| 释义 |
assistance|əˈsɪstəns|
Forms: 4–6 assystence, 6 assistence, 6–7 -aunce, 6– -ance.
[a. F. assistance, f. assister: see assist v. and -ance.]
†1. The being or remaining near; presence, attendance. Obs. except as assumedly French.
a1520Myrr. Our Ladye 78 Ryghtful men are strengthed..by more nere assystence of aungels to them. 1528More Heresyes i. Wks. 145/2 The perpetual..assistence of Christ with his church. 1644Milton Judgm. Bucer Wks. 1738 I. 272 His sumptuous burial..solemnized with so great an assistance of all the University. 1883Pall Mall G. 5 Nov. 3 The ‘assistance’ of the Government at the ceremony.
2. collect. (rarely pl.) Persons present, bystanders, audience. Obs. exc. as recently re-adopted from Fr.
1491Caxton Vitas Patr. (W. de W.) i. xvi. 21 a/1 Whyche the holy angelles bare in to heuen in the presence of the assystences. 1596Lodge Marg. Amer. 136 Weeping [so] piteously..that the whole assistance became compassionate. 1651Father Sarpi (1676) 8 Difficult propositions..by him maintained before that venerable assistance. 1881G. Scott junr. Eng. Ch. Archit. i. 8 The altar, in full view of all the assistance.
3. a. The action of helping or aiding in an undertaking or necessity; furtherance, succour; also, the help afforded, aid, support, relief. Formerly often in pl.
1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. i. (1495) 3 By the goode grace, helpe and assystence of almyghty god. 1494Fabyan an. 1267 (R.) Roger, with the assystence of the mayre..toke the sayd rasccall. 1594Shakes. Rich. III, iv. ii. 4 Thus high, by thy aduice, and thy assistance, is King Richard seated. 1659Hammond On Ps. cviii. 12 All other assistances, beside that of heaven, being utterly unsufficient. 1740Cibber Apol. (1756) II. 79 Notwithstanding these assistances the expence of every play amounted to fifty pounds. 1858O. W. Holmes Aut. Breakf. T. viii. 70 Many people can ride on horseback who find it hard to get on and to get off without assistance.
b. ellipt. for National Assistance (see national a.).
1956A. Wilson Anglo-Saxon Att. ii. i. 244 Ten quid's not going to put us on Assistance. 1959New Statesman 1 Aug. 125/2 The forthcoming increases will be a temptation to the ‘casual’ labourer who has a large family to shift from earnings to assistance.
†4. collect. (rarely pl.) A body of helpers: see assistant n. 3. (Cf. accountance, acquaintance.)
1564in Strype Ann. Ref. I. ii. xli. 463 To every parish belongeth..an assistance, being thirteen persons, to consist of such only as had before been church-wardens and constables. 1611in Gutch Coll. Cur. I. 106 The chief magistrate..was a Portgrave or Reve..and his assistances Burgesses. 1679T. Oates Myst. Iniq. Jesuits 17 Give notice..to the Assistance at Rome, or to the Father-General. 1692E. Settle Tri. Lond. in Heath Grocers' Comp. (1869) 555 Then twelve Gentlemen Ushers, and after them the Court of Assistance. |