| 释义 |
Poll, n.2|pɒl|
[An alteration of Moll, a familiar equivalent of Mary: cf. Peg = Meg, Margaret.]
A familiar equivalent of the name Mary (see also Polly1), used as the conventional proper name of any parrot; hence, = parrot. So Poll-ˈparrot, also used fig., and attrib., with reference to the parrot's unintelligent repetition of words.
[1630J. Taylor (Water P.) Epigrams xxxi. Wks. ii. 265 A Rope for Parrat..O, pretty Pall, take heed, beware the Cat.] 1709Steele Tatler No. 27 ⁋6 Among the Favourites to the Fair One, he found her Parrat not to be in the last Degree: He saw Poll had her Ear, when his Sighs were neglected. 1719De Foe Crusoe (1840) I. viii. 141, I..learnt him [a parrot] to know his own name;..Pol. Ibid. xiii. 214, I had taught my Poll. a1800Cowper Parrot iii, Sweet Poll! his doating mistress cries, Sweet Poll! the mimic bird replies. a1845Hood Batchelor's Dream iv, The mother brought a pretty Poll. 1851D. Jerrold St. Giles iv. 30 You've no more manners than a poll-parrot. 1861Sala Dutch Pict. xv. 235 This one poll-parrot cry had been taught him. 1886Sat. Rev. 6 Mar. 347/1 Their mania for seeing spies in poll-parrots.
Hence Poll-ˈparrot v. trans. and intr. = parrot v.; Poll-ˈparroty a., of or proper to a parrot.
a1845Hood Hymeneal Retrospect. i. iv, A sort of Poll-Parroty bill! 1865Dickens Mut. Fr. ii. xii, Ain't you got nothing to do but..stand a Poll Parroting all night? Ibid., I am willing to be silent for the purpose of hearing. But don't Poll Parrot me. |