| 释义 |
‖ nous|naʊs|
Also 8–9 nouse, 9 nowse.
[a. Gr. νοῦς, Attic contracted form of νόος mind.]
1. Greek Philos. Mind, intellect.
1678Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. iv. 406 An Immovable and Standing Nous or Intellect, which was properly the Demiurgus, or Architectonick Framer of the whole World. 1768–74Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) II. 197 They conceived of the Word as something analogous to the Nous or second Hypostasis of Plato. 1884Encycl. Brit. XVII. 336/1 What Plotinus understands by the nous is the highest sphere accessible to the human mind.., and, along with that, pure thought itself.
2. colloq. or slang. Intelligence, common sense, gumption. (Common from 19th cent.)
Sometimes written in Greek letters: ―[1729Pope Dunc. iv. 244 Thine is the genuine head of many a house, And much Divinity without a νους. 1797R. Polwhele Old Engl. Gentl. 87 Turning to the signs with keener νους Foretold the future fortunes of his house. 1819Byron Juan ii. cxxx, Because the good old man had so much νους.] 1706E. Baynard Cold Baths II. 306 A Demo-brain'd Doctor of more Note than Nous. c1790Wolcot (P. Pindar) Lousiad ii. Wks. 1816 I. 158 Oh! aid, as lofty Homer says, my nouse, To sing sublime the Monarch and the Louse! 1819Sir G. Jackson Diaries & Lett. (1873) I. 89 They would not send Oakeley. He has no nouse. 1847F. A. Kemble Later Life III. 282, I think his doing so exhibits considerable nous in a brute. 1884Graphic 8 Nov. 494/3, I am glad that my people had the nous to show you into a room where there was a fire. 1927F. B. Young Portrait of Clare 509 ‘Upon my soul, Clare,’ Aunt Cathie declared, ‘I thought you had more nous.’ 1928Galsworthy Swan Song i. ii. 12 They've got no more nous than a tom-cat. 1930R. Campbell Adamastor 26 Had Creswell, Smuts or Hertzog half his nous, There would be far more goats on the Karroo And far less in the Senate and the House. 1945R. Hargreaves Enemy at Gate 291 Nothing compensated for ignorance or lack of nous in a leader. 1946[see common n.1 16]. 1956[see backwoods b]. 1959[see can n.1 1 f]. 1972Daily Tel. 8 Dec. 14/6, I do know how easy it would be for anyone with a camera and a little nous to film ‘The Breakdown of Life’ in Britain. 1973Times 22 Feb. 25/1 If we had had a bit of nous we'd have probably discovered this earlier. 1975Daily Tel. 29 Jan. 17 The City, extraordinary as it may sound, has very limited political nous.
attrib.1823Grose's Dict. Vulgar T. (Egan), Nous Box, the head.
Hence nous(e, v. (see quot.). rare.
1859Slang Dict. 69 Nouse, to understand or comprehend. |