| 释义 |
▪ I. niggard, n. and a.|ˈnɪgəd|
Forms: α. 4–5 negarde, 5–6 negard, 9 dial. neeger, neager, niegre, etc. β. 4–5 nygard, (4 -art), 4–6 -arde, (8) nigard, (6 -arde), 7 nigatt. γ. 4 nyggard, 5–6 -arde, 6– niggard, (6 -arde), 9 dial. niggar(t, -er, etc.
[Of obscure etym.; an earlier synonym is nigon, and the termination in both cases would normally indicate a French origin. The rareness of the n. nig makes it doubtful whether it is the base of both formations.]
A. n.
1. A mean, stingy, or parsimonious person; a miser; one who grudgingly parts with or expends anything.
αc1374Chaucer Troylus iii. 1379 So parfite joye may no negarde have. c1407Lydg. Reson & Sens. 1498 Dame Venus Kan make folkys covetous to spend her good.., And the Negarde to be large. c1510More Picus Wks. 18/1 The negard then saith to his money.., my god arte thou.
β1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xv. 136 He was a nygarde that no good myȝte aspare. 1390Gower Conf. II. 289 This Viola largesce hath take And the nygard sche hath forsake. 1483Caxton Cato E vij b, Men saye comynlye that the nygarde expendeth more than the lyberalle. a1548Hall Chron., Edw. IV 217 b, An extreme nigard, and a covetous extorcioner. 1579J. Northbrooke Dicing To Rdr., If a man will not dice & plaie, then he is a nigarde & a miser, and no good fellowe.
γc1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 243 He schal be holde a nyggard. c1440Promp. Parv. 355/2 Nyggarde (or muglard or nygun, or pynchar), tenax. 1529More Dyaloge iii. Wks. 225/2 If they kepe fewe seruauntes we call them nyggardes. 1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. 291 Some are pinchpenies & notable niggards. 1606J. Carpenter Solomon's Solace xliii. 168 That niggard, who for feare of loosing his wealth would hide it. 1675Traherne Chr. Ethics 481 He that does brave acts abroad, but is a niggard within doors. 1720Welton Suffer. Son of God I. xi. 280 As for the stingy Niggard, He benefits none, no, not even himself. 1748Richardson Clarissa (1811) I. xiii. 88 Riches left by one niggard to another. 1830D'Israeli Chas. I, III. viii. 163 This monarch was no niggard when he once showered the largess of his royal friendship. 1886Jessopp in 19th Cent. Apr. 519 It would not be permitted to a niggard to let the parsonage fall into disrepair.
transf.1752Young Brothers v. i, 'Tis impious to be niggards in delight. 1776Paine Com. Sense (1791) 61 That narrowness of soul..which the niggards of all professions are so unwilling to part with. 1838Lytton Leila i. v, They shall not, at least, call the Jews niggards in revenge. 1878Browning La Saisiaz 290 Praise or blame of its contriver, shown a niggard or profuse In each good or evil issue!
b. Const. of.
c1386Chaucer Wife's T. 407 Old and angry nygardes of despense, God send hem sone verray pestilence. 1540–1Elyot Image Gov. (1544) 50 He was suche a nygard of tyme, that he was meruaylousely greued, if he spente any day in solace. 1593Drayton Ecl. ii. 48 Thy wasted lungs be Niggards of thy breath. 1633P. Fletcher Poet. Misc. 64 A crown of wood-nymphs..Sit round about, no niggards of their faces. 1660F. Brooke tr. Le Blanc's Trav. 56 They..are not niggards of their lives in their Princes service. 1709Pope Ess. Crit. 580 Be niggards of advice on no pretence, For the worst avarice is that of sense. 1772Mackenzie Man World i. v, He who never trusts, is a niggard of his soul. 1862Goulburn Pers. Relig. iv. xi. (1873) 349 So long as he thinks Him a niggard either of pardon or grace.
2. dial. A movable piece of iron or fire-brick placed in the side or bottom of a grate to economize fuel; a false bottom. Also niggard iron.
