| 释义 |
▪ I. overture, n.|ˈəʊvətj(ʊ)ə(r)|
Also 5–8 ouverture.
[a. OF. overture, mod.F. ouverture opening, f. ouvert open, overt.]
†1. An opening, aperture, orifice, hole. Obs.
13..E.E. Allit. P. A. 218 Vche a hemme, At honde, at sydez, at ouerture. 1422tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 239 Thay men wyche..haue throgh al the body the ouertures large, that clerkys callyth Pores. a1548Hall Chron., Hen. V 56 b, Diuers ouertures and holes were made vnder the foundacion by the pyoners. 1611Cotgr., Escoutilles,..th' ouertures, or trap doores, whereat things are let downe into the hold. 1714–21Pope Let. to Dk. Buckhm. Wks. 1737 VI. 27 The Kitchin [at Stanton Harcourt]..being one vast Vault to the Top of the House; where one overture serves to let out the smoak and let in the light. 1727Swift Country Post Wks. 1755 III. i. 176 To possess themselves of the two overtures of the said fort. 1749Mrs. R. Goadby Carew (1750) 105 The false Belly, in which the Female [Opossum] carries her Young..In the hinder Part of it is an Overture big enough for a small Hand to pass.
fig.1603Holland Plutarch's Mor. 49 [This] will make an overture and way unto the minde of a yoong ladde. 1643Milton Soveraigne Salve 31 Deluges of sinne breake in at this so great an overture of the faith.
†b. An open or exposed place. Obs. rare—1.
1579Spenser Sheph. Cal. July 28 The wastefull hylls vnto his threate Is a playne ouerture [gloss. an open place].
c. Her. The state of being expanded: said of the wings of a bird so represented: see overt a. 1 b.
†2. The opening up or revelation of a matter; a disclosure, discovery, declaration. Obs.
a1548Hall Chron., Hen. VII 34 The kyng had knowledge of the chief Capitaynes of this tumulte by the ouerture of hys espyes. 1605Shakes. Lear iii. vii. 89 It was he That made the ouerture of thy Treasons to vs. 1654H. L'Estrange Chas. I (1655) 4 Upon the prime overture of his message at the French Court, he found so ready and fluent an inclination in king Lewes.
3. An opening of negotiations with another person or party with a view to some proceeding or settlement; a formal proposal, proposition, or offer; e.g. an overture of marriage, overtures of peace.
1433Rolls of Parlt. IV. 425/1 [He] made hem yerinne diverse faire overtures and offris. 1453Paston Lett. I. 261 In case ye make not to me ouverture of justice upon the seyd caas. 1501in Lett. Rich. III & Hen. VII (Rolls) I. 154 The whiche overture..[was] for the renovelling of the said amitie. 1601Shakes. All's Well iv. iii. 46 Cap. E. I heare there is an ouerture of peace. Capt. G. Nay, I assure you a peace concluded. 1655Digges Compl. Ambass. 101 Any time these five years there have been overtures of marriage made unto him. 1752Fielding Amelia xi. iii, She was not one of those backward and delicate ladies, who can die rather than make the first overture. 1885Law Times Rep. LII. 648/1 They had had overtures from several persons to purchase..the trust property.
4. a. In the Scottish Parliament or Convention of the Estates: A motion introduced to be made an Act. Obs. exc. Hist.
1561Reg. Privy Council Scot. 193 It wes thocht gude and expedient be hir Hienis that ane Generall Conventioun suld be appointit the xv day of December instant,..and be the avyise of the hale, ane ressonable overture maid and ordoure takin for..quieting of the hale cuntre. 1641Sc. Acts Chas. I V. 625 Agreed by the whole estates that when an overture is proposed, every estate have 24 hours to advise the same before he be urged to answer thereto. 1707Vulpone; or Remarks Proc. Scot. Union 2 In the first Session of this present Parliament in 1703..the E[arl of Marchmont]..gave in an Overture (as they call it) by way of Act, for Settling the Succession upon the foot of Limitations.
b. In the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and in the supreme court of other Presbyterian churches: A formal motion proposing or calling for legislation.
In current use, an overture is a proposal to make a new general law for the Church or to repeal an old one; to declare the law; to enjoin the observance of former enactments; or generally to take any measure falling within the legislative or executive functions of the Assembly. Such a proposal must first be made in an inferior court (presbytery or synod), and, if there adopted, is transmitted by that court as its overture to the supreme court. If adopted by the supreme court as an overture, it is submitted to the various presbyteries for approval by them or a majority of them before it can be passed as an act.
1576Recds. of 33rd Gen. Assembly in Bk. of Univ. Kirk of Scotl. (1839) 155 Brethren appointed to make ane overture of the policie and jurisdiction of the Kirk. 1676W. Row Contn. Blair's Autobiog. ix. (1848) 143 Mr. Livingstone proponed an overture. 1723Wodrow Corr. (1843) III. 52 Some very good overtures, if put in practice, against Popery, were passed, and Synod-books were taken in. 1737J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. ii. ii. iii. 358 Matters of great weight that bind the whole Church [of Scotland] are first brought in by way of overtures, and then debated in the house. 1864Burton Scot Abr. I. v. 273. 1871 H. Moncrieff Pract. F.C. Scot. (1877) 65 It is competent for any Presbytery to transmit what is called an Overture, either to the Provincial Synod or to the General Assembly, with the view of inducing the Superior Court to adopt any measure within its legislative or executive functions.
†5. An ‘opening’ for proceeding to action. Obs.
