| 释义 |
cretin|ˈkrɛtɪn, formerly ˈkriːtɪn|
[a. F. crétin (in Encycl. 1754), ad. Swiss patois crestin, creitin:—L. Christiānum Christian, which in the mod. Romanic langs. (as sometimes dial. in Eng.) means ‘human creature’ as distinguished from the brutes; the sense being here that these beings are really human, though so deformed physically and mentally. (Cf. natural.) So, according to Hatzfeld and Darmesteter, the Cagots are called in Béarn crestiaas.]
One of a class of dwarfed and specially deformed idiots found in certain valleys of the Alps and elsewhere. Also in weakened sense (esp. in form crétin): a fool, one who behaves stupidly. Also attrib. and transf.
1779W. Coxe in Ann. Reg. ii. 92 note, The species of idiots I have mentioned..who are described by many authors as peculiar to the Vallais, are called Cretins. 1834Medwin Angler in Wales I. 239 The Cretin is hardly a human being..They have all immense heads and more immense goitres. 1879Khorz Princ. Med. 4 The offspring of persons with goître are cretins without goître. 1884W. James Coll. Ess. & Rev. (1920) 270 Bodily commotions..may be experienced in their fulness by Crétins and Philistines in whom the critical judgment is at its lowest ebb. a1930D. H. Lawrence Pornography (1936) 75 The blood in the body stands still, before such crétin ugliness. 1933J. Joyce Let. 13 Aug. (1966) III. 282 The crétin of a concierge..has misdirected half my mail. 1961I. Jefferies It wasn't Me ix. 123, I know I'm a moron and a cretin like you're always calling people.
Hence ˈcretinage.
1820H. Matthews Diary of Invalid 314 Cretinage seems also to be peculiar to mountainous regions. |