| 释义 |
posterior, a. and n. (adv.)|pɒˈstɪərɪə(r)|
Also 6–8 -our.
[a. L. posterior, compar. of poster-us or poster coming after, following, future, f. post prep., after. Perh. repr. AF. *posteriour = F. postérieur (15th c. in Hatz.-Darm.).]
A. adj.
1. a. Later, subsequent in time; opposed to prior.
1534More Treat. Passion Wks. 1308/2 The posteriour Greekes saye, that Chryste dydde not eate his Paschall lambe in the daye appoynted by the lawe. 1653Ld. Vaux tr. Godeau's St. Paul A ij, The swelling criticismes, or vaine Philosophy of posteriour writers. 1756–82J. Warton Ess. Pope (ed. 4) I. iii. 125 The precepts of the art of poesy were posterior to practise. 1790Paley Horæ Paul. Rom. ii. 16 The Epistle to the Romans is posterior even to the second Epistle to the Corinthians. 1833Lyell Princ. Geol. III. 68 Proofs of the posterior origin of the lava. 1884D. Hunter tr. Reuss's Hist. Canon i. 3 Found only in the literature posterior to the exile.
b. Statistics. Applied to the result of a calculation made subsequent to, and in consideration of, some observation(s); posterior probability, the probability that a hypothesis is true, calculated in the light of relevant observations. Opp. prior a. (adv.) A. c.
1921Phil. Mag. XLII. 387 Even if the prior probabilities of two laws with different domains are notably different, the effect of several verifications of each is able to make the posterior probabilities of the two laws practically equal to each other and to unity. 1931H. Jeffreys Sci. Inference ii. 18 The posterior probability of p is the prior probability of p divided by the prior probability of the consequence. 1943M. G. Kendall Adv. Theory Statistics I. vii. 179 A further difficulty arises if θ can lie in an infinite range, for then Bayes' postulate apparently leads to the conclusion that prior probabilities in any finite range are zero and hence so are posterior probabilities. 1972A. W. F. Edwards Likelihood iv. 46 The posterior odds of two hypotheses on some data is equal to the product of the prior odds and the likelihood ratio. Ibid. iv. 48 In practice it is determined by the fact that both the prior and the posterior distributions of θ integrate to unity. 1977Lancet 13 Aug. 339/1 If the sister of a hæmophiliac initially has two unaffected boys, the ‘posterior’ probability of her being a carrier falls from 1/2 to 1/5.
2. Coming after in a series or order.
1626Bacon Sylva §115 So it is manifest, that where the anteriour body giveth way, as fast as the posteriour cometh on, it maketh no noise, be the motion never so great, or swift. 1851Nichol Archit. Heav. 286 While Man..believes..often that the line is straight—seeing neither its anterior nor its posterior convolutions.
3. Hinder; situated behind, or farther back than something else. Opposed to anterior.
Especially frequent in Anatomy in reference to the hinder of two organs or parts.
1632Lithgow Trav. ii. 52 The belly of one ioyned with the posterior part of the other. 1741Monro Anat. Nerves (ed. 3) 47 The posterior clinoid Processes of the sphenoid Bone. 1794S. Williams Vermont 90 Two bags, situated in the posterior parts of the body. 1831Brewster Optics xxxv. 288 The two parts into which the iris divides the eye are called the anterior and the posterior chambers. 1868Duncan tr. Figuier's Insect W. Introd. 7 The legs are called anterior, posterior, and intermediate.
B. n.
1. pl. Those who come after; descendants, posterity; rarely sing. a descendant.
1534More Treat. Passion Wks. 1309/2 When I speake of the churche of Grece in this errour: I speake but of the posteriours. 1560Goodli Hist. Lucres & Eurialus (1567) G iv, Hys posteriars shall shewe for theyr noblenes a gylted bull. 1816Scott Old Mort. xxviii, Neither he, nor his posteriors from generation to generation, shall sit upon it ony mair. 1889in Spectator 9 Nov. 634/2 ‘No ways infarior..And lineal postarior to Ould Aysculapius’. [Anglo-Irish.]
2. a. pl. The hinder parts of the body; the buttocks. Now usu. sing. The rump or backside (of a person). colloq. [After late L. posteriōra.]
1619Drummond of Hawthornden Conv. B. Jonson Wks. (1711) 225 A poor pedantick schoolmaster, sweeping his living from the posteriors of little children. c1645Howell Lett. (1650) II. 8 You know what answer the Fox gave the Ape when he would have borrowed part of his taile to cover his posteriors. 1706E. Ward Wooden World Diss. (1708) 102 He drops upon his Knees or Posteriors. 1802Bingley Anim. Biog. (1813) I. 70 The Pigmy Ape... The posteriors are naked and callous. 1936G. B. Shaw Simpleton Prologue ii. 27 He shoots his foot against the E.O.'s posterior and sends him over the cliff. 1976–7Sea Spray (N.Z.) Dec./Jan. 90/1 (Advt.), It is soft so that a crewman winding the spinnaker sheet winch down aft can rest his posterior on it.
†b. The hinder part or back side (of anything).
1646G. Daniel Poems Wks. (Grosart) I. 41 He oft could take Things from th' Posteriors of an Almanacke, Very behoofull to the Regimen Of health.
†3. pl. The later part. (facetious) Obs. rare—1.
1588Shakes. L.L.L. v. i. 94 To congratulate the Princesse at her Pauilion, in the posteriors of this day, which the rude multitude call the after-noone. Ibid. 96.
C. adv. Subsequently; posteriorly.
1826G. S. Faber Diffic. Romanism (1853) 43 He wrote posterior to both these Councils. 1830Pusey Hist. Enquiry ii. 153 [He] wrote posterior to all these authors. |