| 释义 |
▪ I. simper, n.|ˈsɪmpə(r)|
[f. simper v.2]
An affected and self-conscious smile; a silly smiling look; a smirk.
1599B. Jonson Cynthia's Rev. v. iv, You become the simper, well, ladie. 1711Addison Spectator No. 179 ⁋7 The Whistler relaxed his Fibres into a kind of Simper. 1728Pope Dunc. ii. 6 The proud Parnassian sneer, The conscious simper, and the jealous leer, Mix on his look. 1779G. Keate Sketches fr. Nat. (ed. 2) I. 23, I suppose, by your simper,..that but few people come now to Becket's shrine for a kiss. 1831Carlyle Sart. Res. i. iv, Some men wear an everlasting barren simper. 1872Black Adv. Phaeton xxii, With an idiotic simper on his face.
Comb.1817Lintoun Green ii. 22 The Boar was round as any clue, Was smooth and simper fac'd.
b. An affectation; a pose.
1828Life Planter Jamaica 1 Few would believe him, if he fell into the common simper of whining about the comfort of convicted felons.
▪ II. ˈsimper, v.1 Obs. exc. dial.
Also 6 symper.
[Prob. imitative; connexion with next appears unlikely.]
1. intr. To simmer.
1477Norton Ordin. Alch. iv. in Ashm. (1652) 47 Remember that Water will buble and boyle, But Butter must simper and also Oyle. 1530Palsgr. 718/1, I symper, as lycour dothe on the fyre byfore it begynneth to boyle. a1608Dee Relat. Spirits i. (1659) 214 It seemeth to be a great Lake of pitch: and it playeth or simpreth, as water doth, when it beginneth to seethe. a1691Boyle Medicin. Exp. v. (1693) 41 Let the Vessel stand in a moderate heat, that the Liquor may simper for many hours. 1725Fam. Dict. s.v. Verjuice, The Verjuice must not be boil'd, but let it simper only. 1736in Ochtertyre Ho. Bk. (S.H.S.) Introd. p. xxxix, Letting the berries Simper in a pan. a1825Forby Voc. E. Anglia 301. 1881 Antrim & Down Gloss. 90. 1888 Sheffield Gloss. 215.
2. trans. To cause to simmer. rare—1.
1694W. Salmon Bate's Dispens. (1713) 686/2 You are then to add the Balsam de Tolu..and Rose-water, simpering it till the Rose-water is evaporated.
▪ III. simper, v.2|ˈsɪmpə(r)|
[Of obscure origin. In sense 1 perh. related to a continental semper or simper, which is represented by Da., Norw., and Sw. dial. semper, simper, Swiss dial. semper, G. zimper, zimpfer (also MDu. simper-, zimperlijc, G. zimpf-, zimperlich), elegant, delicate, nice, dainty, affected, etc., and G. zimpf-, zimpern, -eln to be coy, etc. Mod.WFris. has simperje in sense 3, with adj. simperich peevish.]
1. intr. To smile in a silly, self-conscious, or affected manner; to smirk.
Perh. implied earlier in simper-de-cocket.
c1563Jack Juggler (Roxb.) 9 She simperith, she prankith and getteth with out faylle, As a pecocke that hath spred, and sheweth hir gaye taile. 1576Fleming Panopl. Ep. 277 Simpering and smiling, he began somwhat leisurely to write. 1611Beaum. & Fl. Philaster 1, She is one that may..simper when she is Courted by her Friend. 1652B. Oley Life G. Herbert (1836) p. cv, His birth and spirit prompted him to martial achievements,..and not to sit simpering over a book. 1770F. Burney Early Diary 20 Apr., She..lisps affectedly, simpers designedly, and looks conceitedly. 1832R. & J. Lander Exped. Niger III. xx. 215 Addigetta..smiles or simpers most engagingly whenever she is more than ordinarily pleased. 1891M. Williams Later Leaves v. 61 She smiled and simpered and tried to avoid the question.
†b. So to simper it. Obs.
1575North tr. Philibert's Philosopher at Crt. 16 Counterfaite Courtiers which simper it in outwarde shewe, making pretie mouthes [etc.]. 1602Rowlands Greenes Ghost (Hunterian Club) 27 She simpered it, and made curtesie,..as if she had neuer seene them before. 1626Middleton Women Beware Women iii. ii, See how she simpers it, as if marmalade Would not melt in her mouth!
†c. With allusion to simper v.1 Obs.
1594Nashe Unfort. Trav. Wks. (Grosart) V. 37, I simpered with my countenance lyke a porredge pot on the fire when it first begins to seeth. 1731–8Swift Polite Conv. 45 And yet she simpers like a Firmity-Kettle.
†2. To glimmer, twinkle. Obs. rare.
c1620Beaum. & Fl. Lover's Progress iii. i, The Candles are all out. Lanc. But one i' th' Parlour. I see it simper hither, pray come this way. 1633G. Herbert Temple, Search iv, Yet can I mark how starres above Simper and shine.
3. dial. To whimper.
1865J. Sleigh Derbyshire Gloss. 1888Sheffield Gloss. 215 Simper, to cry, to begin to cry as a spoiled child does.
4. trans. To say or utter with a simper.
1801M. Edgeworth Angelina x, ‘He, he, he,’ simpered Nat. ‘I am Orlando, of whom you have heard so much.’ 1856Merivale Rom. Emp. I. (1865) VI. 208 ‘Friends everywhere!’ simpered the fool; ‘pray how came you all here?’
b. With advs., as away, forth, out.
1838D. Jerrold Men of Char. iii. v, He simpered away nothing of its reality into conventual no-meaning. 1843Lytton Last of Barons ii. iii, Must I go bonnet in hand and simper forth the sleek personals of the choice of her kith and house? 1873C. M. Davies Unorth. Lond. (1876) 429 Drawing-rooms, where Browning and Tennyson were simpered out to coteries. |