| 释义 |
avuncular, a.|əˈvʌŋkjʊlə(r)|
[f. L. avuncul-us maternal uncle, dim. of avus grandfather + -ar.]
a. Of, belonging to, or resembling, an uncle.
1831Landor Rupert Wks. 1846 II. 571 Love..Paternal or avuncular. 1854Thackeray Newcomes I. v. 50 Clive in the avuncular gig is driven over the downs.
b. (humorously) Of a pawnbroker: see uncle. Also absol.
1832Fraser's Mag. V. 85 My only good suit is at present under the avuncular protection. 1859Sala Gaslight & D. iii. 37 If you enter one of these pawnshops..you will observe these peculiarities in the internal economy of the avuncular life. 1922Joyce Ulysses 417 Avuncular's got my timepiece.
Hence aˈvuncularism (joc.), recourse to a pawnbroker; avuncuˈlarity, the state of being an uncle; aˈvuncularly adv., in the manner of an uncle.
1859D. G. Rossetti Let. 15 Feb. (1965) I. 348, I have only been saved from further ‘avuncularism’ by a visit of old Plint, who has bought two..drawings. 1937A. L. Rowse R. Grenville ii. 28 The pleasures of avuncularity. 1957Economist 7 Sept. 824/1 The classical picture here is of Lord Woolton avuncularly presiding over the rapidly growing Young Conservatives. |