| 释义 |
cataphract|ˈkætəfrækt|
[In sense 1, ad. L. cataphractes, a. Gr. καταϕράκτης coat of mail; in 2, ad. L. cataphractus, Gr. κατάϕρακτος clad in full armour; f. καταϕράσσειν to clothe in mail.]
†1. An ancient coat of mail. Obs.
1581Savile Tacitus Hist. i. lxxix. (1591) 44 Cataphracts, a kind of harnish..composed of iron plates or stiffe bend-lether. 1855tr. Labarte's Arts Mid. Ages iv. 117 The ancient cataphract, the military habit of the patricians.
fig.1627Feltham Resolves ii. viii, Virtue is a Cataphract: for in vain we arm one Limb, while the other is without a defence.
b. Zool. ‘The armor of plate covering some fishes.’ Webster cites Dana.
2. A soldier in full armour.
1671Milton Samson 1619 Before him and behind, Archers and slingers, cataphracts and spears. 1814H. Busk Fugit. Pieces 173 Around, in panoply complete, Grim cataphracts await.
¶ Catachrestically for cataract.
1581Sidney Apol. Poetrie (Arb.) 72 Borne so neere the dull making Cataphract of Nilus, that you cannot heare the Plannet-like Murick of Poetrie. 1603Sir C. Heydon Jud. Astrol. To Rdr. 7 As he were borne neere the dull making cataphract of Nilus.
Hence ˈcataphracted a., Zool. covered with a scaly or horny armour; cataˈphractic a., ‘pertaining to or resembling a cataphract’ (Webster); covered with or as with armour.
1881Syd. Soc. Lex., Cataphracted, covered with a horny skin, as with a scaly cuirass. 1890Meredith One of our Conq. (1891) I. v. 67 Not even the flower..would hold constant, as they, to the constantly unseen—a trebly cataphractic Invisible. |