| 释义 |
closeness|ˈkləʊsnɪs|
[f. as prec. + -ness.]
Close quality or condition.
†1. Closed or shut up condition, confinement.
1450–1530Myrr. our Ladye 218 For closenes of her vyrgynyte, bothe in hys concepcion and in hys byrthe. 1614Bp. Hall Recollect. Treat. 918 Some..longed for the open aire after so long closenesse. 1644― Rem. Wks. (1660) 131 This sealing argues a long reservation and closenesse.
b. Her. of the wings of birds.
1610J. Guillim Heraldry iii. xx. (1611) 156 In these..fowles, that are not much exercised in flight, you shall not need to speake of their closenesse.
c. ‘Narrowness, straitness’ (J.). Cf. close a. 2.
†2. Secrecy, concealment, reticence. Obs.
1562J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1687) 210 Small diffrens betweene cloosnes and consealyng. a1623Pemble Justification by Faith (1629) 34 Arminius..vsed much closenesse and cunning conveyance. 1658Whole Duty Man x. §16. 83 Any closeness a man uses in the acting of this sin. 1746Wesley Princ. Methodist 9 There is Darkness and Closeness in all their Behaviour. 1775Adair Amer. Ind. Pref., The secrecy and closeness of the Indians as to their own affairs.
3. Retirement, seclusion, solitude.
1610Shakes. Temp. i. ii. 90 All dedicated To closenes, and the bettering of my mind. 1612Shelton Quix. iii. xi. (R.), The care and closeness, wherewithal her parents..have brought her up. 1834R. Mudie Brit. Birds (1841) I. 47 It is probable that they [quails] are more numerous..than appears to common observation. Their extreme closeness during the day appears to be the chief cause of this.
4. Want of free air or ventilation, as in a room that is shut up; a similar quality of the atmosphere in still sultry weather.
a1598Turberv. in Hakluyt Voy. I. 387 (R.) Faces.. browne, by reason of the stoue, and closeness of the aire. 1708Swift Death Partridge, Almost stifled by the closeness of the room. 1780Schotte in Phil. Trans. LXX. 480 A tornado is preceded by a disagreeable closeness and weight in the air. 1865Daily Tel. 25 Oct. 7/3 The sudden closeness of the weather.
5. Nearness or proximity of component elements: compactness, density, solidity.
1674N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 147 For the sake of its hardfastness or closeness. 1676Grew Anat. Plants iv. i. v. §2 Closeness or Density of the Parenchyma. 1692Bentley (J.), Many particles..combine into that closeness of texture. 1802Dibdin Introd. Classics Advt., Smallness and closeness of the type.
6. Nearness to anything in space, time, amount, association, resemblance, etc.
a1716South (J.), The actions..of wise men run in greater closeness and coherence with one another. 1759Johnson Idler No. 69. ⁋8 The poets shook off their constraint, and considered translation as no longer confined to servile closeness. 1851W. R. Greg Creed Christendom 227 The closeness and depth of his communion with the Father. 1884H. D. Traill in Macm. Mag., In proportion to the closeness of the imitation. 1884Manch. Exam. 9 May 5/1 The present vote..shows by its closeness [159 against 155] the growth of Free-trade opinions.
7. Exactness, conciseness.
1712Addison Spect. No. 363. ⁋12 The Story..is drawn together with much Closeness and Propriety of Expression. 1779Johnson L.P., Blackmore Wks. III. 190 The art of uniting ornament with strength and ease with closeness. 1850L. Hunt Autobiog. iv. (1860) 87 It is Pope's wit and closeness that are the difficult things.
8. Niggardliness, stinginess, parsimony.
1712Addison Spect. No. 264 ⁋2 Irus judg'd..that while he could keep his Poverty a Secret, he should not feel the Weight of it; he improved this Thought into an Affectation of Closeness and Covetousness. |