| 释义 |
ˈprime ˈminister
Also Prime Minister, esp. in specific uses.
[prime a. 2, minister n. 2, 3.]
†1. generally. Used in the ordinary sense of the two words: A principal or chief minister, servant, or agent. Often in pl. Obs.
1646Bp. Maxwell Burd. Issach. 11 To effectuate his private Designes, he made much of some few prime leading Ministers. 1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. vii. §337 He [Charles I] received advice and information from some of his prime ministers of that kingdom [Ireland]. 1694Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) III. 355 The emperor of China and several of his prime ministers are turnd Christians. 1713M. Henry Meekness & Quietn. Spirit (1822) 143 The apostles, those prime ministers of state in Christ's kingdom. 1906Westm. Gaz. 9 May 2/3 Those who were jealous of too much personal power being placed in the hands of a single statesman were accustomed to describe all the leading members of the Administration as ‘the Prime Ministers of State’ in order to prevent the title being arrogated by one among them.
2. The first or principal minister or servant of any sovereign, ruler, or state, or more vaguely of any person of rank or position; = premier minister, premier a. 1 b. n. a.
Applied descriptively to the chief minister of some foreign rulers, before it became usual in sense 3; but in the 19th c. largely extended from the English use.
1655Ld. Norwich in Nicholas Papers (Camden) III. 144 He bein in close treaty with the Pr. of Condés prime minister. a1678Marvell in Casquet of Lit. (1873) I. 310/1 Time, the prime minister of death, There's nought can bribe his honest will. 1678Evelyn Diary 8 Feb., I had a long discourse with the Conte de Castel Mellor, lately Prime Minister in Portugal. 1730T. Boston View Covt. Grace (1771) 212 The prime Minister of the Kingdom of Egypt. 1790Beatson Nav. & Mil. Mem. I. 168 Cardinal Tencin, who, on the death of Cardinal Fleury, assumed the lead in the French councils, was now regarded as Prime Minister. 1815Elphinstone Acc. Caubul (1842) I. 248 The Moollah..had charge of the prime minister's son (a boy of sixteen when I saw him). 1882Whitaker's Alm. 333 Japan..Prime Minister, Sanjô Saneyoshi. 1889Ibid. 516 Sweden..Prime Minister, Baron Bildt. 1884Jessopp in 19th Cent. Jan. 110 The prior was the abbot's prime minister.
3. In Great Britain (in early use, prime minister of state): A descriptive designation, which has gradually grown to be the official title of the First Minister of State or leader of the administration.
Originally merely descriptive and unofficial; in the early 18th c. (perh. from its prior application in sense 2 to the sole minister of a despotic ruler) odious (see quot. 1733); applied opprobriously to Walpole, and disowned by him, as later by Lord North. Little used in later part of 18th c., premier being often substituted, also first minister; became usual by the middle of the 19th c., and began to creep into official use from 1878. In 1905 fully recognized, and the precedence of the Prime Minister defined by King Edward VII. For fuller history, see A. F. Robbins in N. & Q. 8th s. XI. 69, and onward to 10th s. IX. 425; also Morley Walpole vii.
