| 释义 |
amongstprep. Etymology: < among prep. + -s suffix1. With the development of excrescent final -t (probably reinforced by association with superlatives in -st ) compare against prep., alongst prep., amidst adv., betwixt prep., etc. Compare 'mongst prep. and emonges prep.In the early 21st cent. less common than among prep. in most uses, especially in U.S. English. This predominance appears to extend back to the early modern period. 1. the world > space > relative position > condition or fact of being interjacent > position of being among > among [preposition] 1258 Proclam. Henry III in (1868–9) 21 We senden ȝew þis writ..to halden a manges ȝew inehord. a1325 (c1250) (1968) l. 1620 Godes hus, Her heuenegate amongus us. c1350 (a1333) William of Shoreham (1902) 119 Out com an aungel..In-to þe feld of bedleem, Amonges þe schepherden. 1466 in C. L. Kingsford (1919) I. 87 Y sende yow a capias..praying yowe to put hym yn to þe bondell amonges Berk. writtes. 1559 in J. Strype (1824) I. ii. App. vi. 403 Did he place himself amongest the prestes? 1650 W. Houghton 6 He answered not, but walking on amongst the trees, the Keeper took his Crosse-bow, and shot his own Lord dead in the place. 1776 J. Cook (1784) I. i. v. 89 Amongst the stones, a few small star-fish, and sea-anemonies, were found. 1851 A. Helps I. 4 Red brick houses, with poplars coming up amongst them. 1867 G. MacDonald I. x. 289 I walked about amongst them. 1963 P. White 4 Jan. (1994) vii. 215 The Duttons have an old rambly stone house, on a rocky point, amongst wind-swept tea-trees. 2001 T. Winton (2003) 369 Crabs at feast amongst the mangroves. the world > space > relative position > condition or fact of being interjacent > position of being among > among [preposition] > among the separate components of a1393 J. Gower (Fairf.) viii. l. 161 (MED) Love..as a cock among the Hennes Or as a Stalon..Which goth amonges al the Stod..takth what thing comth next to honde. c1450 (c1380) G. Chaucer (Fairf. 16) (1878) l. 1633 They amonges al the pres Shul thus be shamed. 1470 W. Worcester in (2004) II. 585 At hye spryngys the see..bryngyth the salt sandes amongys the gras and makyth yt bytter. 1556 W. Lauder sig. A3v Amangs the heuinlie companye. 1657 W. Coles iii. 7 The white Corn-Rose groweth amongst the Wheat, between Pontfract and Ferry-Bridge. 1796 E. Darwin II. 177 These contagious particles were supposed to be diffused amongst the heavy inflammable air, or carbonated hydrogen, of putrid marshes. 1818 B. O'Reilly 197 Many ships..are at the same time dangerously circumstanced amongst packed ice. 1911 J. J. Abraham iii. 73 Crag upon crag of naked rock jutting out grey amongst the green. 1964 E. Salisbury (ed. 2) ii. 46 Bell-shaped flowers inconspicuously situated amongst the foliage. 2008 A. Paterson 268 In modern agricultural fields scarlet poppies..are seldom seen amongst the corn. the world > relative properties > relationship > relation [preposition] > among c1330 (Auch.) (1966) l. 306 He seiȝe..Sexti leuedis on hors ride..Nouȝt o man amonges hem þer nis. c1390 (?c1350) St. Augustine 903 in C. Horstmann (1878) 77 I am aschomed nou Forte liue amonges ȝou. ?a1425 (c1400) (Titus C.xvi) (1919) 137 Þei hadde no pore man amonges hem. c1475 in J. P. Genet (1977) 192 As good peeple will be and abide amonges the good..the perverse and wykked will be with evyll and maliciouse. 1682 A. Behn i. ii. 7 Bal. Let her remain awhile amongst us. 1711 E. Settle iv. 55 Here you must bring me Amongst a Pack of Bloody-Bones and Cut-Throats, And pull down a whole House of Goblings upon my Head. 1816 J. Wilson i. iv. 23 'Tis the first death Hath been amongst us. 1851 A. Helps I. 116 To live amongst those with whom one has not anything like one's fair value. 