| 释义 |
sectional, a.|ˈsɛkʃənəl|
[f. section n. + -al1. Cf. F. sectionnel.]
A. adj.
1. Pertaining to a section or division of a larger part.
a. Pertaining to a section or sections of a country, society, or population; sometimes (of interests, etc.) with implied opposition to general.
1806Deb. Congr. U.S. (1852) 15 Apr. 1042 Let a narrow, selfish, local, sectional policy prevail and struggles will commence. 1816Monthly Mag. XLII. 230 In the sectional or parish assemblies during the revolution a cobbler ascended the tribune. 1856W. Irving Washington II. 559 The sectional jealousies prevalent among them [sc. the troops from the different provinces] were more and more a subject of uneasiness to Washington. 1865W. C. Fowler (title) The Sectional Controversy; or passages in the political history of the United States, including the courses of the war between the sections. 1881Nature 4 Aug. 325 The sectional meetings are being held in the rooms of the various scientific societies in the Burlington House region. 1886Campbell-Bannerman Sp. 13 May in Hansard's Parl. Deb. Ser. iii. CCCV. 948 Those who anticipate the further embitterment of sectional and sectarian strife [in Ireland]. 1908Daily Chron. 25 Feb. 6/6 The design includes only the Cross of St. George, the sectional emblem of England.
b. Prosody. Pertaining to a section or member of a verse.
1838Guest Eng. Rhythms i. vi. I. 125 Sectional Rhime is that which exists between syllables contained in the same section. Ibid. i. vii. 154 Perhaps we may infer, that the sectional pause was originally a stop.
c. Of the nature of a section, incomplete.
1839–48Bailey Festus xix. 204 Our life is incomplete and sectional.
2. a. Of or pertaining to a section (sense 4), relating to the view of the structure of a body in section.
1825J. Nicholson Oper. Mech. 181 Part of the furnace is shown in a sectional view. 1868Humber Strains in Girders 67 For sectional area of material, substitute an equivalent strain. 1874tr. Lommel's Light 79 Chief or principal planes or sections, having the same sectional outline.
b. Geol. sectional line: the line on the earth's surface through which a section is supposed to be made.
1831A. Sedgwick in Trans. Geol. Soc. (1836) Ser. ii. IV. 87 From Dent the sectional line ranges over the top of Risell to the Garsdale river. 1850T. Baker Mensuration 121 To draw a sectional line of several points in the earth's surface, the levels of which have been taken.
3. Composed or made up of several sections or parts fitting into one another.
1875Knight Dict. Mech., Sectional Steam-boiler. 1901Furniture Rec. 15 June Suppl. 4 The Gunn K.D. Sectional Book Cases. 1909‘O. Henry’ Roads of Destiny v. 74 A word from me was more to them than a whole deckle-edged library from East Aurora in sectional bookcases was from anybody else. 1937Discovery Feb. 35/1 They had hoped to use a very light sectional building. 1957Times 2 July (Agric. Suppl.) p. vi/2 A typical old barn now houses the grain intake pit, cleaner, pre-dry bin, continuous dryer, and sectional storage bins. 1960Which? Jan. 5 Sectional boiler, coke-fired.
4. Of steel: rolled in the form of sections (sense 2 p).
1881Jrnl. Iron & Steel Inst. 703 The sectional forms given..are intended to supply the requirements of engineers engaged in the construction of railways, warehouses, public buildings, and similar work. 1916Ibid. XCIII. 354 All the sectional material rolled differs from the ideal by not giving equal distribution of stress in the material. 1924H. J. Skelton Econ. Iron & Steel 279 Wherever practicable, it is desirable that rolled shapes or sectional material in mild steel should be ordered from the list of British Standard Sections.
B. ellipt. as n. A piece of furniture composed of sections which can be used separately; spec. one which can be used either as a sofa or as a set of chairs. U.S.
1961in Webster. 1972Village Voice (N.Y.) 1 June 3/1 (Advt.), Top quality convertible sofas & sectionals. 1977Time 28 Mar. 50/2 One day Lily and Richard decided that the living-room sofa would look better as a sectional. Practical kids, they picked up a saw and divided it into three pieces. 1980Redbook Oct. 86 (Advt.), Display the sectionals alone or group them with matching modular pieces. |