| 释义 |
perspicuous, a.|pəˈspɪkjuːəs|
[f. L. perspicu-us transparent, clear, evident (f. perspic-ĕre to see through) + -ous.]
†1. Transparent, translucent. Obs.
1477Norton Ord. Alch. v. in Ashm. Theat. Chem. Brit. (1652) 64 Christall hath Water declyning toward Ayer, Wherefore it is cleere, perspicuous and faire. 1599H. Buttes Diets Dry Dinner P iv b, [Tabacco] of a tawny colour, somewhat inclining to red: most perspicuous and cleare. 1660Boyle New Exp. Phys. Mech. xxxvii. (1682) 158 Water turning from perspicuous to white. 1669Worlidge Syst. Agric. (1681) 293 Represented to our sight through the perspicuous body of the Air. 1750tr. Leonardus' Mirr. Stones 224 Sapphire is a Stone of a yellow or Skie-blue Colour, perspicuous like the most pure Azure.
2. Clear or easy to be understood; clearly expressed, lucid; evident.
1586B. Young Guazzo's Civ. Conv. iv. 190 Whereupon the Queene commaunded him..he should make that intricate sentence more perspicuous. 1624Gataker Transubst. 87 The proofe is so plaine, and his meaning so perspicuous. 1668Dryden Dram. Poesy Ess. (ed. Ker) I. 77 The reason is perspicuous, why no French plays, when translated, have, or ever can succeed on the English stage. 1741Watts Improv. Mind i. viii. §6 Wheresoever he writes more obscurely, search out for some more perspicuous passages in the same writer. 1791Boswell Johnson an. 1754 (1831) I. 243 The most perspicuous and energetick language. 1872W. Minto Eng. Prose Lit. Introd. 13 Rules can be laid down for the perspicuous construction of paragraphs.
b. Of persons: Clear in statement or expression.
1593R. Harvey Philad. 10 Or if Dianaes Priest be commonly obscure..cannot it be, that hee should be perspicuous at anie one time? 1611Dekker Roaring Girle Wks. 1873 III. 211 Prethee maister Captaine Iacke, be plaine and perspicuous with mee. 1776Adam Smith W.N. i. iv. (1869) I. 30, I am always willing to run some hazard of being tedious in order to be sure that I am perspicuous. 1791in Boswell Johnson Aug. an. 1783, He [Johnson] was always most perfectly clear and perspicuous.
3. Easily or distinctly seen, conspicuous. ? Obs.
1586J. Ferne Blaz. Gentrie ii. 102 Set in the chiefe of the Coate, as in the most perspicuous place. 1615G. Sandys Trav. 22 The ruines that are now so perspicuous,..stand foure miles South-west from the aforesaid place. c1710C. Fiennes Diary (1888) 50 Ely-minster..so Lofty built yt its perspicious above ye town. 1805Foster Ess. ii. ii. 140 An exceedingly distinct and perspicuous aspect.
b. fig. Eminent, distinguished, conspicuous.
1634Malory's Arthur Pref., The never-dying fame of the illustrious Trojan Hector is perspicuous. a1674Clarendon Surv. Leviath. (1676) 274 The person of every Soveraign Prince, is too notorious and perspicuous to need any such demonstration.
¶4. improperly. Discerning, perspicacious. rare.
†b. Clear-sighted (obs.).
1584R. Scott Discov. Witchcr. Ep. Ded. to Sir R. Manwood, I know you to be perspicuous, and able to see downe into the depth and bottome of causes, &c. 1650R. Gentilis Considerations 224 That character..is not seene many times by the most perspicuous sight. 1652–62Heylin Cosmogr. iii. (1673) 9/1 From one of the summits or tops thereof, a man of perspicuous eyes may discern the Euxine on the one hand, and the Mediterranean on the other. 1865Swinburne Atalanta 221 The gods are heavy on me..and my perspicuous soul Darken with vision. |