| 释义 |
‖ noblesse oblige, phr.|nəʊˈblɛs əʊˈbliːʒ|
[Fr.]
Phrase suggesting that noble ancestry constrains (to honourable behaviour); privilege entails responsibility. Also in extended use. Also as n. and attrib.
1837F. A. Kemble Let. 1 Aug. in Rec. Later Life (1882) I. 86 To be sure, if ‘noblesse oblige’, royalty must do so still more. 1864J. H. Newman Apol. i. 10 Do you think I can let you go scot free instead of myself? No; noblesse oblige. Go to the shades, old man. 1873C. M. Yonge Pillars of House IV. xxxix. 150, I always regarded you as a sacred personage, condemned to noblesse oblige, and all that! 1896Beerbohm Happy Hypocrite in Yellow Bk. Oct. 12 Noblesse oblige..an aristocrat should be very careful of his good name. 1903Chesterton Robert Browning v. 114 When someone excused coarseness..on the ground of genius, he said, ‘That is an error: Noblesse oblige.’ 1923D. H. Lawrence Birds, Beasts & Flowers 65 Blessed are the pure in heart and the fathomless in bright pride; The loveliness that knows noblesse oblige. 1932J. M. S. Tompkins Popular Novel in England 1770–1800 iv. 153 The Magdalens of gentle blood..descend..to the family vault. It is a clear case of noblesse oblige. 1968Listener 6 June 713/2 Noblesse oblige Toryism..is giving way to..managerial Conservatism. 1973J. Shub Moscow by Nightmare xiii. 150 He was pleased to inform the servants of his whereabouts; it simplified their reporting for the KGB. Noblesse oblige. |