| 释义 |
climacteric, a. and n.|klaɪmækˈtɛrɪk, -ˈæktərɪk|
Forms: α. 7 cly-, climacterike, -ique, -ick(e, 7–9 climacterick, 7– -ic. β. 7 clymaterick(e, 8–9 climaterick, -ic.
[ad. L. clīmactēric-us, a. Gr. κλῑµακτηρικός climacteric, of the nature of a critical epoch, f. κλῑµακτήρ climacter. The F. climatérique is the source of the β forms; also, prob. of the second pronunciation, the first being according to the general analogy of words in -ic.
The former accentuation is that of Johnson, Walker, Smart, and the English orthoepists generally: some modern dictionaries give both, and some prefer cliˈmacteric. In verse climacˈteric has been observed in Davenant, Drummond, Ken, Young, Byron, Barham, -ˈmacteric in Brathwaite 17th c., Trumbull 18th c.]
A. adj.
1. Pertaining to or constituting a climacter or critical period in human life; as in climacteric year = climacteric, also = grand climacteric: see B.
1601Holland Pliny vii. xlix. (R.), The rule of the dangerous graduall yeeres called climacterike. 1618R. Brathwait Descr. Death, Nor stands he much upon our dangerous yeare..Oft..When we are most secure, then hee's most neare, Where th' yeare clymactericke is his jubile. 1636Davenant Witts (1673) 223 Being near The danger of his Climacterick year. 1762Young Resignation ii. (R.), Grand climacteric vanities The vainest will despise. 1881Syd. Soc. Lex. s.v., These [epochs of life] were contemplated by the Greek physiologists as five, and termed climacterics or climacteric periods.
b. transf. Constituting an important epoch or crisis; critical; fatal.
a1678Marvell Poems, Horat. Ode, And to all states not free Shall clymaterick be. 1680Life Edw. II in Select. Harl. Misc. (1793) 50 He found the climacterick year of his reign, before he did expect it: and made that unhappy castle..the witness of his cruel murder. 1822Southey Lett. (1856) III. 311 This age is as climateric as that in which he lived. 1874Farrar Christ 25 Seven great climacteric years or epochs.
2. Phys. and Med. Applied to that period of life (usually between the ages of 45 and 60) at which the vital forces begin to decline (in women coinciding with the period of ‘change of life’); pertaining to this period. climacteric disease: a disease of unknown cause which often occurs at an advanced stage of life, characterized by loss of flesh and strength, sleeplessness, etc.
1813Sir H. Halford in Med. Trans. IV. 316 (title) On the Climacteric Disease. 1824Ann. Reg., Chron. 208 He was suffering from a general decay of strength—a sort of climacteric disease. 1876Bartholow Mat. Med. (1879) 407 At the climacteric period in women. 1879T. Bryant Pract. Surg. II. 246 The climacteric effacement of the breast.
3. = climactic.
1791E. Darwin Bot. Gard. ii. 122 Interl., The power gradually to prepare the mind of his reader by previous climacteric circumstances. 1883J. Parker Tyne Ch. 258 It is the last link of a chain, it is the climacteric point.
B. n.
1. A critical stage in human life; a point at which the person was supposed to be specially liable to change in health or fortune. According to some, all the years denoted by multiples of 7 (7, 14, 21, etc.) were climacterics: others admitted only the odd multiples of 7 (7, 21, 35, etc.); some included also the multiples of 9. grand († great) climacteric (sometimes simply the climacteric): the 63rd year of life (63 = 7 × 9), supposed to be specially critical. (According to some, the 81st year (81 = 9 × 9) was also a grand climacteric.) The phrase appears to have been taken immediately from Spanish.
1634Sir T. Herbert Trav. 158 This false Prophet (sore against his will) died in his sixtie third yeare (his great Clymatericke). c1645Howell Lett. I. iii. xi, It is a common..custom amongst the Spaniard, when he hath pass'd his gran climacteric..to make a voluntary resignation of offices. 1697Dryden Virgil Ded., I began this Work in my great Climacterique. 1712Addison Spect. No. 295 ⁋1, I am turned of my great Climacteric. 1728Morgan Algiers II. iv. 293 He lived to see one of those critical and reputed dangerous Periods of Human Life, Called the Gran Climacterics, dying in his sixty third Year. 1742Fielding Jos. Andrews iv. vii, When they arrive at this period [15 yrs.], and have now passed their second climateric. 1823Byron Juan x. xlvii, Her climacteric teased her like her teens.
2. transf. A critical period, point, or epoch in any career or course.
c1630Drummond of Hawthornden Poems Wks. 391 Our [Scotland's] lion's clymacterick now is past, And crown'd with bays, he rampeth free at last. 1714Pope Let. Arbuthnot 10 Sept., At her advanced age every day is a climacteric. 1798G. Wakefield Lett. Sir J. Scott 7 That grand climacteric of information, when, etc. 1829Southey Sir T. More I. 18 It is your lot..to live during one of the grand climacterics of the world. |