| 释义 |
▪ I. blossom, n.|ˈblɒsəm|
Forms: 1 blostm, blostma, 1–2 blosma, 2–4 blostme, 2–5 blosme, 3 blossem, Orm. blosstme, 4–5 blossum, 4–8 blossome, (5 blosle), 6 bloosme, blossum(m, 7 blosom, 4– blossom.
[OE. blóstm str. masc., blóstma, blósma wk. masc., cognate w. MDu. and Du. bloesem, MLG. blosem, blossem; cf. also ON. blómst-r masc. Generally referred to the same root as bloom (blō̆-); some consider blos- an extended stem = L. flos, flor-; others with greater probability take the -st as well as -m as a suffix.]
1. ‘The flower that grows on any plant, previous to the seed or fruit. We generally call those flowers blossoms, which are not much regarded in themselves, but as a token of some following production.’ (J.)
Blostma, blosme was the OE. word for ‘flower’, previous to the adoption of ON. blóm (bloom), and OF. flor, flur (flower). See bloom n.1
a. An individual flower (with pl.)
971Blickl. Hom. 7 Mid eallum missenlicum afeddum blostmum sy se Cristes brydbur ᵹefrætwod. c1000Sax. Leechd. I. 236 Genim þysse ylcan wyrte blostman. c1175Lamb. Hom. 109 Iliche þan treo þe bereð lef and blosman . and nane westmas ne bereð. a1225Ancr. R. 276 Breres bereð, rosen, & berien, & blostmen. c1385Chaucer L.G.W. 143 The braunches ful of blosmes softe. 1600Shakes. A.Y.L. ii. iii. 64 Thou prun'st a rotten tree, That cannot so much as a blossome yeelde. 1667Milton P.L. iv. 148 Blossoms and Fruits at once of golden hue Appeerd. 1756Burke Subl. & B. Wks. I. 209 An orange-tree, flourishing at once with its leaves, its blossoms, and its fruit. 1822Byron Heav. & Earth i. iii. 730 Yet quivers every leaf, and drops each blossom.
b. collectively. The mass of flowers on a fruit-tree, etc. (Cf. bloom n.1 1 c.) Hence in blossom. Also said of grain, grass, etc.
a1300Cursor M. 8256 Was neuer tre suilk blossem bare. a1400Morte Arth. 6 (Roxb.) Hyr rode was rede as blossom on brere. c1440Promp. Parv. 41 Blosme, or blossum, frons. 1769Washington Diaries (1925) I. 327 The head [of the wheat] was shot out, and in many places in Blossom. 1789Mrs. Piozzi Journ. France I. 120 One plum tree have I seen in blossom. 1869Rep. U.S. Commissioner Agric. 1868 423 F. V. Stewart..states that his practice has been to commence cutting the grass when in the ‘second blossom’. 1878B. Taylor Deukalion iii. i. 107, I go with the flying blossom, as I came with the flying seed.
c. fig. (by simile.)
1789–94Blake Songs Exp., Lit. Girl Lost 34 O the dismal care That shakes the blossoms of my hoary hair. 1842Tennyson Œnone 76 He prest the blossom of his lips to mine. 1860Tyndall Glac. i. §18. 130 Nature..showered down upon us those lovely blossoms of the frost [snow-crystals].
2. fig.
a. An attribute, product, or token, compared in its character to the preceding.
c1230Hali. Meid. 11 Meidenhad is te blosme þat beo ha eanes fulliche forcoruen ne spruteð ha neauer eft. 1596Spenser F.Q. vi. Introd. iv, Amongst them all growes not a fairer flowre Then is the bloosme of comely courtesie. 1692Dryden St. Euremont's Ess. 259 Which takes away all the Blossom of the good they do us. 1775Sheridan Duenna i. iii. 192 The rich blossoms of my daughter's beauty. 1843Prescott Mexico ii. i. (1864) 67 The first blossoms of that literature which was to ripen into so rich a harvest.
b. One lovely and full of promise.
c1440York Myst. xxxvi. 138 Allas! þat þis blossome so bright Vntrewly is tugged to þis tree. 1588Shakes. Tit. A. iv. ii. 72 Sweet blowse, you are a beautious blossome sure. 1591― 1 Hen. VI, iv. vii. 16 There di'de My Icarus, my Blossome, in his pride. 1847Tennyson Princ. v. 79 My babe, my blossom, ah, my child.
c. A stage of development which answers to that of blossom. Cf. flower, bloom.
a1225Ancr. R. 192 Ine blostme of ower ȝuweðe. 1602Shakes. Ham. i. v. 76 Thus was I..Cut off euen in the Blossomes of my Sinne. a1656Bp. Hall Rem. Wks. (1660) 8 Mine hopes nipt in the blossome. 1662J. Bargrave Pope Alex. VII (1867) In the blossom of his popedom, he did one of the worthiest actions of his life.
