| 释义 |
▪ I. prude, a. and n.|pruːd|
[a. mod.F. prude adj. and n., said of a woman in same sense as the Eng. (Molière in Littré), in OF. prude, prode, preude, in a laudatory sense, good, virtuous, modest, respectable; either a back-formation from prudefemme (cf. prudhomme) or a later fem. form of prod, pro, pru: see preux, prow a.]
A. adj. That maintains or affects extreme propriety of speech and behaviour, especially in regard to the relations of the sexes; excessively modest, demure, or prim; prudish: usually applied adversely. Now rare.
1709Mrs. Manley Secret Mem. (1720) IV. 318, I can't understand what you and my prude Cousin Aurelia mean by being belov'd. 1752H. Walpole Lett. (1846) II. 449 He is jealous, prude, and scrupulous. 1900H. G. Graham Soc. Life Scot. 18th C. (1901) III. ii. 95 The prudest might go and enjoy Vanbrugh's Provoked Husband..under guise of innocently listening to Corelli's Sonatas.
B. n. A woman who maintains or affects excessive modesty or propriety in conduct or speech; one who is of extreme propriety: usually applied adversely with implication of affectation.
1704Cibber Careless Husb. v. i, For you I have..stood the little Insults of Disdainful Prudes, that envy'd me perhaps your Friendship. 1709Steele Tatler No. 102 ⁋5 Prudes, a Courtly Word for Female Hypocrites. 1781F. Burney Diary Aug., He is an actual male prude! 1847Tennyson Princ. Prol. 141 If our old halls could change their sex, and flaunt With prudes for proctors, dowagers for deans. 1882M. E. Braddon Mt. Royal III. x. 195 Prudes and puritans may disapprove our present form.
Hence ˈprudelike a., of the nature of, or characteristic of, a prude; ˈprudely adv., in the manner of a prude.
1718Freethinker No. 145 ⁋7 The same idle Charms, by which the gay Pamphilus ensnared the prudelike Honoria. 1789Wolcott (P. Pindar) Expost. Odes iii. 22 Scorning Moderation's Prude-like stare. 1883Mem. Alex. Maclean 125 Mock her not, ye prudely pure.
▪ II. prude, v.|pruːd|
[f. the n.]
intr. To conduct oneself in the manner of a prude; to act prudishly. Hence ˈpruding vbl. n.
1737H. Carey Musical Century 13 Crowds of coxcombs thus deluding, Cringing, chatt'ring, oggling, flatt'ring By coquetting and by pruding, All are victims to my art. 1850C. M. Yonge Henrietta's Wish x. 151 ‘Pruding,’ said Beatrice, ‘showing openly that you like it to be observed how prudent and proper you are.’ 1923V. L. Silberrad Lett. Jean Armiter ix. 194 Girls aren't brought up in cotton wool nowadays as you were. We do as we jolly well like! It's no good preaching and pruding.
▪ III. prude
obs. form of proud. |