| 释义 |
† ˈoutrance Obs. exc. as. Fr.|utrãs|
Forms: 5–6 oultra(u)nce, 5 out-, owtraunce, 7 outterance, 5– outrance. See also utterance.
[a. OF. oultrance, outrance (13th c. in Hatz.-Darm.) going beyond bounds, excess, extremity, f. oultrer, outrer to pass beyond, surpass, conquer, drive out of bounds or to extremity, = Pr. ultrar, It. oltrare to go beyond, f. L. ultrā, It. oltra, F. oltre, outre beyond. In this form the word has been more or less obs. since 17th c., since which time however the Fr. phrase à outrance, à toute outrance (erroneously à l'outrance), to excess, to extremity, has been in occasional use, instead of the Eng. at or to (the) outrance. But already c 1400 the same vowel-shortening which changed outer, outmost to utter, utmost, shortened outrance to uttrance, subseq. often extended to utterance, in which form the word is still occasional in literary use.]
a. A degree which goes beyond bounds or beyond measure; excess: only in the phrases to (unto) outrance, beyond all limits, to the utmost, to extremity, at outrance, at the last extremity; to fight to (the) or at outrance, to fight to the bitter end, to the death (rendering F. combattre à outrance, à toute outrance, 13th c. in Littré).
1412–20Lydg. Chron. Troy i. ii, Fyrste he must..Unto oultraunce with these bulles to fyght. 14..Hoccleve Bal. Virg. & Christ 48 Lest..The feend me assaille, & haue at the outrance. a1420― De Reg. Princ. 3217 Rathir hadde I-putte hym to þe outraunce. c1550R. Bieston Barte Fortune A vj, But poore men to punishe vnto the oultrance. 1601Holland Pliny I. 280 As if sword-fencers were brought within the lists to fight at outterance. 1609― Amm. Marcell. xix. ii. 125 They were so stiffely set to fight to the outrance. 1755Smollett Quix. ii. v. (1783) I. 89 note, To fight the owner to extremity or outrance. 1819Scott Ivanhoe viii, The combat was understood to be at outrance.
‖b. The corresponding Fr. phrase (also erron. à l'outrance).
1600Tate in Gutch Coll. Cur. I. 8 The manner of fight is..by Capitulation, or a Toute Outrance. 1837,1860[see à l'outrance]. 1883Standard 24 Oct. 5/2 (Stanf.) Every duellist à outrance binds himself to commit suicide or murder. 1955Times 19 May 10/2 Powerful Mau Mau ‘generals’..are in favour of continuing the struggle à outrance. 1959Listener 8 Oct. 589/1 The destruction of her fragile world and the war à outrance to keep something of it intact. |