| 释义 |
ˈsperate, a. ? Obs.
[ad. L. spērāt-us, pa. pple. of spērāre to hope.]
1. Of debts: Having some likelihood of being recovered; not desperate.
1551Will of R. Studlaye (Somerset Ho.), Sperate debtes. a1625Cope in Gutch Coll. Cur. I. 122 Which [debts] were good, which were bad, which sperate, which desperate, no man knew. 1697in New Jersey Arch. Ser. i. (1901) XXIII. 83 A negro maid servant and debts sperate and desperate. 1710in Ecton St. Q. Anne's Bounty (1721) 108 We have therefore spent much Time..in distinguishing between the sperate and desperate Debts of the Clergy. 1798Washington's Reports I. 169 Outstanding debts, distinguishing such as are sperate from such as are supposed to be desperate.
2. In general use: Giving or leaving room for hope; of a promising nature.
1808Ld. Ellenborough in 10 Rev. Rep. (1893) 718 If you think there is anything sperate in it, I will save the point. 1824Cowen's Rep. (N.Y. State Supreme Crt.) 106 Every vessel has a point of time at which it passes from a Sperate to a desperate state, or arrives at a situation of unseaworthiness. |