| 释义 |
courteous, a.|ˈkɔətjəs, ˈkɜːtjəs|
Forms: α. 3–5 cortes, -eis, eys, 4 -ays(e, (-ez, superl. corteyst); β. 3–5 curtais, (4 -aiss, -us), 4–6 -aise, ays(e, -as, -es, -eis(e, -eys(e, (5 -ase, -ace, -is, superl. curtast, 6 curteiz, -ese, -ess, -yse, -uus, currteyse); γ. 4–6 courteis, -eys(e, 5–7 -es; δ. 5–6 curt-, courtois, -oys(e, (5 -oyus); ε. 6 curteous(e, -ious, corteous, 6–7 courtious, 6– courteous.
[a. OF. corteis, curteis (later cortois, courtois) = Sp. cortés, It. cortese, deriv. of corte, curt, court, court + Romanic suffix -ese (-es, -eis), repr. L. -ensis: the corresponding L. type being *cohortensis, cōrtēsis. In Eng. the typical form from 14th c. is court-, after later F. (whence also Caxton's courtois); by confusion of suffixes, -eous has been substituted for -eis from the 16th c.]
1. Having such manners as befit the court of a prince; having the bearing of a courtly gentleman in intercourse with others; graciously polite and respectful of the position and feelings of others; kind and complaisant in conduct to others.
c1275xi Pains of Hell 389 in O.E. Misc. 155 Hug is his rihte nome And he is curteys and hendy. a1330Roland & V. 18 A knight ful curtays. c1380Sir Ferumb. 1298 Comly mayde of kynges kende, þe corteyst þat i knowe. c1386Chaucer Prol. 99 His sone a yong Squier, Curteis he was, lowely, and seruysable. 1470–85Malory Arthur vi. x, The curteyst knyghte..and mekest vnto all ladyes and gentylwymmen. 1483Cath. Angl. 87 Curtas, curialis. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon i. 38 A good man, sage, curtois & valyaunt. 1513Bradshaw St. Werburge ii. 803 A swete faire gentilwoman, curtes and comly. 1526Tindale 1 Cor. xiii. 4 Love suffreth longe, and is corteous. a1533Ld. Berners Huon lxii. 214 The lady..was ryght sage and courtoys. 1563Homilies ii. Matrimony (1859) 508 If thou lovest him only because he is gentle and curtess. 1590Shakes. Mids. N. iii. i. 167 Be kinde and curteous to this Gentleman. 1625Bacon Ess., Goodness (Arb.) 209 Gracious, and Curteous to Strangers. 1655Fuller Ch. Hist. iv. ii. §28 King Henry the fourth..though curteous, was not servial to the Pope. 1720De Foe Capt. Singleton iii. 49 We found the natives always very free and courteous. 1859Tennyson Lancelot & Elaine 554 With smiling face arose..a Prince..Gawain, surnamed The Courteous.
†b. Const. of. Obs.
1362Langl. P. Pl. A. iv. 17 Curteis of speche. 1575Laneham Let. (1871) 19 Curteiz of behauiour. 1624Heywood Gunaik. iv. 182 Our English women are more curtious of their bodies than bloodie of their mindes.
†c. Of superiors: Gracious. Obs. (or absorbed in the general sense.)
c1290S. Eng. Leg. I. 54/21 An Eorl þare was in poile þat was corteys and hende. c1340Cursor M. 11973 (Trin.) Ihesus þat was so curteise. c1360Deo Gratias 41 in E.E.P. (1862) 129 Almyhti corteis crouned kyng, God graunt vs grace to rule vs so. 1393Gower Conf. III. 190 Pite maketh a king curteise Both in his worde and in his dede. c1430Hymns Virg. (1867) 57 Oure curteis crist, oure king riale. 1483Caxton Gold. Leg. 149/1 Fayr brother, god is more curtoys than ye be. 1578Ps. cvi. in Gude & Godlie Ballates (1878) 100 Courtes and kynde till all men is the Lord. 1609Holland Amm. Marcell. xxi. vi. 172 A lady..excelling a number, and yet in so high an estate right curteous. 1813Scott Trierm. i. i, Courteous as monarch the morn he is crown'd.
†d. Of inferiors: Politely respectful or deferential. Obs. (or absorbed in the general sense.)
c1450Bk. Curtasye 163 in Babees Bk. (1868) 305 Be curtayse to god, and knele doun On bothe knees with grete deuocioun.
e. As a formula of address; orig. to superiors = Gracious, gentle, benign. arch.
c1325E.E. Allit. P. A. 433 ‘Cortayse quen’ þenne s[a]yde þat gaye. c1440York Myst. xvii. 313 Nowe curtayse kynges, to me take tent. 1598Marston Sco. Villanie x. H iij b, Say (Curteous sir) speakes he not movingly. 1606Shakes. Tr. & Cr. v. ii. 185 Haue with you Prince: my curteous Lord adew. 1660Barrow Euclid Pref. 1 If you are desirous, Courteous Reader [etc.]. 1684Bunyan Pilgr. ii. 1 Courteous Companions, sometime since, to tell you my Dream..was pleasant to me, and profitable to you.
† f. absol. (Cf. fair, gentle, etc.) Obs.
c1340Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 2411 Comaundez me to þat cortays, your comlych fere. 1393Gower Conf. II. 78 It maketh curteis of the vilain.
2. transf. Of personal qualities, words, actions, etc. † courteous prison (F. prison courtoise, It. prigione cortese): honourable imprisonment (obs.).
a1300Cursor M. 2256 (Cott.) Bot dryghtin dere þat ai es hend A curtais wrak on þam he send. c1325E.E. Allit. P. B. 512 Cortays wordez. 1474Caxton Chesse iii. vi. H v, Hit is sayd in a comyn prouerbe curtoyse langage & wel saying is moche worth and coste lytyl. 1509Fisher Fun. Serm. C'tess Richmond Wks. (1876) 29 Full curtayse answere she wolde make to all that came vnto her. 1525Ld. Berners Froiss. II. lxi. [lxiv.] 205 He was set in a courtoyse pryson, so that he coulde not departe when he wolde. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 287 Taken..and..committed into Curtoyse prison in the Tower. 1590Spenser F.Q. i. vi. 31 When her curteous deeds he did compare. 1600Shakes. A.Y.L. v. iv. 75 This is call'd the retort courteous. 1872E. Peacock Mabel Heron II. ii. 25 A kind and courteous letter. 1883G. Lloyd Ebb & Flow I. 50 In her most courteous tones.
†b. Of things personified. Obs.
1575Gascoigne Pr. Pleas. Kenilw., Some courteous winde come blowe me happy now. 1580Sidney, etc. Ps. cxlviii, Ambitious mountaines, curteous hills. 1590Shakes. Mids. N. v. i. 179 Thankes, courteous vvall. |