3. techn.
a. Mining. ‘The oxidized or decomposed outcrop of a vein or coal-bed, more frequently the latter.’ (Raymond Mining Gloss.) Also, radiated quartz (U.S.).
b. The colour of a horse whose hairs are white interspersed with sorrel or bay, peach-colour; a horse so coloured.
1819H. R. Schoolcraft View of Lead Mines of Missouri 71 This variety of quartz has acquired the popular name of blossom of lead, or mineral blossom. Ibid. 91 In searching for ore, the soil, the slope of the hills, spar, blossom, trees, etc., are taken as guides. 1882J. H. Beadle Western Wilds (ed. 2) xxxiv. 560 We are certainly near the outcrop from which the ‘blossom’ was broken.
4. Comb. and attrib., as blossom-ball, blossom-bough, blossom-time; blossom-bearing, blossom-bordered, blossom-bruising, blossom-laden adjs.; blossom-faced a., having a red bloated face; so blossom-nosed; blossom-headed a., (of a parrot) having a rose-coloured head; blossom-rock U.S. (see sense 3 a).
1864Tennyson Aylmer's F. 87 He..Had..to pleasure Edith..Made *blossom-ball or daisy-chain.
1847― Princ. v. 353 Above the garden's glowing *blossom-belts.
1839Bailey Festus xix. (1848) 197 *Blossom-bordered, silvery paths.
a1845Hood Depart. Summ., Under the hawthorn's *blossom-bough.
1784Cowper Task v. 141 *Blossom-bruising hail.
1859Tennyson Vivien 131 Foot-gilt with all the *blossom-dust of those Deep meadows.
1865Dickens Mut. Fr. iv. ix. Half a dozen *blossom-faced men.
1867J. Ingelow Dreams came true l, The *blossom-laden trees.
1871Colorado Gaz. 156 The ‘*blossom rock’ (quartz stained with metallic oxides), which indicates the proximity of mineral deposits, differs but little in gold and silver lodes. 1878J. H. Beadle Western Wilds xxx. 479 Men were let down from above to ‘prospect’, a crevice was found with blossom rock.
1713Lond. & Countr. Br. iii. (1743) 166 *Blossom-time is accounted dangerous for brewing. 1860J. Kennedy Horse Shoe R. vii. 89 Up to the blossom-time of life.
▪ II. blossom, v.|ˈblɒsəm|
[OE. blóstmian, ME. blosme(n, f. prec. n. Cf. Du. bloesemen, and bloom v., flower v.]
1. intr. To put forth blossoms, bloom, flower.
c890K. ælfred Bæda v. xii, (Bosw.) Ðæs blostmiendan feldes. c1386Chaucer Merch. T. 218 Though I be hoor I fare as dooth a tree That blosmeth er þat fruyt ywoxen bee. c1440Promp. Parv. 40 Blomyn, or blosmyn. 1527Andrew Brunswyke's Distyll. Waters A ij b, Whan it begynneth to blossome. 1604Shakes. Oth. ii. iv. 383 Fruites that blossome first, will first be ripe. 1704Pope Spring 42 Now hawthorns blossom, now the daisies spring. 1864Tennyson En. Ard. 587 Huge trees that branch'd And blossom'd in the zenith. 1882Vines Sachs' Bot. 935 Parasites and saprophytes..which vegetate below and blossom above ground.
2. transf. and fig.
1377Langl. P. Pl. B. v. 140 Sithen þei blosmed obrode · in boure to here shriftes. 1388Wyclif Ps. lxxi[i]. 16 Thei schulen blosme [1382 floure] fro the citee, as the hey of erthe doith. 1613Shakes. Hen. VIII, iii. ii. 353 This is the state of Man; to day he puts forth The tender Leaues of hopes, to morrow Blossomes, And beares his blushing Honors thicke vpon him. 1664Butler Hud. ii. i. 458 'Tis Beauty always in the Flowre That buds and blossoms at fourscore. 1847Longfellow Ev. i. iii, One by one..Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels.
b. Const. into.
1852Longfellow Gold. Leg. i. 28 They make the dark and dreary hours Open and blossom into flowers. 1884Manch. Exam. 27 Oct. 5/3 The historic craft of the barber..has blossomed into an art.
c. Const. out.
1894G. du Maurier Trilby I. ii. 162 He..blossomed out into beautiful and costly clothes..so that people would turn round and stare at him. 1929J. B. Priestley Good Compan. ii. vii. 447 Very shortly, you'll see, I shall be Blossoming Out—and then I shall expect a cable from S. Africa. 1947Auden Age of Anxiety (1948) ii. 39 Black umbrellas blossom out. |