| 释义 |
showy, a.|ˈʃəʊɪ|
[f. show n.1 + -y. Cf. the earlier showish a.]
Characterized by show. a. Of visible objects: Presenting an imposing or striking appearance; making a good display.
1712Addison Spect. No. 434 ⁋6 The Men would make a Present of every thing that was Rich and Showy to the Women whom they most admired. 1746W. Thompson R.N. Adv. (1757) 40 They do not always Weigh six Hundred Weight,..tho' large shewy Oxen. 1777F. Burney Early Diary (1889) II. 168 A very showy striped pink and white Manchester. 1779G. Keate Sketches Nat. (ed. 2) I. 8 Rather a showy than a pretty woman. 1826P. Pounden France & Italy 186 Hung with chintz of a shewy pattern. 1832Babbage Econ. Manuf. xv. (ed. 3) 139 Inferior but showy watches are made at a cheap rate. 1839Thackeray Fatal Boots Oct., A showy black-haired woman with one eye. 1882Garden 15 July 41/1 One of the showiest of hardy border flowers. 1893F. T. Richards in Traill Social Eng. i. 23 Showy market places, and fine houses.
b. Of immaterial things, qualities, etc.: Brilliant, striking, ‘effective’. Of persons: Displaying brilliant talents, etc.
1728Morgan Algiers I. List Subscribers (ad fin.), Had I been fond of borrowed Plumes this List had been considerably more Showy than it is. 1782F. Burney Cecilia ii. vi, Forming friendships with every shewy adventurer that comes in your way. 1824Scott St. Ronan's v, His manners, without being showy, were gentleman-like and pleasing. 1836J. H. Newman Par. Serm. xxxii. (ed. 2) II. 448 The showy talents, in which the present age prides itself. 1872Bagehot Physics & Pol. ii. (1876) 44 The progress of the military art is the most conspicuous, I was about to say the most showy, fact in human history. 1912Eng. Hist. Rev. Oct. 817 Dr. McGiffert is..inclined to let generalities—more or less showy—do duty for concrete statements of fact.
c. Nat. Hist. In names of plants and birds.
1817Shaw's Gen. Zool. X. 466 Showy Tanager (Tanagra ornata). 1880Bessey Bot. 460 Lilium speciosum, the Showy Lily, from Japan. 1890Century Dict. s.v. Orchis, The common American species is O[rchis] spectabilis, the showy orchis.
d. Comb.: showy-dressed, showy-looking.
1788A. Hughes Henry & Isab. III. 80 A tall, plain, showy dressed, affected woman. 1821Hazlitt Table-t., Living to one's-self (1869) 125 A showy-looking girl. |