| 释义 |
▪ I. abortive, a. and n.|əˈbɔːtɪv|
[ad. L. abortīv-us, f. abort-us: see abort and -ive.]
A. adj.
†1. Of or pertaining to abortion.
a. Produced by abortion, born prematurely; also, derived from a still-born animal, as abortive parchment. Obs.
1394P. Ploughm. Crede 485 Fy on his pilche! He is but abortiif, Eked with cloutes. 1594Shakes. Rich. III, i. ii. 21 If euer he haue Childe, Abortiue be it. 1614B. Rich Honestie of this Age (1844) 6 These abortiue brates that are thus hastely brought into the world. 1663Cowley Verses & Ess. (1669) 3 Th' abortive Issue never liv'd. 1664Evelyn Diary (1827) II. 217 A sort of paper very broad thin & fine like abortiue parchment.
†b. Causing abortion, rendering fruitless. Obs.
1611Heywood Gold. Age v. i. (1874) 74 We but saue Our Innocent bodies from th' abortiue graue. 1667Milton P.L. ii. 441 With utter loss of being Threatens him, plunged in that abortive gulf. 1753Chambers Cycl. Supp. s.v. Abortion, Roman authors speak of the poculum abortionis or abortive draught.
†c. Failing to produce offspring, miscarrying. Obs.
1621Burton Anat. Mel. (1651) i. ii. i. iii. 55 Witches..make Women abortive not to conceive. 1662R. Mathew Unl. Alch. §87. 121 It..then brought from her an abortive or false conception.
2. Failing of the intended effect, coming to nought; fruitless, useless, unsuccessful.
1593Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iv. i. 60 Let it make thee Crest-falne, I, and alay this thy abortiue Pride. 1665in Phil. Trans. I. 43 This also proved abortive, though there was great appearance of success at first. 1713Addison Cato iii. vii. Our first design, my friend, has prov'd abortive. 1778Robertson America I. iii. 213 Though this attempt proved abortive it was not without benefit. 1827Scott Surg. Dau. II. 35 Two slips of ground, half arable, half overrun with an abortive attempt at shrubbery. 1876Freeman Norm. Conq. II. ix. 420 He would rather have laboured to hinder Ealdred's mission, or to make it abortive.
3. Biol. Arrested in development; defective, imperfect; sterile, barren.
1794Martyn tr. Rousseau's Bot. x. 103 The florets..of the ray are imperfect, and therefore abortive or frustrate. 1834Good Bk. of Nat. I. 177 The thorns of plants are abortive branches. 1866Livingstone Journ. (1873) I. iii. 60 He had an abortive toe. 1879De Quatrefages Hum. Spec. 74 Datura seeds, which he observed to become abortive or devoid of embryo.
B. n. [The adj. used absol.]
†1. An abortive progeny; a still-born child; a calf or other young animal dropped prematurely. (Sometimes used derisively.)
a1300Cursor Mundi 22. 849 Þe childir þat es abortiues þaa þat er not born o-liues. 1382Wyclif Job iii. 16 Or as abortif hid I shulde not abide, or that conceyved seȝen not liȝt. 1413Lydgate Pylg. Sowle (1483) iv. xxiv. 70 Wherof seith the appostel seynt Powle that our lord had shewed hym self to hym as to an abortyue. c1605? Rowley Birth of Merlin iv. i. 335 Bearded abortive, thou foretell my danger? 1634Peacham Gentlem. Exerc. i. xxv. 88/2 Take the fine skin of an Abortive which you may buy in Paternoster-row. 1760T. W. Human Life in Phil. Trans. LII. 48 From hence abortives and stilborn are included in the burials.
†b. A fine kind of vellum, being the skin of an abortive calf.
1519W. Horman Vulgaria 80 b, §9 That stouffe that we wrytte vpon..is somtyme called parchement, somtyme velem, somtyme abortyue.
†2. An abortive delivery; a miscarriage.
1587L. Mascall Govern. of Cattle (Sheepe) (1627) 246 Also abortiues come when they giue them in some place nothing but akornes for their meate.
†3. The fruitless, imperfect, or unsuccessful result of an endeavour.
1610Holland Camden's Brit. i. 391 Yet giue me leave..to cast forth my conjecture (although it is an abortive) concerning this point. 1654Fuller Two Sermons 75 Whether this will ever be really effected, whether it will prove an Abortive..Time will tell. 1706De Foe Jure Divino ix. 209 It [the Work] scarce out-liv'd The hated Birth: The wild Abortive dy'd.
†4. An abortive drug.
1647Stapylton Juvenal 19 Whil'st with abortives the poore Julia marr'd Her fruitefull wombe.
▪ II. † aˈbortive, v. Obs.
[f. abortive a. Cf. to negative.]
1. trans. To cause abortion; to render ineffectual or fruitless.
1615Albumazar i. iii. (D.) One of your bold thunders may abortive And cause that birth miscarry. 1627Feltham Resolves (1677) ii. lxxxiv. 341 In War, the vexed Earth abortives all her fruitfulness. 1699Evelyn Acetaria 118 (1729) This is that which abortives the Perfection of the most glorious and useful Undertakings.
2. intr. To miscarry; prove abortive.
1692Hacket Life of Williams II. 147 (D.) When peace came so near to the birth, how it abortived..comes now to be remembered. |