| 释义 |
ossifrage|ˈɒsɪfrədʒ|
[ad. L. ossifrag-us, -a, name of a bird of prey, the ‘bone-breaker’, from ossifragus bone-breaking, f. os, ossi- bone + frag-, root of frangĕre to break. Cf. It. ossifraga.
The ossifraga of Pliny is identified by modern naturalists with the Lammergeyer, which swallows and digests bones, and is said to let them fall from a great height upon rocks and stones so as to break them. But the name appears to have been early transferred in France and England to the Fish-hawk, to which, in its assumed modern forms orfraie, osprey, it is now applied. Ossifrage has subsequently been taken directly from the L. form, either simply to render the L., or to name the bird held to be meant by Pliny, but has sometimes been used merely as a synonym of osprey. (In modern Ornithology, Ossifraga has been awkwardly taken by Bonaparte as generic name of the Giant Fulmar, a bird of the petrel family.) See also osprey.]
1. As a rendering of L. ossifraga, or as a name for the Lammergeyer or Geir Eagle, or of some kindred species identified with the bird called by the Romans ossifraga.
1601Holland Pliny x. iii. 272 Some reckon yet another kind of ægle, which they call Barbatæ; and the Tuscanes, Ossifrage. 1611Bible Lev. xi. 13 The Eagle, and the Ossifrage [R.V. gier eagle], and the Ospray [Coverd. the Aegle, the Goshauke, the Cormoraunte; Wyclif an egle, and a griffyn, and a merlyoun; Purvey an egle, and a grippe, aliete; Vulg. aquilam et gryphem, et haliæetum]. 1646Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. 130 When the Septuagint makes use of this word [γρύψ]..Tremellius and our Translation hath rendred it the Ossifrage, which is one kinde of Eagle. 1656Blount Glossogr., Ossifrage, a kind of Eagle, having so strong a beak, that therewith she breaks bones, and is therefore called a bone-breaker. 1688R. Holme Armoury ii. 256/1 The Ossifrage, or Dispised Eagle..is of greater Body, yet of different colour, from the Eagle. 1871G. J. Whyte-Melville Sarchedon III. xi. 150 Such kin they seemed to their conquerors as the dog to the wolf, the ossifrage to the eagle.
2. Identified with the osprey or fish-hawk.
1658Phillips, Ossifrage, a kind of Eagle which breaketh bones with her beak, the same as Osprey. 1678Ray Willughby's Ornith. 59 For the Haliæetus or Sea-Eagle we will present the Reader with the Ossifrage of Aldrovandus..a fierce and generous bird, preying upon Fish, and frequenting not only Pools and Rivers, but also the Sea. 1871Browning Balaust. 123 Crook'd claw o' the creature, cormorant, Or ossifrage, that..hangs Afloat i' the foam. |