| 释义 |
▪ I. scamper, n.1|ˈskæmpə(r)|
[f. scamper v.]
The action of scampering, in the senses of the vb.; also, an instance of this. Also in the phrases to be on or upon the scamper, to put to the scamper.
1697Vanbrugh æsop Pref., The first day it [sc. this Play] appear'd, 'twas routed.., the fourth it gave a vigorous Attacque, and the fifth put all the Feathers in Town to the scamper. 1766Colman & Garrick Clandestine Marr. v. ii, If we had not watch'd them and call'd up the fammaly, they had been upon the scamper to Scotland by this time. 1809Malkin Gil Blas iv. xi. ⁋4 Those who are always on the scamper see a great deal of the country. 1885Field 7 Feb. 147/3 A fox..led hounds a short but merry scamper over a stiff country. 1888Burgon 12 Gd. Men II. v. 4 He loved..a scamper round the garden.
▪ II. scamper, n.2|ˈskæmpə(r)|
[f. scamp v.2 + -er1.]
One who scamps work.
1851Mayhew Lond. Labour II. 199 To a notorious ‘scamper’, he one morning sent three cart-loads of ‘mac’ at 1s. a load, all to be used in the erection of..one..house. 1884C. Gibbon By Mead & Stream II. xxxii. 144 Work was scamped: he detected it, and dismissed the scampers.
▪ III. scamper, v.|ˈskæmpə(r)|
[Of uncertain origin.
In our quots. first recorded in 1687, but very common between that date and 1700. Not improbably the word was originally military slang, either from obs. Du. schampen ‘to escape or flie, or to be gone’ (Hexham 1660), which is a. OF. escamper to decamp, or from It. scampare to decamp, run away: see discamp v. A less likely, though possible, supposition is that it represents a ME. derivative of the OF. word, preserved in some non-literary dialect.]
†1. intr. To run away, decamp, ‘bolt’. Obs.
1687T. Brown Saints in Uproar Wks. 1720 I. 89 It rejoices me to consider, with what wonderful Alacrity you [sc. St. Ursula and her Virgins] scamper'd over the Alps, and without a Farthing of Money in your Pockets. 1688in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. IV. 144 Upon beat of drum..[they] have scampered away, and by flight provided for their safety. 1693Dennis Impartial Critick iii. 18 Beaum... But whose are those Verses? If they are thine, I scamper immediately. 1697W. Dampier Voy. I. 189 We were forc'd to cut our Cables in all haste, and scamper away as well as we could. a1700B. E. Dict. Canting Crew, Scamper, to run away, or Scowre off, either from Justice, as Thieves, Debtors, Criminals, that are pursued; or from ill fortune, as Soldiers that are repulsed or worsted. 1788Franklin Autobiog. Wks. 1840 I. 191 The wagoners took each a horse out of his team and scampered. 1822Byron Juan viii. lxxv, The Turks at first pretended to have scamper'd. 1833M. Scott Tom Cringle ix, The few of the Pirates who had escaped having scampered into the woods.
2. To run or caper about nimbly; to go or journey hastily from place to place. Also with advs. about, away, off, etc.
1691[see scampering vbl. n.]. 1697W. Dampier Voy. I. 517 For which reason, I suppose, they represented so many Serpents scampering about in the printed Picture that was made of him. 1760–20Goldsm. Cit. W. Pref., I have been set up for half-pence, to fret and scamper at the end of my chain [like a dancing bear]. 1833H. Martineau Manch. Strike i. 3 Barefooted children were scampering up and down these stairs at play. 1835Willis Pencillings II. xlvi. 63 The current scampers through between the two castles. 1873Holland A. Bonnic. iii. 60 A black fox dashed across our way, and, giving us a scared look, scampered into cover. 1882M. E. Braddon Mt. Royal II. i. 3 He is devoured by impatience to be scampering off again.
fig.1870M. Bridgman R. Lynne II. xiii. 285 She could just scamper through the scales.
Hence ˈscampered ppl. a.
1894M. Dyan Man's Keeping (1899) 249 After a scampered-through breakfast. 1906Daily News 21 Mar. 6/5 The usual scampered mid-day meals. |