| 释义 |
seneschal|ˈsɛnɪʃəl|
Forms: 4–5, 7 senescal(l, 4–7 seneschall, 5 senescha, senesshawle, senceall, sencial, sencyal, 5, 9 seneshall, 6–8 seneshal, 7 scenechal, 4– seneschal.
[a. OF. seneschal (mod.F. sénéchal) = Pr. senescal-s, Sp., Pg. senescal, It. siniscalco, sescalco; a Com. Rom. word ad. Teut. *seniscalc (latinized seniscalcus, siniscalcus, in the Frankish and Alamannic laws), f. OTeut. *seni- old (in Goth. sinista superl. of sineigs old) + *skalko-z servant (Goth. skalk-s, OHG. scalc, OE. scealc). The Fr. word was adopted in MHG. as seneschalt, scheneschlant.]
1. An official in the household of a sovereign or great noble, to whom the administration of justice and entire control of domestic arrangements were entrusted. In wider use: a steward, ‘major-domo’.
1393Langl. P. Pl. C. i. 93 Somme aren as seneschals and seruen oþere lordes. a1450Knt. de la Tour (1868) 86 Amon was seneschalle of the king. 1470–85Malory Arthur i. xiv. 55 Thenne syr kay cam vnto syr Morganore sencial with the king of the C knyghtes. 1596Spenser F.Q. vi. i. 15 Which to prouide, she hath this Castle dight, And therein hath a Seneschall assynd. 1612Davies Why Ireland, etc. 221 These great Lordes..managed their estates heere, by their Seneschals and Seruants. 1667Milton P.L. ix. 38 Then marshal'd Feast Serv'd up in Hall with Sewers, and Seneshals. 1725Pope Odyss. iv. 47 The Seneshal rebuk'd, in haste withdrew. 1818Scott Hrt. Midl. li, The respectable gentleman who acts as seneschal on the Duke's domains. 1875Maine Hist. Instit. v. 139 Whence came this great exaltation of..great Seneschal or Steward.
fig.1854Emerson Lett. & Soc. Aims Wks. (Bohn) III. 176 For example, what a seneschal and detective is laughter!
b. A cathedral official in England.
1882Standard 31 Aug. 3/5 Mr. H. G. Austin, the Cathedral seneschal, said the Chapter [Canterbury] did not press for a heavy penalty.
2. As the title of a governor of a city or province, and of various administrative or judicial officers. Now only Hist. exc. with reference to the Channel Islands.
c1400Brut 232 To bene Senescal and wardein of Gascoigne. 1539in Hore Hist. Wexford (1900) I. 239 Wm. Seyntlow..beyng chief officer of the said shire by the name of Seneschall. 1580Hollyband Treas. Fr. Tong, Seneschaux,..Seneschals, Bailifs, other officers or stewardes of courtes. 1586Cal. St. Papers, Irel. 1586–1588, 41 Nicholas Dawtrey, gent., Seneschal of Claneboy. c1630Risdon Surv. Devon (1810) 13 The High Seneschal of the Dutchy of Cornwall..in English..is termed Lord Warden. 1675Essex Papers (Camden) I. 309 All is forfited & taken up by the Shiriffe or Senescall. 1862Ansted Channel Isl. iv. xxiii. (ed. 2) 537 The court at Sark consists of the seneschal, or judge, or his deputy, the prevôt and the greffier.
3. attrib.
1756Gentl. Mag. XXVI. 333 The officers of the seneschal jurisdiction of Auvergne. |