1935 H. Heslop iii. i. 290 He had been incarcerated amongst men who could not suffer as he had suffered. 1958 J. Kesson ix. 127 She would never be able to pass herself amongst a crowd of complete strangers. 2009 H. Freeman (rev. ed.) 106 Artists kid themselves that they're keeping it real by living amongst the People. 3. the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > with or by the members of a group generally [preposition] c1330 (?c1300) (Auch.) l. 4071 (MED) Amonges hem was gret gladnesse. c1400 (c1378) W. Langland (Laud 581) (1869) B. iii. 42 Amonges kniȝtes and clerkis conscience to torne. ?a1425 (c1400) (Titus C.xvi) (1919) 129 The more worschipe he hath amonges hem. 1536 R. Beerley Let. in W. B. Scoones (1880) 34 Fowll vycys don amonckst relygyus men. 1588 A. King tr. P. Canisius H ij b Ye sonday being yairefter amanges ye Christians callit ye day of our lord. 1637 T. Jackson Treat. Signs Times 66 in False witnesse-bearing, and coveting their neighbours goods are farre more rife amongst us then they were. 1692 J. Locke ix. 216 The ignorance or irreligiousness to be found amongst conformists. 1795 W. Paley (ed. 3) I. i. i. 32 That general disbelief..which..prevailed amongst the intelligent part of the heathen public. 1802 W. Scott I. Introd. 39 This original miscellany holds a considerable value amongst collectors. 1846 5 A small and old instrument known amongst printers as the Bellows Press. 1958 A. L. Epstein v. 164 It was widely believed amongst Africans that the money had been pocketed by one of the self-styled Congress leaders. 2009 28 Sept. 11/3 The concern amongst many demonstrators though is that this is just a PR exercise. the world > relative properties > relationship > correlation > [preposition] > between, at, or among a1350 in R. H. Robbins (1959) 10 Þe commun of bruges ful sore con arewe, ant seiden amonges hem: ‘..take we þe bailifs..clappe we of the heuedes.’ c1400 (c1378) W. Langland (Laud 581) (1869) B. xiv. 70 If men lyued as mesure wolde, shulde neuere more be defaute Amonges cristene creatures. a1500 (c1465) in J. Gairdner (1880) 7 This londe stode..in grete werre amonges hem selfe for defaute of a kynge. 1509 J. Fisher (de Worde) sig. A.vv Yf ony faccyons or bendes were made secretely amongest her hede offycers. 1558 Queen Elizabeth I in J. Strype (1725) I. App. iii. 3 Whereupon riseth amonges the common sort..unfruteful dispute. 1603 R. Johnson tr. G. Botero 111 Arezzo beeing by long dissention amongest themselues almost brought to wracke. 1685 Duke of Buckingham 21 Perpetually quarrelling amongst themselves, and cutting one another's Throats. 1759 E. Burke (ed. 2) iii. §4. 176 How are the partizans of proportional beauty agreed amongst themselves? 1867 181/1 Shall we find no means of restoring order and peace amongst ourselves? 1902 S. Pérez Triana iii. 31 There was great danger that the conquerors might come to blows amongst themselves. 2000 3 Apr. (Commentator section) 3/7 They were bickering amongst themselves and arguing with the touch judges. the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > condition or state of being inclusive > in the number or class of [preposition] c1391 J. Gower (Bodl. 294) Prol. l. 47* My liege lord..whan I was with him at large, Amonges othre thinges seid He hath this charge upon me leid. c1405 (c1395) G. Chaucer (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 784 Amonges othere of his honeste thynges He made a gardyn walled al with stoon. ?a1475 (1922) 32 Amonges all folys þat gon on grownd I holde þat þou be on of þe most. 1594 T. Bowes tr. P. de la Primaudaye II. 41 Amongest terrestriall creatures..God hath created none with two legges onely..but man. 1605 F. Bacon ii. sig. Bb2 The opinion of plentie is amongst the causes of want. View more context for this quotation 1695 tr. P. Le Moyne iii. ii. 72 Alexander, Hannibal, Scipio, Marius and Cesar, were great Men, nay Colossos amongst Men. 1785 C. Wilkins tr. vii. 52 A few amongst ten thousand mortals strive for perfection. 