| 释义 |
abstemious, a.|æbˈstiːmɪəs|
Also 6 abstenious, absteinous.
[f. L. abstēmi-us + -ous. Abstemius was considered by L. writers to be f. abs away from + tēmētum intoxicating liquor; but even in L. was extended to temperance in living generally. The verbal resemblance to abstain, absteine, has in Eng. given it a still wider use, and also produced the forms absteinous, abstenious.]
1. Dispensing with wine and rich food; temperate or sparing in food; characterized by or belonging to such temperance; sparing.
a. Of persons, their lives, or habits.
1624Heywood Gunaikeion v. 226 To this absteinous life shee added the strict vow of chastitie. 1718Pope Iliad xix. 328 Let me pay To grief and anguish one abstemious day. 1832Carlyle Remin. i. 26 Mother and father were assiduous, abstemious, frugal without stinginess. 1878Black Green Past. and Picc. xxix. 234 They were remarkably abstemious at breakfast.
b. Of the food.
1776–88Gibbon Decl. & Fall lviii, His [Peter the Hermit's] diet was abstemious, his prayers long and fervent. 1832Scott Talism. ii. 26 The meal of the Saracen was abstemious.
2. Abstinent, refraining, sparing (with regard to other things than food). rare.
1610Shakes. Temp. iv. i. 53 Be more abstemious, Or else good night your vow. 1632Massinger Maid of Hon. ii. ii. The king..Is good and gracious..Abstemious from base and goatish looseness. 1823Lamb Elia (1865) i. xxi. 163 You advised an abstemious introduction of literary topics. |