| 释义 |
▪ I. portend, v.1|pɔːˈtɛnd|
Also 5 portende, 6 pourtende.
[ME. ad. L. portendĕre to foretell, presage, archaic form of protendĕre to stretch forth, specialized in ritual sense, f. por- = pro- forth + tendĕre to stretch; see protend.]
1. trans. To presage as an omen; to foreshow, foreshadow.
1432–50tr. Higden (Rolls) VII. 33 A blasynge sterre was seene in the firmamente, whiche is wonte to portende other a pestilence of provinces other the chaungenge of a realme. 1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 285 [They] judged that it did pourtende and signifie some great trouble. 1654Bramhall Just Vind. vi. (1661) 146 Like as that single meteor Castor appearing without Pollux portends an unfortunate voyage. 1868Farrar Seekers ii. iv. (1875) 225 The croak of the raven can portend no harm to such a man.
b. By extension: To point to or indicate beforehand; to give warning of, by natural means.
1592Kyd Sp. Trag. i. ii, What portends thy cheerful countenance? 1685Evelyn Diary 5 Nov., Bonfires were forbidden on this day; what does this portend! 1756Franklin in Phil. Trans. LV. 188 Small black clouds thus appearing in a clear sky..portend storms, and warn seamen to hand their sails. 1878R. B. Smith Carthage 160 Everything portended an early renewal of the conflict.
2. Of a person: To foretell, predict, forecast, prognosticate, as by interpreting an omen. rare.
1611Heywood Gold. Age iii. i. Wks. 1874 III. 48 What portend you in these hostile sounds Of clamorous warre? 1731Swift On his Death 119 Some great misfortune to portend, No enemy can match a friend. 1851Gladstone Glean. VI. iii. 2 A fact plain enough to those..who in the moral hemisphere can portend foul weather when ‘the sky is red and lowering’.
†3. To signify, symbolize, mean, indicate. Obs.
1586A. Day Eng. Secretary ii. (1625) 87 Antanaclasis, when we produce a word in a contrary signification to that it commonly portendeth. 1601Shakes. Twel. N. ii. v. 130 What should that Alphabeticall position portend..? Softly, M.O.A.I. 1726Pope Odyss. xix. 645 The geese (a glutton race) by thee deplored, Portend the suitors fated to my sword. 1782H. More Belshazzar ii. 76 What do the mystic characters portend?
4. intr. To utter or give portents. rare.
1887Bowen Virg. Eclogue i. 18 Oft from the holm-oak's hole on the left did a raven portend.
Hence porˈtending vbl. n. and ppl. a.; also † porˈtendance, † porˈtendment, the quality or fact of portending; presage, omen, signification; porˈtender, one who or that which portends.
1644J. Goodwin Fighting agst. God 22 It is a thing of the saddest consideration under heaven, and of more grievous *portendance unto us. 1657― Triers Tried 5 [It] must needs be of a sad abode and portendance unto the people.
1635Swan Spec. M. v. §2 (1643) 125 They have appeared as the *portenders of change in states and kingdomes. 1675H. Teonge Diary (1825) 26 An absolute portendor of a prosperous voyage.
1590Watson Eclogue Sir F. Walsingham 419 For they portending stormie windes surcease, but by *portending cause the hearts content. 1632Lithgow Trav. x. 459 The portending heauinesse of my presaging soule.
1626Bp. Hall Contempl., O.T. xx. ii, Like comets who were never seene without the *portendement of a mischeife. 1634Jackson Creed vii. vii. §2 It only argues some deeper insight in ominous forewarnings or portendments.
▪ II. portend, v.2|pɔːˈtɛnd|
[ME. a. OF. portend-re to stretch forth, extend, to drape, cover, etc.:—L. protendĕre to stretch forth, with pop. L. por- for pro- forth. See prec. and protend.]
†1. trans. To put forward, as authority or excuse; to pretend. Obs. rare.
1432–50tr. Higden (Rolls) VIII. 93 William bischop of Hely..oppressede moche the clergy, portendynge the power of the kynge [L. regis prætendens potestatem].
2. To stretch forth, to extend, hold out (something). Now rare or Obs.
1657Tomlinson Renou's Disp. 678 The Alembick sometimes..portends out of its head..a Pipe. 1782Mickle Q. Emma iii. 298 Spear to spear was now portended, And the yew-bows half were drawn. 1803Edwin I. xii. 192 The fury that marked my brow as I portended my sword over the senseless bodies of my wife and child. |