| 释义 |
▪ I. osse, oss, v.|ɒs|
Now dial.
[Found in w. midl. dialect in 14th c., and still common from the Welsh Border to Cumbria and Northampton; much affected by Ph. Holland in his versions of Latin authors, to render ōminārī and its synonyms, as is osse n. to render ōmen. The latter has not been found in previous writers, though Holland (who, as Head Master of Coventry Free School, had opportunity of knowing the facts) refers to both n. and vb. as old words well known in the North. (See osse n. quot. 1600.) According to the known evidence, the n. appears to be derived from the vb., but the origin of both is involved in obscurity.
Holland was confirmed in his use of these words by believing them to be derived from Gr. ὄσσα ‘ominous voice or sound, prophecy, premonition’, the coincidence of which and its vb. ὄσσ-εσθαι ‘to presage, foretoken, forebode’ with osse n. and vb. is certainly very remarkable; yet it is impossible that an English vb. in popular use in the 14th c. could be derived from Greek without many intermediate links, of which in this case none are found. The verb is also used in mod. colloquial Welsh as osio ‘to give token of, show promise of’, but in the opinion of Prof. Rhŷs and Dr. Silvan Evans, this is merely a recent adoption from the adjacent English dialects. (Ray's conjecture of identity with F. oser ‘to dare’ (founded on a modern dialect use), is phonetically and historically futile.)]
†1. trans. (with obj. clause). ? To signify, indicate, make known, show. Obs.
13..E.E. Allit. P. C. 213 He [Jonah] ossed hym by vnnynges þat þay vnder-nomen, Þat he watz flowen fro þe face of frelych dryȝtyn.
†2. esp. To give oracular or prophetic indications; to presage, betoken, or signify as an omen; to prognosticate, forebode, augur, prophesy; to wish auspiciously, wish good luck. Also absol. or intr. Obs.
a1400–50Alexander 2263 Þus answars þam þaire ald gode & osses on þis wyse. Ibid. 2307 Quat, & has þou [Priestess of Diana] ossed to Alexander þis ayndain wirdes? [a1545Edgeworth, temp. Hen. VIII, uses to oss for to prophesy. Halliw.] 1600Holland Livy v. xviii. 192 In this Election..yee osse and presage happely against the yeare ensuing, concord and unitie. 1606― Sueton. 205 He [Nero] heard withall, an out-crie and showt..of the Souldiours ossing all mischiefe at him & all good unto Galba. Ibid. Annot. 18 b, Nonis, quasi, non is, which literally osseth as much as, you go not.
†b. With reverse const. Obs.
(If not a mispr. in quot. for ‘to osse unto the cittie’.)
1600Holland Livy iii. lxi. 129 Vnwilling I am..to boden such miseries and to osse the cittie unto those calamities.
c. Hence (in mod. dial.), To point or direct auspiciously, to commend or recommend (a person to something advantageous).
1885T. Hallam Four Dialect Words 60 (Shropsh.), I ossed 'er to a place. 1885–7T. Darlington Folk-sp. S. Chesh. 28 I'll oss yo' to a good heifer.
3. dial. To give augury or indication of what one is going to do or be, to bode or promise well or ill, shape well or ill for something; hence, to show signs or give indication of being about (to do), to make a show of (doing), to offer (to do); to make an attempt, to try, essay, venture, dare; to set about, prepare, be about (to do something).
1674–91Ray N.C. Wds., Osse, to offer to do, to aim at, or intend to do; ‘Ossing comes to bossing’; Prov. Chesh. ‘I did not osse to meddle with it’, i.e. ‘I did not dare, etc.’; fortè ab audeo, ausus. c1746Collier (Tim Bobbin) Lanc. Dial. Wks. (1862) 57, I..leet oth' owd Mon ith' Fowd, ossing t' get o Titback. 1790Mrs. Wheeler Westmld. Dial. iii. 85 Soa yee see Ise ossin towart Hauskeepin. 1828Craven Gloss. (ed. 2), Osse, to attempt, to offer. 1854Mrs. Gaskell North & S. xxviii, If I did see a friend who ossed to treat me, I never knew hoo lay a-dying here. 1879G. F. Jackson Shropsh. Word-bk. 312 That wench dunna seem to oss very well..'er 's as lazy as Ludlam's dog that laid 'im down to bark. Ibid. 313, I think the chap knows his work, 'e osses pretty well.
Hence ˈossing vbl. n., presaging; presage.
a1400–50Alexander 732 Haue a gud eȝe, Les[t] on þine ane here-efterward þine ossyngis liȝt. Ibid. 868 For it awe him noȝt sa openly slike ossing to make. 1600Holland Livy 202 This the Gaules supposing to be a fortunate ossing of their successe.
▪ II. osse, oss, n. Obs. or dial.
[See prec.]
†1. A word of omen, a presage; an ominous or auspicious word; an auspicious greeting, a wishing of good luck. Obs.
Almost peculiar to Phil. Holland, who uses it continually for L. omen; in Speed prob. from Holland's Camden.
1600Holland Livy 3 We rather should begin with good osses and luckie forespeakings [bonis ominibus]. Ibid. xli. xviii. 1107 note, Valerius Maximus..calleth this Omen of his (which I commonly interprete (Osse) fortuitum vocis jactum... For want of a proper tearme to expresse the Latine (Omen) all translators hitherto, French, Italian, and English, have been put to their shifts, and helpe themselves with (Presage)... Whereas that other word (Osse) is very significant, and in analogie æquivalent to (Omen). I mervell much therefore, why it is thought either strange and new (seeing it is English, used no doubt commonly in times past, and at this day currant in the North-parts, where the people haply are more observant of such presages) rather than many other forraine words, brought into our language, and raunged with the English: or why it should be condemned as absonant and not pleasing to the eare, more than ὄσσα in Greek.. from whence, who seeth not (Osse and Ossing both) are derived. 1601― Pliny Expl. Words Art, Osses, be words cast forth at vnawares, presaging somewhat. 1603― Plutarch's Mor. 1293 They take all their words which they passe in play and sport, as osses and presages. 1606― Sueton. 204 Portents..of prodigies and of Osses [Ominum]. 1609― Amm. Marcell. xix. x. 136 But the gods in heaven forfend the Osse. 1610― Camden's Brit. i. 139 All the osse and presage of good luck. 1611Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. vii. iv. §5. 206 Virgil also maketh the Horse to be a luckie Osse or foretokened successe in Battle.
2. An essay or attempt (at doing something).
Mod. W. Yorksh. dial. He made an oss at it. |