| 释义 |
▪ I. backbite, v.|ˈbækbaɪt|
Forms: 2–5 bac-, bakbite, 4–6 bakbyte, 5–6 bag-, bakke-, bacbyte, backbyte, 6–7 backebite, 4– backbite. pa. tense 4 bac-, bakbate; 4 bacbitide, bakbited, 5 bacbyted. pa. pple. 5–6 bakbyttyn, -byten, 7– backbitten; 4–6 bacbyted, 6 bak-, backe-, 6–7 backbited.
[f. back adv. + bite v., i.e. to bite one on, or behind, his back.]
To detract from the character of, to slander, traduce, speak ill of: a. a person absent.
c1175[see backbiting vbl. n.] a1300E.E. Psalter xxxviii. 20 Þat yheldes ivels for godes bac-bate [Vulg. detrahebant] me. 1393Gower Conf. I. 411 Is none so good, that he ne passeth Betwene his teeth and is backbited. 1496Dives & Paup. (W. de W.) vii. ii. 278/2 Mary the syster of Moses backbyted her brother. a1520Myrr. Our Ladye Introd. 47 Why hast thou bakbyten my handemayde adjugynge hir to be prowde? 1609Holland Amm. Marcell. xvii. ix. 91 With contumelious tearmes traduced and back-bitten. a1791Wesley Husb. & Wives iii. 7 Wks. 1811 IX. 67 To backbite an enemy is sin; how much more to back-bite one's own yoke-fellow. 1851Helps Comp. Solit. iii. (1874) 31 People will backbite one another to any extent rather than not be amused.
†b. an institution, action, character, etc. Obs.
1382Wyclif James iv. 11 He that bakbitith his brother bakbitith the lawe. 1596Spenser F.Q. i. iv. 32 The verse of famous poets witt He does backebite. 1602Dekker Satirom. Wks. 1873 I. 209 Doe not back-bite her beauties.
c. absolutely or intr.
1377Langl. P. Pl. B. ii. 80 To bakbite and to bosten and bere fals witnesse. 1597Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, v. i. 36 Vse his men well Dauy, for they are arrant knaues, and will backe-bite. 1841Lane Arab. Nts. III. 613 Backbite not, lest thou be backbitten.
▪ II. † backbite, n. Obs.
[f. prec.]
Backbiting.
1598Stow Survey (Strype 1754) I. iii. vi. 593/2 A stay to weake, a staff to poor, Without Backbite or pride. |