| 释义 |
† polyanthea Obs.|pɒlɪænˈθiːə|
[a. med. L. polyanthēa, f. Gr. type *πολυάνθεια, f. πολυανθής much blooming (f. ἄνθος flower).]
A collection of the ‘flowers’ of poetry or other literature, i.e. of choice literary extracts; an anthology.
Appears in 1503 as title of a work by Domenico Nani Mirabelli, Polyanthea, idest Florum multitudo (Savona 1603); subseq. in titles of many similar works, as the Polyanthea Nova of J. Lange (Geneva 1600).
1618Selden Hist. Tithes Pref., What were patcht up out of Postils, Polyantheas, common place books. 1641‘Smectymnuus’ Vind. Answ. Pref. a ij b, As destitute of all learning, as if our reading had never gone beyond a Polyanthea. [1730–6Bailey (folio), Polyanthéa, a famous collection of common places, in alphabetical order, made first by Domini Nanni de Mirabella, of great service to orators, preachers, &c. of the lower class.]
Hence † polyanˈthean a. Obs., pertaining to, of the nature of, or using a ‘polyanthea’; also as n. one who uses a ‘polyanthea’.
1621Burton Anat. Mel. i. ii. iii. xv, [One] that by..some trivially polyanthean helps, steals and gleans a few notes from other men's harvests. 1621Bp. R. Montagu Diatribæ 38 My selfe, a poore Postillating Polyanthean Clergy-man. Ibid. 434 As we poore Breuiarists and Polyantheans of the Clergie vse to do. |