1840 T. Hood 3 Amongst other memorials, there is an old family watch. 1895 L. A. Waddell vii. 165 The apocryphal works are the most numerous... Chief amongst these are the fictitious ‘revelations’ or Terma books. 1966 D. Sutherland ii. viii. 119 The Grey Seal is amongst the rarest seals in the world. 2003 (Ellis Brigham) Autumn–Winter 92/2 This truly is a Rolls Royce amongst expedition packs. 5. the mind > possession > giving > distributing or dealing out > distribution or dealing out [preposition] c1425 J. Lydgate (Augustus A.iv) v. 52 Al þe tresour..Ne hath nat bene departed halfe a-riȝt Amonges vs. 1606 T. Dekker sig. F3 Dispersing his gifts amongst none but his honest brethren. 1640 2 The divisione of the said troupe horss amangst the parochess. 1748 B. Robins & R. Walter iii. i. 293 Fresh provisions were distributed amongst the sick. 1799 I. Weld xxxiv. 359 Besides the presents..others of a different nature again, namely, provisions, were dealt out this year amongst certain tribes of the Indians. 1887 J. Ashton 239 They had divided amongst them the proceeds of the begging-box. 1930 M. A. Johnstone iv. 50 Tomb contents were destroyed or dispersed amongst private persons. 1974 J. S. Abarbanel x. 212 In case the pooled milk reserve was not used up, the other farmers could divide it out amongst themselves. 2005 C. A. E. Goodhart in D. D. Evanoff & G. G. Kaufman 268 The benefits of banking intermediation are shared amongst the depositors. 1569 T. Stocker tr. Diodorus Siculus i. xxvi. f. 37v Amongest them they leuied a great numbre of men. 1669 A. Woodhead tr. xxxi. 187 Amongst them they had means enough to attempt such a Work. 1723 J. Anderson 66 All things relating to the Feast being decided amongst them by a Majority of Voices. 1816 C. Lamb III. c. 245 Now tell me how amongst you you achieved it. 1904 21 4893/2 I have compiled from memory a list of the various operations which are performed amongst us upon a collective basis. 1961 M. Kiddle xii. 250 Amongst them they subscribed to a fund to defray legal expenses in connection with land certificates. 2007 K. S. Gulia 273 Amongst us we had decided to dispense with Shikar altogether. the world > time > [preposition] > during a1450 (c1386) G. Chaucer (Tanner) (1879) l. 1218 A-monges [c1430 Cambr. Gg.4.27 Among] al this to romblen gan the heuene. 1589 T. Bright 367 Amongst all these troublous noyses, Ioh. Sigonius..had audience, and reproued Panormitane. 1640 D. Lupton 316 Amongst all these troubles he preaches to the people wondrous godlily. 1786 Mar. 259/2 Amongst the changes daily happening, a coalition between the Episcopalians..is approaching. 1831 11 June 605 Amongst all the lies and all the fooleries..it seems to have been wholly forgotten that..all began in a fight against the Irish labourers. 1986 20 Mar. 21/8 Amongst the chaos and clamour that is London Fashion Week, these are the moments that have made it all worthwhile. 2018 (Nexis) 8 Apr. 28 Amongst all the success there's been hurdles and challenges, and we all have ups and downs. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2021; most recently modified version published online June 2022). <  prep.1258 |
