| 释义 |
cateran|ˈkætərən|
Forms: 6 ketheri(n)ck, ketharin, catherein, 8 kettrin, (kaitrine), 9 catheran, katheran, cateran.
[Lowland Sc. catherein, kettrin, appears to represent Gael. ceathairne collective ‘peasantry’, whence ceathairneach ‘sturdy fellow, freebooter’ (McAlpine); Cormac has Ir. ceithern, which O'Donovan renders ‘band of soldiers’, thence ceithernach ‘one of a band’.
The th has long been mute in Celtic, and the Ir. ceithern |ˈkeərn| is phonetically represented by Eng. kern. It is not easy to account for the preservation of the dental in Lowland Sc., unless perh. through the intermediation of med.L. as in Bower's cateranos. (Stokes refers ceithern to OIr. *keitern, OCelt. keterna, a fem. ā-stem.)]
1.
†a. prop. a collective n. Common people of the Highlands in a troop or band, fighting men (obs.). Hence,
b. One of a Highland band; a Highland irregular fighting man, reiver, or marauder.
1371–90Stat. 12 Robt. II (Jam.), Of Ketharines or Sorneris. They quha travells as ketharans..etand the cuntrie and..takand their gudis be force and violence. [c1430Bower Contn. Fordun an. 1396 (Jam.) Per duos pestiferos cateranos et eorum sequaces.] c1505Dunbar Sir T. Norray 13 Full many catherein hes he cheist..Amang thai dully glennis. 15..Scot. Field in Furniv. Percy Folio I. 219 There came at his commandement: ketherinckes full many from Orkney that Ile. 1768Ross Helenore 120 (Jam.) Ask yon highland kettrin what they mean. 1816Scott Old Mort. vi, Grahame of Montrose, and his Highland caterans. 1832Blackw. Mag. 65/2 These overgrown proprietors with their armies of catherans. 1887Duke of Argyll Scotl. as it Was II. 6 Plundering Caterans always ready to flock to those who promised booty.
2. gen. Brigand, freebooter, marauder.
1870Lowell Study Wind. 216 The statecraft of an Ithacan cateran. 1880Marquis of Salisbury in Manch. Guard. 27 Oct., They [the Montenegrins] are caterans, cattle-lifters. |