| 释义 |
point-blank, a., n., and adv.|ˈpɔɪnt ˈblæŋk|
Also 8–9 -blanc.
[app. f. point v.1 + blank, the white spot in the centre of a target, = F. blanc, Sp. blanco (in Eng. also called ‘the white’).
It has been conjectured that point-blank represents a F. *point blanc meaning the white point or white spot on the target, but no such use is found in Fr., or in any Romanic lang. The phrase appears exclusively of English origin and use; and there is no evidence that in Eng. the ‘blank’ or ‘white’ was ever called the point blank. The probability therefore is that blank is here the n. (blank n. 2), and point the vb. (point v.1 12 a), referring to the pointing of the arrow or gun at the ‘blank’ or ‘white’; point-blank being a combination of the same class as break-neck, cut-throat, save-all, stop-gap, etc. It may have started as an adj., in point-blank shot, distance, reach, or range, i.e. that in which one points or aims at the blank or white spot.]
A. adj.
1. That points or aims straight at the mark, esp. in shooting horizontally; hence, aimed or fired horizontally; level, direct, straight; as in point-blank shot, point-blank fire, point-blank firing, point-blank trajectory. point-blank distance, point-blank range, point-blank reach: the distance within which a gun may be fired horizontally at a mark; the distance the shot is carried before it drops appreciably below the horizontal plane of the bore.
(As to the inexactness of the notion that the course of the projectile is level within this distance, see quot. 1804.)
1591Digges Pantom. 179 The first parte of the violent course of Gunners, commonly termed the peeces pointe blanke reache. 1627Taking of St. Esprit in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) III. 551 Some ships of our fleet..have bestowed divers shot on the French, though without point-blank distance. 1748J. Lind Lett. Navy ii. (1757) 89 They were..within point blank shot of the enemy. 1769Falconer Dict. Marine (1789) G g iv, The point-blank range of the piece..may be defined the extent of the apparent right line, described by a ball discharged from a cannon. 1804Europ. Mag. XLV. 327/2 It is generally thought that the ball goes out of the piece in a straight line to a certain distance, which they call the point-blank shot. This is a mistake; for the ball immediately falls from the axis of the gun, the tangent of the curve described, though but insensibly for a short time; but the line in which gunners take sight is usually contrived to make a small angle with the axis, so that..the ball will rise above the line of sights, and then, by the force of gravity, be made to fall again into it, at the place called the point-blank shot. 1818Hazlitt Eng. Poets iv. (1870) 106 The battery is not so point-blank. 1838Penny Cycl. X. 375/2 Large muskets, whose point-blanc range is estimated at about 300 yards. 1864Trevelyan Compet. Wallah (1866) 89 Then they..endeavoured to crush our line with a heavy point-blank musketry fire. 1888Burgon Lives 12 Gd. Men II. xii. 361 At archery..his arrows had a more point-blank trajectory than those of his competitors.
2. Straightforward, direct, plain, ‘flat’, blunt.
1656Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. ii. liv. (1674) 204 [They] hoped to hear..excellent discourse in that point-blank argumentation. 1770Foote Lame Lover i. Wks. 1799 II. 56 This is point blank treason against my sovereign authority. 1779F. Burney Diary Jan., What a point-blank question! who but Sir Joshua would have ventured it! 1817Edin. Rev. XXVIII. 513 The dialogues in Othello and Lear furnish the most striking instances of plain, point-blank speaking. 1830Gen. P. Thompson Exerc. (1842) I. 294 The English people give this a point-blank denial. 1901Scotsman 6 Mar. 9/3 A point-blank refusal to go into the division lobbies.
B. n.
1. a. = point-blank range or distance: see A. 1.
1571Digges Pantom. i. xxx. I iv, Hauing a table of Randons made, mounting your peeces accordingly, no vessel can passe by your platfourme (though it be without poynte blancke) but you may with your ordinaunce at the first bouge hir and neuer bestow vayne shotte. 1587Harrison England ii. xvi. (1877) i. 281 How manie scores it [the shot] doth flee at point blanke. 1671S. Partridge Double Scale Proportion 85 If the best Randon and point blank of the one Piece be given. 1708Lond. Gaz. No. 4422/7 We receiv'd not one Shot from them, though within point blank, six of them at once bore down upon us. 1846Greener Sc. Gunnery 381 As many opinions exist as to the exact distance for what is termed point blank..it may be expedient to come to some determination.
†b. fig. Range, reach (of jurisdiction, etc.). Obs.
1593Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iv. vii. 28 Now art thou within point-blanke of our Iurisdiction Regall. 1652Persuasive to Compliance 16 The King professeth His Person..out of the point-blank of Law.
†2. A point-blank shooting or shot. Obs.
1614Raleigh Hist. World iii. (1634) 100 Training..his Archers to shoot compasse, who had bin accustomed to the point blanke. a1657R. Loveday Lett. (1663) 169 He should not receive them thus by a glance, but by a level point⁓blank from my pen. 1669Pepys Diary 20 Apr., She carried the same bullet as strong to the mark, and nearer and above the mark at a point blank than their's. 1781M. Madan Thelyphthora III. 275 No necessity of circumstances..can turn the point-blank of this dreadful canon from the unhappy objects of its vengeance.
