| 释义 |
abracadabra|ˌæbrəkəˈdæbrə|
[L.; origin unknown. Occurs first in a poem by Q. Serenus Sammonicus, 2nd c.]
A cabalistic word, formerly used as a charm, and believed to have the power, when written in a triangular arrangement, and worn round the neck, to cure agues, etc. Now often used in the general sense of a spell, or pretended conjuring word; a meaningless word of mysterious sound; jargon, gibberish.
1696Aubrey Misc. 105 Abracadabra, a Mysterious Word, to which the Superstitious in former times attributed a Magical power to expel Diseases, especially the Tertian-Ague, worn about their neck. 1810Bentham Art of Packing (1821) 124 Thereby, in legal abracadabra, like man and wife, but one person. 1824Coleridge Aids to Refl. (1848) I. 130 Leave him..to retaliate the nonsense of blasphemy with the abracadabra of presumption. 1860T. A. G. Balfour Typ. Charac. Nat. 118 Abrá, which is here twice repeated, is composed of the first letters of the Hebrew words signifying Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, viz. Ab, Ben, Ruach, Acadosch. 1879Lit. World 5 Dec. 358/2 The new abracadabra of science, ‘organic evolution.’ |