| 释义 |
puissant, a. arch.|ˈpjuːɪsənt, pjuːˈɪsənt, ˈpwɪsənt|
Forms: 5–6 puyss-, puissaunt(e, 6 puys-, pus-, -ant, -aunt, -a(u)nte, Sc. puss-, pissant, 6–7 puisant, 6– puissant.
[a. F. puissant, earlier poissant, also possant, pussant, poussant (Godef. Compl.):—Romanic type *possent-em, pr. pple. of L. posse to be able, substituted for L. potent-em.
Some scholars explain the F. form in puiss- as influenced by the verbal forms puis, puisse: others suppose a Romanic *possient-em for possent-em. The Fr. puissant is a disyllable |pwisɑ̃|, as is also historically the Eng. |pwɪˈsɑːnt, ˈpwɪsənt|, from 15th c. to Matthew Arnold; so always in Sidney, Shakes., Drayton, and Milton, while Henry More, Shenstone, and others have |pjuːˈɪsənt|, in 3 syllables; one or other of these was approved by all 18th c. orthoepists except Sheridan and Walker; these, following Spenser, give |ˈpjuːɪsənt|, which is generally preferred by later dictionaries.]
Possessed of or wielding power; having great authority or influence; mighty, potent, powerful.
a1450Knt. de la Tour (1906) 12 A mighti and a puissant woman. c1510Gesta Rom., Addit. Stories i. 429 In Rome a puyssaunte Emperour. 1513Douglas æneis v. Prol. 65 But quham na thing is worthy nor pissant. 1523Cromwell in Merriman Life & Lett. (1902) I. 37 Thys grete and puysant armaye. a1533Ld. Berners Huon cxxxviii. 513 Y⊇ sowdan rode on a pusaunt horse, and Huon..folowed hym on the pusaunt mare. 1533Bellenden Livy ii. xvi. (S.T.S.) I. 156 Mare pussant þan afore. 1563Winȝet To Knox Wks. (S.T.S.) I. 138 A pissant patroun of ȝour cause. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 281 It was greate beautie to beholde theyr puyssant array. a1586Sidney Arcadia (1622) 85 Wise Counsellours, stout Captaines, puissant Kings. 1593Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, ii. i. 207 The Queene is comming with a puissant Hoast. 1598Drayton Heroic. Ep. xvi. 28 Or who from France a puisant Armie brings? 1642H. More Song of Soul ii. iii. iv. xxxix, And with puissant stroke the head to bruize. 1663Butler Hud. i. i. 351 His puissant Sword unto his side Near his undaunted heart was ty'd. 1750Shenstone Ode to Indolence viii, And thou, puissant queen! be kind. 1867M. Arnold Bacchanalia 63 The puissant crowned, the weak laid low.
Hence ˈpuissantness, puissance, power. rare—1.
1552J. Astley in Ascham's Eng. Wks. (1904) 123 Not by the puisantnes of others who were knowne to be his open enemyes. |