| 释义 |
▪ I. couth, pa. pple. and a. (n.) Obs. or only Sc. exc. in sense 6 b.|kʊːθ|
Forms: 1 cúþ, 2–4 cuð, cud, 3 cuþ, kuð, 3–4 couþ, 4 cuth, cuþe, couþe, kouþ, cowthe, couht, coud, kowd, 4–6 couthe, kouth(e, 5 cowþe, 6 kowth, 3– couth.
[OE. cúð, pa. pple. of the vb. cunn-an can, corresp. to OS. cûth, cuð, OHG. kund, chund, chunt (MHG. kunt, Ger. kund), Goth. kund-s known.]
†1. pa. pple. passing into adj. Known. Obs. (See also name-couth.)
a1000Riddles lxxxix. 1 (Gr.) Ic eom..eorlum cuð. c1290S. Eng. Leg. I. 114/279 Þat word was sone wide couth. a1300Cursor M. 22140 (Cott.) Fra north to soth, He sal do mak his sarmun cuth. 1382Wyclif 1 Cor. xiv. 7 How schal it be kowd that is songun? c1386Chaucer Pars. T. ⁋692 This name of thraldom was neuere erst kowth. 1430Lydg. Chron. Troy i. v, As it is kouthe as well nigh as ferre. c1450St. Cuthbert 5511 Þare was þe kirk of tynemouth Of cuthbert right to all' men couth. 1613R. C. Table Alph. (ed. 3) Couth, knowne.
†2. adj. As a quality of things: Known; well-known, familiar. Obs. Cf. the negative uncouth.
a1000Daniel 692 Ðæt wæs þara fæstna folcum cuþost. a1225Ancr. R. 204 Heo beoð, more herm is, to monie al to kuðe. c1300St. Margarete 65 Mi cunrede he seide is couþ. 1340–70Alex. & Dind. 578 To be keture y-kid þan any kouþ peple. 1513Douglas æneis iii. ii. 131 This couth surname.
†3. Of persons: Well-known, familiar. Obs.
c1000Ags. Ps. lxxxvii[i]. 8 Feor ðu me dydest freondas cuþe. c1205Lay. 2446 Alle þat cuðe folk. a1300Cursor M. 24721 (Gött.) Þat blithful brid..þat þu sua cuth was till. c1450Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866) 249 Euery man boþe fremyd and kouth. 1535Stewart Cron. Scot. III. 270 Sen tha till him most kyndlie war and couth.
†4. Noted, renowned, famed. Obs.
a1000Cædmon's Exod. 230 Cuþes werodes. c1200Ormin 9240 Sannt Johan i wessteland Wass wurrþenn cuþ þatt time. c1250Gen. & Ex. 2666 Wið faigered and strengthe kuð. c1350Will. Palerne 5053 Comli castelles and couþ and cuntres wide. c1400Destr. Troy 2638 My fader was a philisofer..& his nome kouthe. 1557Tottell's Misc. (Arb.) 105 Deserts of Nymphs, that auncient Poets showe, Ar not so kouth as hers.
†5. Acquainted, familiar. (with, of, or dative.)
a1225Juliana 22 Ȝef þu cneowe ant were cuð wið þe king. c1275Luue Ron 104 in O.E. Misc. 96 Mayde to þe he send his schonde And wilneþ for to beo þe cuþ. a1300Cursor M. 24711 (Cott.) Crist made þe cuth of his consail, And priuest of his kin. c1450St. Cuthbert 842 Þare was thre clerkes of þe southe Of england, with þe bischop couthe.
6. a. Kind, affable, agreeable, pleasant: said of persons and their actions; = couthie 1. Sc.
c1350Will. Palerne 3659 Wiþ clipping and kesseng and alle couþe dedes. c1450Henryson Mor. Fab. 46, I was faine Of that couth word and of his companie. c1460Towneley Myst. 225 Comly lady good and couthe. 1728Ramsay 1st Answ. to Somerville 76 Nor will North Britain yield for fouth Of ilka thing, and fellows couth To ony but her sister South.
b. [Back-formation f. uncouth a.] Used as a deliberate antonym of uncouth a. 6: cultured, well-mannered, etc. Also absol.
1896Beerbohm in Pageant 230 The couth solemnity of his [Pater's] mind. 1956L. McIntosh Oxford Folly 55, I think I'd make a jolly good waitress. It's rather a couth thing to do, really. 1963Guardian 28 Mar. 9/1 Modern idiom and slang is used with reckless abandon and the couth and uncouth punch each other about the ears with unrelenting monotony. 1965J. Philips Twisted People i. iv. 77 Didn't I say it polite? Mr. Delafield always says I'm not couth. 1968Queens's Coll. (Oxf.) Rec. 12 The Waynflete building..is a scaleless slab of uncouth outline which academically couth details (inscription in Roman letters on the cornice, etc.) do not redeem.
7. Comfortable, snug, cosy; = couthie 2. Sc.
a1749Sir J. Clerk The Miller, His house was warm and couth And room in it to hold me. 1788R. Galloway Poems 182 (Jam.) A mankie gown..Did mak them very braw, and unco couth.
†8. absol. = Acquaintances. Obs.
c1000Ags. Ps. lxxxvii. 18 Mine cuðe [notos meos]. a1300E.E. Psalter lxxxvii[i]. 9 Fer made þou mi kouth [Wyclif my knowen] fra me. a1400Octouian 792 Loke boy, ne be naught betrayd Of kouth ne strange.
▪ II. † couth, adv. Obs.
1 cúþe, 4–5 couthe, etc.
[OE. cúþe, adv. from cúþ: see prec.]
Clearly, manifestly; familiarly.
c1000Ags. Ps. lxxxviii[i]. 3 Ic minum ᵹecorenum cuðe ᵹesette. c1384Chaucer H. Fame ii. 249 Loo this sentence ys knowen kouthe Of every Philosophres mouthe. c1450Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866) 254 A blisful bryd..Cowþe ykid in euery cost.
▪ III. † couth, n. Obs.
[app. f. couth ppl. a.]
1. ? Known quality, renown.
c1460Launfal 624 in Ritson Metr. Rom. I. 197 Syr Launfal schud be stward of halle, For to agye hys gestes alle, For cowthe of largesse.
2. ? Friendliness, kindness; = couthiness.
a1806in Jamieson Pop. Ball I. 125 O, blessins on thy couth, lord John; Weel's me to see this day.
▪ IV. couth(e
obs. f. could, pa. tense of can v.1 |