1694Gibson in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden) 231 My Lord Keeper, who is..(what my Lord Burleigh..was) Prime-Minister of State. 1698Evelyn in Thoresby's Corr. (ed. Hunter) I. 345 The Earl of Leicester, prime minister of State to Queen Elizabeth. 1704St. West Let. to Harley 29 Aug. in Portland Papers IV. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) 119, I have heard of people's talk, that..if the Court had appointed my Lord Rochester, or any other person to be the Prime Minister, it would have been the same thing to you, and that your aim is in time to be the Prime Minister yourself. 1733Fog's Jrnl. 28 Apr., In Countries where Royal Prerogative is limited by Laws, the Name of prime Minister has been always odious. 1734–5C. D'Anvers Craftsman No. 446 ⁋3 The late Earl of Oxford stands charged, in the Impeachment against Him, with being the Prime, if not the sole Minister, and engrossing to Himself the absolute Management and Direction of all Affairs. 1741Ld. Hardwick in Gentl. Mag. XI. 405 It has not been yet pretended that he [Walpole] assumes the Title of Prime Minister, or indeed, that it is aplied to him by any but his Enemies. 1741Walpole Sp. Ho. Comm. in Doran Lond. in Jacob. T. (1877) II. 89 Having invested me with a kind of mock dignity, and styled me a Prime Minister, they impute to me an unpardonable abuse of that chimerical authority, which only they created and conferred. 1747Biog. Brit. I. 379 Yet he [Bacon] behaved..towards the Earl of Salisbury, who was now become Lord Treasurer and Prime-Minister, with submission and respect. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. ii. I. 254 When there was a lord treasurer, that great officer was generally prime minister: but..it was not till the time of Walpole that the first lord of the Treasury was considered as the head of the executive government. 1878(July 13) Treaty of Berlin, The Earl of Beaconsfield, First Lord of the Treasury and Prime Minister of Her Britannic Majesty. 1894Times 5 Mar. 10/4 The Queen has summoned the Earl of Rosebery, K.G...and offered him the post of Prime Minister vacated by the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P. 1899Ld. Rosebery in Anglo-Saxon Rev. June 105 The Prime Minister, as he is now called, is technically and practically the Chairman of an Executive Committee of the Privy Council, or rather, perhaps, of Privy Councillors, the influential foreman of an executive jury. 1905King's Warrant 2 Dec., Whereas We taking it into Our Royal consideration that the precedence of Our Prime Minister has not been declared or defined by due authority..We do hereby declare Our Royal Will and Pleasure that..the Prime Minister of Us, Our Heirs and Successors shall have place and precedence next after the Archbishop of York.
b. Formerly also the official designation of the leader of the administration in some of the self-governing British colonies and ‘dominions beyond the sea’. Now Hist.
During the colonial period, the usual title of the chief of the ministry in the colonies was premier; in Canada and in Australia this was retained in most cases for the chief minister of each constituent colony, while prime minister was used for the first minister of the whole Dominion and of the Commonwealth; it was also the title in the Dominion of New Zealand, and in the colonies of Transvaal and Natal. The modern states of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand all retain the title in sense 3 a above for the leader of the government; in the Republic of S. Africa, the offices of President and Prime Minister are combined in a single person.
1901Whitaker's Alm. 520 New Zealand..Prime Minister, Colonial Treasurer, etc. Rt. Hon. Richd. J. Seddon. 1902Ibid. 529 The Commonwealth of Australia..Prime Minister and Minister of State for External Affairs, Rt. Hon. Edmund Barton. 1906Ibid. 513 Dominion of Canada..Prime Minister and President of Privy Council, Rt. Hon. Sir Wilfrid Laurier.
Hence prime-minister v. intr. nonce-wd., to act as a prime minister; ˈprime-miniˈsterial a., of or pertaining to a prime minister; ˈprime-ˈministership, † ˈprime ˈministry, the office or position of a prime minister.
1742Fielding J. Andrews ii. i, There are certain Mysteries or Secrets in all Trades.., from that of *Prime Ministring to this of Authoring.
1897Westm. Gaz. 9 Dec. 10/1 What may be regarded as Mr. Gladstone's *Prime Ministerial youth was very vigorous. 1905Sat. Rev. 8 Apr. 439 Sir Alexander—chief reporter on the Priministerial staff.
1867Athenæum 23 Nov. 679/2 He won..the *Prime Ministership. 1887Spectator 6 Aug., If..Lord Salisbury should find the combined burden of the Foreign Office and the Prime Minister-ship too much for his health.
1730T. Boston View Covt. Grace (1771) 141 God..exalted him to the *prime ministry of heaven. |