| 释义 |
▪ I. polity1|ˈpɒlɪtɪ|
Also 7 pollity.
[a. obs. F. politie (1419), ad. L. polītīa: see policy n.1]
1. Civil organization (as a condition); civil order.
1538Starkey England i. ii. 51 Pepul, rude, wythout polyty, can not vse that same [riches] to theyr owne commodyte. 1594Hooker Eccl. Pol. iii. ii. §1 The necessitie of Politie, and Regiment in all Churches may bee held, without holding any one certayne forme to bee necessary in them all. Nor is it possible that any form of politie, much less politie ecclesiasticall should be good, vnlesse God himselfe bee authour of it. 1763J. Brown Poetry & Mus. iv. 40 In the Course of Time, and the Progress of Polity and Arts, a Separation of the several Parts..would naturally arise. 1868Gladstone Juv. Mundi vi. 171 At a period antecedent to the formation of anything like polity in Greece.
b. Administration of a state, civil government (as a process or course of action).
1715Atterbury Serm., On Matt. xxvii. 25 (1734) I. 127 They..were permitted..to retain some Shadow of their Domestick Polity and Government. 1774Jefferson Autobiog. App., Wks. 1859 I. 144 The original constitution of the American colonies possessing their assemblies with the sole right of directing their internal policy. 1884W. C. Smith Kildrostan 60 To..help the growth Of civil polity, and self-control.
2. a. A particular form of political organization, a form of government.
1597Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lxxix. §3 We preferre..the Spartan before the Athenian Politie. 1652–62Heylin Cosmogr. Introd. (1674) 4/2 Of this kind also are the several Polities, and forms of Government. 1766Compl. Farmer s.v. Queen bee, Some authors who have written of the polity of bees. 1876Grant Burgh Sch. Scotl. i. i. 3 note, The polity of Scotland remained as yet Celtic, though it very soon afterwards became feudal.
b. An organized society or community of men; a state. Also fig.
1650Trapp Comm. Exod. xx. 17 Moses his politie could not consist of true worshippers and professed Idolaters. 1828Carlyle Misc. (1857) I. 152 The polity of Literature is called a Republic. 1840J. H. Newman Par. Serm. (1842) V. xv. 244 The soul of man is intended to be a well-ordered polity. 1894Huxley Evol. & Ethics 23 Those who should be kept, as certain to be serviceable members of the polity.
†3. Mode of administering or managing public or private affairs; esp. skilful, prudent, or crafty management; statecraft; = policy n.1 2–4. Obs.
1562Pilkington Expos. Abdyas Pref. 9 It is wonderfull to consider the foolishnes of the wicked, which in politie wold seme so wise. 1599B. Jonson Cynthia's Rev. i. i, Tis your best politie to be ignorant. 1697Evelyn Numism. vii. 229 The false Polity of Raising and Sinking. 1828D'Israeli Chas. I, II. xii. 310 The age of heroism..was now settling into the age of polity. 1843Lytton Last Bar. iii. iii, I know little of stratagem and polity, wars and kings.
†4. A political principle. nonce use. Obs.
1642J. M[arsh] Argt. conc. Militia 27 This is the reason of that pollity of Law, that the King is body politick.
▪ II. † polity2 Obs.
[erron. f. pole n.2 + -ity.]
= polarity 1.
1613M. Ridley Magn. Bodies vi. 23 This alteration of polity is to be obserued likewise in Magneticall needles. Ibid. xvii. 64 From those paralels and parts, neere adioyning to the pole, the greatest vigour of politie Magneticall doth proceed. Ibid. xx. 72 That contrary nature of pollity that was in the weake Load-stone. |