1610Donne Pseudo-martyr 128 To vnderstand..where any ouerture is giuen for the Popes aduantage. 1617Moryson Itin. ii. 10 They..escaped out of prison, being all prisoners of great moment, whose inlargement gaue apparant ouerture to ensuing rebellion. 1679–1714Burnet Hist. Ref., He was casting about for new overtures how to compass what he so earnestly desired. 1768Woman of Honor III. 65 If I had seen the least glimpse of an overture of succeeding with the invincible Clara.
†6. An opening, beginning, commencement; esp. a formal opening of proceedings; a first indication or hint of something. Obs.
1595Daniel Civ. Wars ii. xxxiv, If the least imagin'd overture But of conceiv'd revolt men once espie. 1612Davies Why Ireland etc. (1747) 78 Let us therefore take a briefe view of the seueral impediments which arose in euery Kings time since the ouerture of the Conquest. 1656Sir J. Finett For. Ambass. 154 The next day being that of the overture of parliament. 1658Jer. Taylor Let. in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 5 If ever you have noted or heard of any overtures of unkindnesse betweene them. 1727–41Chambers Cycl. s.v., The overture of the jubilee, is a general procession, etc.
7. a. Mus. An orchestral piece, of varying form and dimensions, forming the opening or introduction to an opera, oratorio, or other extended composition; often containing or made up of themes from the body of the work, or otherwise indicating the character of it.
Also applied to a similar piece intended for independent performance; and, rarely, to the introductory piece of a series for a single instrument, as a harpsichord.
1667Davenant & Dryden Tempest i. i, While the overture is playing, the curtain rises. 1706Phillips, Overture,..also a Flourish of Musick, before the Scenes are open'd in a Play-house, especially before the beginning of an Opera. 1729Gay (title) The Beggar's Opera..The third edition: With the Ouverture in Score, the Songs, and the Basses. 1797Monthly Mag. III. 149 The overture, which is in the favourite overture key, D major, is bold and dashing. 1880H. J. Lincoln in Grove Dict. Mus. II. 618 Overture.., i.e. Opening. This term was originally applied to the instrumental prelude to an opera, its first important development being due to Lulli, as exemplified in his..French operas and ballets, dating from 1672 to 1686.
b. fig. (Cf. prelude.)
1802Wolcott (P. Pindar) Ld. Belgrave Wks. 1812 IV. 523 Soon as the Winds begin to sing, Or rather play their overture to thunder. 1847W. Irving in Life & Lett. (1864) IV. 18 Unless you come up soon, you will miss the overture of the season—the first sweet notes of the year.
c. The opening or introductory part of a poem.
1870Swinburne Ess. & Stud. (1875) 269 The..verses headed ‘Tears in Solitude’—exquisite as is the overture, faultless in tone and colour, and worthy of a better sequel. 1881Saintsbury Dryden 98 Dryden's overtures are very generally among the happiest parts of his poems.
¶8. Erroneous obsolete use, app. due to association with over: Overturning, overthrow.
1591Greene Disc. Coosnage Pref. (1592) 3 No man knoweth..better which waie to raise a gainefull commodity, and howe the abuses and ouerture of prices might bee redressed. 1593Nashe Christ's T. 27 Consider, howe his threats were after verified in Ierusalems ouerture. 1616Bullokar Eng. Expos., Ouerture, an ouerturning, a sudden change. 1633Prynne Histriomastix 2 The very fatall plagues, and ouertures of those States and Kingdomes where they are once tollerated.
▪ II. ˈoverture, v.
[f. prec. n.]
1. trans. To bring or put forward as an overture or proposal; to offer, propose.
1637–50[see overtured below]. a1665J. Goodwin Filled w. the Spirit (1867) 486 He shall not only want one of the greatest arguments and motives to persuade men and women unto ways that are excellent, but also overture such a thing which would be a snare and temptation to fight low. 1880Sid. Smith in Daily News 7 Apr. 3/3 A prominent Tory overtured to a leading Liberal that the party of the latter need not further trouble themselves with precautions against Tory opposition.
2. In the supreme court of a Presbyterian Church: To bring forward as an overture; to introduce as a motion.
1671True Nonconf. 100 It had become you rather, who would be accounted a kindly child of the Church of Scotland, to have overtured a way how the Church Patrimony..may be recovered from the Harpyes who devoure it. 1715Wodrow Corr. (1843) II. 36 The sub-committee overtured the form of an act anent it. 1726Ibid. III. 241 We overtured that either the act might be repealed or execute. 1898in Westm. Gaz. 3 Mar. 4/3 It is therefore hereby humbly overtured to the Very Reverend the Synod of the Presbyterian Church of England..to take the premises into consideration.
b. To present or transmit an overture to (a church court); to approach with an overture.
1864Burton Scot Abr. I. v. 273 A motion is made in a presbytery ‘to overture’ the General Assembly. 1895Westm. Gaz. 17 June 2/1 The Free Presbytery of Skye ‘overtured’ the General Assembly to take into its serious consideration ‘the views of man's origin propounded by Professor Drummond in his work on the ‘Ascent of Man’.’
3. To introduce with, or as with, a musical overture or prelude; to prelude.
1870J. Hamilton Moses vii. 122 Needing no thunder nor trumpet to overture His discourse and astonish His audience.
Hence ˈovertured ppl. a., proposed.
1637–50Row Hist. Kirk (1842) 83 A little more or less nor the overtured summes, according to the abilitie and extent of the rents in the place. |