| 释义 |
pusillanimous, a.|pjuːsɪˈlænɪməs|
[f. eccl. L. pusillanimis (in Itala a 150, rendering Gr. ὀλιγόψῡχος) f. pusillus very small, petty + animus soul, mind + -ous. Cf. F. pusillanime.]
1. Lacking in courage and strength of mind; faint-hearted, mean-spirited, cowardly.
1586B. Young Guazzo's Civ. Conv. iv. 194 A scoffe is the reward of shamefast and pusillanimous persons. 1642Milton Apol. Smect. Wks. 1851 III. 296 Where didst thou learne to be so agueish, so pusillanimous? 1769Robertson Chas. V, vii. Wks. (1831) 576/2 An indignity which no prince, how inconsiderable or pusillanimous soever, could tamely endure. 1840Carlyle Heroes iii, Nature..remains to the bad, to the selfish and the pusillanimous forever a sealed book.
2. Of qualities, actions, etc.: Proceeding from or manifesting a want of courage.
c1611Chapman Iliad i. Com., Who can deny, that there are teares of manlinesse and magnanimity, as well as womanish and pusillanimous? 1698W. Chilcot Evil Thoughts ix. (1851) 110 What a cowardly and pusillanimous disowning of his power and goodness! 1797Mrs. Radcliffe Italian xxiv, You are now anxious to form excuses to yourself for a conduct so pusillanimous. 1882Farrar Early Chr. I. 76 [Nero's] end, perhaps the meanest and most pusillanimous which has ever been recorded.
Hence pusiˈllanimously adv.; pusiˈllanimousness = pusillanimity.
1638Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 91 The rebells *pusillanimously opposing that new torrent of destruction, gaze awhile. 1788Gibbon Decl. & F. xl. IV. 87 He [John of Cappadocia] pusillanimously fled to the sanctuary of the church. 1871Meredith H. Richmond xxxii, I was tormented by the delusion that I had behaved pusillanimously.
1727Bailey vol. II, *Pusillanimousness, want of Courage. 1889J. Pearson in Our Day (U.S.) Sept., A veritable pusillanimousness had taken possession of that part of the people that really wanted the law enforced. |