1688Holme Armoury iii. xiv. (Roxb.) 9/1 The seuerall parts of a great are these... The niggatt Irons, Irons to set further or closer to gather. 1820C. R. Maturin Melmoth I. i. 17 Go down and draw the niggers of the kitchen fire closer. 1851Mayhew Lond. Labour II. 6 Niggards, generally called niggers (i.e. false bottoms for grates). 1869–in north. dial. glossaries (Northumbld., Cumbld., Lancs., Chesh.).
B. adj.
1. Miserly, parsimonious, mean, sparing; unwilling to give or spend anything.
a1366Chaucer Rom. Rose 1172 A fulle gret fool is he, ywys, That bothe riche and nygart is. 1515Barclay Egloges iv. C vj b, Though thou be nigard, & nought will geue of thine. c1530H. Rhodes Bk. Nurture 761 in Babees Bk. (1868) 103 A man that is a niggard churle no tyme is lyberall. 1598Barnfield Compl. Poetrie vi, What infernall furie late hath haunted Their niggard purses? 1623Penkethman Handf. Hon. i. xxix, Niggard or Couetous thou shalt not seeme. 1681Dryden Abs. & Achit. 369 Why am I scanted by a Niggard Birth? 1725Pope Odyss. xiv. 242 What by niggard Fortune was deny'd. 1794Coleridge Monody on Chatterton, A prodigal nature and a niggard doom. 1825Bentham Ration. Reward 35 Will they be supposed so mean as to be niggard with pence and lavish with millions? 1884Jennings Croker Papers I. viii. 237 [He] paid off his personal grudges with no niggard hand.
b. Const. of.
1602Shakes. Ham. iii. i. 13 Niggard of question, but of our demands Most free in his reply. 1812Byron Ch. Har. ii. xlix, Here dwells the caloyer, nor rude is he, Nor niggard of his cheer. 1842J. Wilson Chr. North (1857) II. 328 The heavens are niggard of their dues.
†c. Hard, unyielding. Obs. rare—1.
1600Dr. Dodypoll iii. iii. in Bullen O. Pl. III. 131 Then thy soft feete Would be repining at these niggard stones.
2. Of actions and qualities: Niggardly, ungenerous, displaying reluctance to give anything.
1672Dryden Assignation v. iv, To restore her to you, Is not an act of generosity, But a scant, niggard justice. 1794Sullivan View Nat. V. 373 To pass over with niggard and reluctant mention, the illustrious virtues of those, who [etc.]. 1847R. W. Hamilton Rewards & Punishm. viii. (1853) 361 Ours are no niggard views. a1860J. A. Alexander Gospel Jesus Christ xv. (1861) 206 [They] held fast with a niggard grasp the keys of heaven.
3. Scanty; given in a grudging way.
1751Eliza Heywood Betsy Thoughtless IV. 45, I confess myself utterly unable to maintain a family, like ours, on the nigard stipend you have allotted to that purpose. 1821–2Shelley Chas. I, i. 159 To them who earn The niggard wages of the earth. 1877Gladstone Glean. IV. 356 She obtained..but niggard measures either of aid or justice from the Powers of Europe.
b. Of a way, space, etc.: Narrow, small.
1595Daniel Civ. Wars i. xlviii, There was A niggard narrow way for men to passe. 1813Scott Rokeby ii. vii, A flinty footpath's niggard space. 1868Sill Poems, Hermitage xix, Here is no niggard gap of sky above.
C. Comb., as niggard-like, niggard-measured adjs.
1741Richardson Pamela (1824) I. 169 What is my single happiness, if I suffer it, niggard-like, to extend no farther than to myself? 1881H. Phillips tr. Chamisso's Faust 5 In visions passed the niggard-measured hours.
▪ II. † ˈniggard, v. Obs. rare.
[f. prec.]
1. intr. To act in a niggardly fashion. Also with it.
c1600Shakes. Sonn. i, Thou..Within thine owne bud buriest thy content, And tender chorle makst wast in niggarding. 1609R. Armin Ital. Taylor (1880) 146 Now not to niggard it at all, But ioyne as partner yit.
2. trans. To put off with a small amount of something; to treat in a niggardly fashion.
1601Shakes. Jul. C. iv. iii. 229 Nature must obey Necessitie, Which we will niggard with a little rest. |