| 释义 |
omniscience|ɒmˈnɪʃəns, -ɪəns|
[ad. med. Schol. L. omniscientia (Du Cange), f. omni- + scientia knowledge: see -ence. Cf. mod.F. omniscience (1762 in Dict. Acad.).]
The quality of being omniscient. a. Strictly: Infinite knowledge; hence transf. the omniscient Being, the Deity.
1612T. Taylor Comm. Titus i. 9 His omniscience..searcheth the heart, discouereth the thoughts. 1646Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. 282 'Tis a professed and authentick obscurity, unknown to all but to the omniscience of the Almighty. 1712Addison Spect. No. 315 ⁋4 The Survey of the whole Creation..is a Prospect worthy of Omniscience. 1836Hor. Smith Tin Trump. (1876) 271 To assist Omniscience with his Counsels, and lend a helping hand to Omnipotence.
b. Hyperbolically: Universal knowledge.
a1845Syd. Smith in I. Todhunter William Whewell (1876) I. xxi. 410 [Said of Whewell] ‘Science is his forte, and omniscience is his foible’. 1852Thackeray Esmond ii. xiii, A foible of Mr. Holt's..was omniscience. 1891T. R. Lounsbury Stud. Chaucer II. v. 179 Men at that time thought nothing of making a specialty of omniscience. |