty Baronet, extremely nettled, forced his way on. 1838Dickens Nich. Nick. xiii, Not a little nettled to observe that they were enjoying the scene from a snug corner. 1853Kingsley Hypatia xxvii, A little nettled by her contemptuous tone.
c. intr. To become irritated or annoyed. rare. Also nettle up (dial.).
1810Splendid Follies II. 31 Milford..began to nettle at the fidgets of his visitor. 1875Waugh Owd Cronies ii, Sally blushed and nettled up.
3. To prick or stir up; to incite, rouse.
a1592Greene George a Greene Wks. (Rtldg.) 257/2 There are few fellows in our parish so nettled with love as I have been of late. 1650R. Stapylton Strada's Low C. Wars ix. 46 His Souldiers, that were..nettled with the example and danger of their General. 1841Catlin N. Amer. Ind. (1844) II. lii. 150 He rode and nettled his prancing steed in front of my door.
4. To make sharp, to intensify. rare—1.
1821Clare Vill. Minstr. II. 4 Delays so lingering dampt her joys, And expectation nettled woe. |