| 释义 |
Big Brother
[Cf. big a. 3 f.]
The head of state in George Orwell's novel 1984; hence, an apparently benevolent, but ruthlessly omnipotent, state authority. Also attrib. Hence Big Brotherdom, the rule or position of Big Brother; Big Brotherism, behaviour characteristic of Big Brother; Big Brotherly a., of or pertaining to Big Brother.
1949‘G. Orwell’ 1984 i. 5 On each landing..the poster with the enormous face gazed from the wall... Big Brother is watching you, the caption beneath it ran. Ibid. ii. 209 One could infer..the general structure of Oceanic society. At the apex of the pyramid comes Big Brother. Big Brother is infallible and all-powerful... Nobody has ever seen Big Brother. He is a face on the hoardings, a voice on the telescreen. 1953Economist 12 Sept. 683/1 The distrust of the concierge who is also a police spy, of the admirable focusing device which the big block provides for the watchful eye of Big Brother. 1957Ibid. 19 Oct. 208/2 The reporting to the Privy Council of any evidence discovered by this court of ‘misconduct in the administration of security organisations’ would usefully discourage the Big Brother mentality. 1958Listener 9 Oct. 566/3 Mr. Harold Wilson's ingenious but ridiculous variant of ‘big-brotherism’. 1959Glasgow Herald 17 Apr. 8/5 One sight of that terrible big-brotherly finger and we will redouble our efforts to find a litter basket. 1964Punch 7 Oct. 547/2 The growth of Big Brotherdom. 1967Boston Sunday Globe 9 Apr. 28 We must take these measures to protect every citizen's privacy before ‘Big Brotherism’ and the police state take over. |