| 释义 |
spread-eagle, v.
Also spreadeagle.
[f. prec.]
1. intr. To cut spread eagles in skating.
1826J. Wilson Noct. Ambr. Wks. 1855 I. 102 Mr. Tory,..a handsome fallow, and as good a skater as ever spread-eagled. 1831― in Blackw. Mag. XXIX. 303 The grand simplicity of the masters that spread-eagled in the age of its perfection.
2. a. trans. To tie up (a person) for punishment. (Cf. prec. 2.) Also fig.
1829Marryat F. Mildmay xvi, I saw a poor fellow spread-eagled up to the grating. 1891in Ch. Bells (1892) 1 Jan. 93 Too many witnesses are spread-eagled that a court may laugh and cross-examiners be considered clever. 1894Sala Things I have Seen I. 245, I have heard of offending soldiers being ‘spread-eagled’, that is to say, tied by the wrists and ankles to the wheel of a gun or an ammunition waggon.
b. To fasten, pin firmly, stretch out, etc., in the form of a spread eagle.
1887N. & Q. 1 Oct. 278/2 Cod—as well as haddock and ling..may be seen spread-eagled across transverse sticks to dry. 1894Rider Haggard People of Mist xxxix, On this surface of ice they were lying spread-eagled. 1895Crockett Cleg Kelly xx, His elbows were spread-eagled over the table. 1955J. P. Donleavy Ginger Man xxvi. 252 The kangaroo fell spread-eagled to the floor. 1976‘D. Halliday’ Dolly & Nanny Bird v. 65 He spreadeagled a broad, powerful hand and clenched Johnson's in it.
c. To drive apart, scatter, esp. of the wicket in Cricket.
1887Cricket 24 Nov. 460/2 A high one from Miss Tompkins spread-eagled Miss White's wicket. 1905H. A. Vachell Hill xii. 266 It [i.e. the ball] shot under Scaife's bat, and spread-eagled his stumps. 1955Times 15 June 6/3 McDonald added only 12 runs in 65 minutes before his stumps were spreadeagled by Worrell.
3. To beat completely, esp. in racing.
1864Daily Tel. 18 July, When poor old Flash-in-the-Pan spread-eagled his field for the Chester Cup. 1883Ibid. 1 Jan. 2/7 He..spread-eagled his opponents for the Hunters' Hurdle Plate. 1887H. Smart Cleverly Won iv, You've heard how she spread-eagled the hunt a month ago?
4. intr. To speak or act in a spread-eagle fashion.
1866Sat. Rev. 20 Jan. 77/1 If, when merely spread-eagling, she speaks on her own hook. 1892Ibid. 23 Jan. 86/1 The extent to which President Harrison may ‘spread-eagle’ in the Chilian business.
Hence spread-eagled ppl. a.; spread-eagling vbl. n.
1887H. Smart Cleverly Won iii, Such a spread-eagling of a field had rarely been witnessed. 1940L. MacNeice Last Ditch 21 Light on her feet and gentle with her fingers; Put on a little flesh, became an easy Spreadeagled beauty for Renaissance painters. 1982B. Fantoni Stickman xxiii. 161 Stepping over Lonnie's spread-eagled body, I lit a cigarette. |