| 释义 |
semblance|ˈsɛmbləns|
Also 4–6 -aunce, (5 sembal-, sembelaunce, 6 sembleaunce).
[a. F. semblance, f. semblant: see semblant. Cf. Sp. semblanza, It. sembianza.]
†1. The fact of appearing to view. in semblance, apparent, visible, to be seen. Obs.
c1300Cursor M. 21638 Sin first þe werld was wroght, Meracles o þe cros might Has ben in semblance and in sight.
2. The appearance or outward aspect of a person or thing.
a1366Chaucer Rom. Rose 425 Ful lyk to hir was that image, That maked was lyk hir semblaunce. a1400–50Wars Alex. 4098 A burly best..Of sembalaunce as a see-bule. c1477Caxton Jason 40 b, They jugged him with his mayntene and semblaunce to be a moche noble knight. 1591Spenser M. Hubberd 200 Be you the Souldier, for you likest are For manly semblance, and small skill in warre. 1593Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iii. ii. 162 A timely-parted Ghost, Of ashy semblance. 1631Milton Sonn. ii. 5 Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth, That I to manhood am arriv'd so near. 1741–2Gray Agrippina 120 By Juno, It bears a noble semblance. On this base my great revenge shall rise. 1806Wordsw. Ode Intim. Immortality 108 Thou whose exterior semblance doth belie Thy Soul's immensity. 1865M. Arnold Ess. Crit. x. (1875) 417 It may be the vulgar part of human nature which busies itself with the semblance and doings of living sovereigns.
b. The form, likeness or image of a person or thing, considered in regard to another that is similar. Chiefly in phrases, as to the semblance of; to have or take the semblance of; in (the) semblance of, in likeness of, so as to resemble; † of one's semblance, resembling him.
c1374Chaucer Boeth. iv. pr. vi. (1868) 142 Þe þinges þat he haþ maked in to hys semblaunce [L. in sui similitudinem]. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xviii. 285 And in semblaunce [v.r. semblaunt] of a serpent sat on þe appeltre. c1400Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton) v. xiv. (1859) 80 And sodenly was sente doune the hooly ghoost in semblaunce of fyry tonges. c1450Merlin v. 91 He hadde take the semblaunce of a moche olde man. 1471Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) 245 This childe had hooly the veray semblance and liknes of kynge Iupiter. 1513Life Hen. V (1911) 37 Whereby the water gathered and arised..to the semblaunce of a little sea. Ibid. 65 Smale children apparrelled in the semblance of Angels. 1598Shakes. Merry W. v. v. 11 A fault done first in the forme of a beast..and then another fault in the semblance of a Fowle. 1772Mackenzie Man of World ii. v. (1823) 471 To assume her semblance, is a tribute which vice must often pay to virtue. 1807Wordsw. White Doe i. 277 'Twas said that She all shapes could wear; And oftentimes before him stood,..In semblance of a lady fair. 1867Parkman Jesuits N. Amer. xvi. (1875) 218 And now the lake narrowed to the semblance of a tranquil river.
3. A person's appearance or demeanour, expressive of his thoughts, feelings, etc., or feigned in order to hide them. (Cf. semblant n. 1 b, c, d.)
a1400–50Wars Alex. 5192 Bot lat þi semblance be sadd quen þou þi saȝe ȝildis. 1514Barclay Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.) 21 What is fayre semblaunce, with thought & hevynes? Forsothe nought elles but cloked folysshness! 1600Shakes. A.Y.L. i. iii. 124 Weele haue a swashing and a marshall outside, As manie other mannish cowards haue, That doe outface it with their semblances. 1606J. Carpenter Solomon's Solace i. 4 He was neuer of the mind or semblance, to be couetous towards his subiects, whiles he was bountifull to himselfe. 1633Bp. Hall Hard Texts, Prov. xi. 9 A dissembling friend with faire and false words and semblances draweth his neighbour into some dangerous inconvenience. 1726Pope Odyss. xvii. 77 Him, gath'ring round, the haughty Suitors greet With semblance fair, but inward deep deceit. 1805–6Cary Dante, Inf. iv. 78 Four mighty spirits toward us bend their steps, Of semblance neither sorrowful nor glad.
†b. Phr. to make or show (a specified) semblance. (Cf. semblant n. 3 a, b, f.) Obs.
1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) II. 421 Ȝif þe Grees..comeþ þeder, þe bryddes makeþ hem good semblaunce [MS. α semblaunt]. a1450Knt. de la Tour 161 What chere or what sembelaunce that men make vnto suche women in thaire presence. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 778 Of truth the Protectour and the Duke of Buckingham made very good sembleaunce vnto the Lord Hastinge's and kept him much in their company. 1596Spenser F.Q. iv. vii. 44 He..humble homage did vnto him make, Midst sorrow shewing ioyous semblance for his sake.
4. An appearance or outward seeming of (something which is not actually there or of which the reality is different from its appearance).