¶3. ‘The second point at which the line of sight intersects the trajectory of a projectile’ (Cent. Dict.).
18..U.S. Army Tactics, When the natural line of sight is horizontal, the point where the projectile first strikes the horizontal plane on which the gun stands is the point-blank, and the distance to the point-blank is the point-blank range.
⁋This is a faulty use, arising from misinterpretation of point in ‘point-blank.’
C. adv.
1. With a direct aim; esp. in a horizontal line. Of a missile: Without dropping below the horizontal plane in which the barrel lies. Of a gun: With the axis of the bore horizontal.
1594Plat Jewell-ho. iii. 23 How to make a Pistol whose barrell is two foote in length to deliver a bullet point blank at eight skore. 1598Shakes. Merry W. iii. ii. 34 This boy will carrie a letter twentie mile as easie as a Canon will shoot point-blanke twelue score. 1611Florio, Tiráre la gióia, to shoote by the vpper superficies of the cornish of the mouth of the piece, which the Italians call point blanke. 1667Sir R. Moray in Phil. Trans. II. 473 To know how Far a Gun Shoots Point-blank (as they call it) that is, so near the Level of the Cylinder of the Peece, that the difference is either not discernable, or not considerable. 1669Sturmy Mariner's Mag. v. xi. 46 If the Piece lie point blank. 1868Rep. to Govt. U.S. Munitions War 70, Fig. 1 shows the movable stock and sights arranged for firing point-blank. 1885New Bk. Sports 20 Any man..can fire point-blank into a hustling mob of animals.
2. a. In a direct line, directly, straight (in space).
1607Lingua iv. i, This done, he sets me a boy sixty paces off, just point blank over-against the mouth of the piece. 1641Hobbes Lett. Wks. 1845 VII. 459 The motion of the water, when a stone falls into it, is point blanke contrary to the motion of the stone. 1664Butler Hud. ii. iii. 437 Unless it be that Cannon-Ball, That, shot i' th' air point-blank upright Was borne to that prodigious height. 1675H. Teonge Diary (1825) 51 Wee..doe steare our course poynt-blanke for Trypoly. 1800Weems Washington ii. (1877) 17 Led him point blank to the bed. 1876F. E. Trollope Charming Fellow II. ix. 137 [He] stood for a second, staring point-blank at her.
b. fig. Directly, exactly (in purport or effect). Now rare or Obs.
1621Burton Anat. Mel., Democr. to Rdr. (1676) 6/1 If it be not point-blank to his humour, his method, his conceit. 1704Norris Ideal World ii. ii. 77 So point-blank against the common sentiment and appearance. 1756J. Warton Ess. Pope (1782) II. x. 134 If you calmly read every particular of that description you'll find almost all of 'em point-blank the reverse of that persons villa.
3. fig. Of a statement, declaration, question, etc.:
a. Without qualification or circumlocution; directly, flatly.
b. Without deliberation or consideration; straight away, offhand.
a.1598J. Florio Worlde of Wordes 104/2 A dirittura, foorthright, point blanke. 1627E. F. Hist. Edw. II (1680) 61 Spencer is point-blanck charg'd with Insolency. 1663Butler Hud. i. i. 528 Thus Ralph..Spoke Truth point blank, tho' unaware. 1672Cave Prim. Chr. i. iii. (1673) 47 Origen point blanck denies the charge. 1722De Foe Relig. Courtsh. i. i. (1840) 16, I would ask him point blank what religion he was of. 1851Mrs. Carlyle Lett. I. 146 She..had offers every week; refused them point-blank. a1914Joyce Stephen Hero (1944) 45 McCann always represented a member of the Opposition and he spoke point-blank. Then a member would protest. 1938E. Waugh Scoop ii. v. 233, I read the newspapers with lively interest. It is seldom that they are absolutely, point blank wrong. 1968Punch 6 Nov. 658/2 However, I took the oranges home just the same, with marmalade in mind, but my wife refused pointblank.
b.1679Trials of Wakeman, etc. 24, I cannot point blank tell the time. 1887Lowell Democr. 4 Called upon to deliver his judgement point-blank and at the word of command.
Add:[A.] [1.] b. point-blank range: loosely, a distance so short that the shot cannot miss the mark; also transf., esp. in Sport.
1942W. Faulkner Go down, Moses 193 Dogs mangled and slain and shotgun and even rifle shots delivered at point-blank range. 1977Washington Post 10 Jan. d2/4 Chicago goalie..stopped Peter McNab from point-blank range. 1979A. Brink Dry White Season iii. xi. 266 Knock on the door. When he opened they fired five shots at point-blank range. 1989Newsday (Nassau ed.) 13 May 18 Dalers goalie..made several saves from point blank range.
[C.] [1.] b. loosely, from so close as to be bound to hit the target.
1975Economist 13 Sept. 68/3 It was not clear whether Miss Fromme even knew how to fire the gun she aimed at the president point-blank. 1985L. McMurtry Lonesome Dove i. 20 They kept bumping into Indians in the smoke and having to shoot point-blank. |