1599Shakes. Hen. V, ii. ii. 117 With patches, colours, and with formes being fetcht From glist'ring semblances of piety. 1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. ii. §39 They had the appearance of a good body of men, there being all the semblance of great bodies behind on the other side of the hill. 1667Milton P.L. i. 529 With high words, that bore Semblance of worth not substance. 1797Godwin Enquirer i. xi. 96 Where the parent is not prepared to grant a real and bona fide equality..he should avoid the semblance of it. 1799Ht. Lee Canterb. T., Frenchm. T. (ed. 2) I. 288 [She] was not duped by this semblance of tranquillity. 1822Lamb Elia Ser. ii. Books & Reading, To reach down a well-bound semblance of a volume. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. xiii. III. 298 Carstairs was forced to content himself with the substance of power, and to leave the semblance to others. 1855Dickens Dorrit ii. xiii, On the door..appeared the semblance of a brass-plate. 1861Buckle Civiliz. (1873) III. i. 21 Any thing which bore even the semblance of wealth was an irresistible excitement to their cupidity. 1889Jessopp Coming of Friars ii. 89 In many cases oiled linen cloth served to admit a feeble semblance of light.
b. An apparition or vision (of a person, etc.).
1489Caxton Faytes of Armes iii. i. 168 Appiered byfore me the semblaunce of a creature hauyng the fourme of a stately man. a1717Fenton Odyss. xi. in Milton's Style Poems 125, I last the visionary Semblance view'd Of Hercules, a shadowy Form; for He The real Son of Jove, in Heav'ns high Court Abides. 1813Scott Trierm. ii. xxviii, And her semblance oft will seem, Mingling in a champion's dream, Of her weary lot to 'plain, And crave his aid to burst her chain. 1870A. O'Shaughnessy Epic of Women 202, I saw Him some time by the flickering light, As the one in my dream who was playing my part; Till his semblance grew dim and was gone from my sight.
c. With negative (or equivalent): Even the appearance, the bare appearance.
1828Macaulay Ess., Hallam ⁋29 When the Protector wished to put his own brother to death, without even the semblance of a trial. 1847R. W. Hamilton Rewards & Punishm. vii. (1853) 320 Where is the semblance of proof that Christ visited disembodied spirits of the wicked? 1874Green Short Hist. viii. §6. 524 The fall of Strafford had put an end to all semblance of rule.
d. in semblance, in seeming, in appearance (only).
1864Bryce Holy Rom. Emp. v. (1866) 78 So was his government Roman in semblance rather than in fact.
e. In generalized sense and quasi-personification.
1839Carlyle Chartism v. (1840) 44 It is the heyday of Imposture; of Semblance recognising itself and getting itself recognised, for Substance. 1840― Heroes vi. (1841) 382 The..return of mankind to Reality and Fact, now that they were perishing of Semblance and Sham.
5. A person or thing that resembles another; a likeness, image, or copy of.
1513Life Hen. V (1911) 143 Maruelouslie imbordered wth signes and semblances of Lillies and of Roses. 1593Shakes. Lucr. 1246 No more then waxe shall be accounted euill, Wherein is stampt the semblance of a Deuill. 1762–71H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Paint. (1786) I. 88 John Rous, the antiquary of Warwickshire, who drew his own portrait and other semblances. 1824Campbell Theodric 155 The painting long in that sweet mansion drew Regards its living semblance little knew. 1846Ruskin Mod. Paint. II. iii. i. xi. §4 The fact of our deriving constant pleasure from whatever is a type or semblance of divine attributes.
6. The fact or quality of being like something; likeness, resemblance.
1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. 236 There is suche affinitie and semblaunce in the matter, that we could not doe amisse to ioyne them all together. 1648–99J. Beaumont Psyche iii. 67 The Reins were cloath'd in whitest silk, to hold Some 'semblance to the Hand that them controll'd. 1684Bunyan Pilgr. ii. 122, I thought no body had been like me, but I see there was some Semblance 'twixt this good Man and I. a1864Ferrier Grk. Philos. (1866) I. iv. 92 Construct our skeleton as we best may, and..give it..some semblance to the remains of an organic creature. 1900J. G. Campbell Superstit. Scott. Highl. 78 The student..will recognize in them a semblance to the Fairy tales of the North of Ireland.
†7. Likelihood, probability. Obs.
1548Geste Agst. Pr. Masse F iv, It is expressely wrytten..(say our catholiques) that they sacrificed to thee Lorde. Therfore by al sembleaunce they sacrificed his body and bloud. 1647N. Bacon Disc. Govt. Eng. i. lxxi. (1739) 189 Yet some semblance there is, that it was yet more ancient.
8. Phr. to make semblance: to make an appearance or pretence. Const. of (something, doing something); also with clause introduced by that, as if, as though; also with inf. (Cf. semblant n. 3 c, d.)
c1450Merlin ii. 39 He that shewed yow that, made yow semblance that ye sholde be deed for me. 1585T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xx. 24 He should make a semblance as though he would remayne there in hostage. 1602Marston Antonio's Rev. v. i. Wks. 1856 I. 132 They all make semblance of loathing Piero. 1610Holland Camden's Brit. i. 813 A souldior..making semblance to deliver unto him the keies of the Castle. 1649Milton Eikon. xxvii. 224 His words make semblance as if hee were magnanimously exercising himself. 1670― Hist. Eng. ii. 51 Who, by his Father banish'd,..made semblance of marching toward Britain. 1850Gladstone Glean. (1879) V. 213 Did she, or did she not, ever make a semblance of surrendering it? |