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单词 obeah
释义

obeahadj.n.

Brit. /ˈəʊbɪə/, U.S. /ˈoʊbiə/, Caribbean English /ˈoːbia/
Forms:

α. 1700s obeiah, 1700s 1900s– obear, 1700s 1900s– obia, 1700s–1800s obea, 1700s–1800s obeah, 1800s obeeyah, 1800s oboe (irregular), 1800s– obiah, 1900s– obeia.

β. 1700s oby, 1800s– obi Brit. /ˈəʊbi/, U.S. /ˈoʊbi/.

Also with capital initial.
Origin: Of uncertain origin. Perhaps a borrowing from Igbo. Etymon: Igbo abià.
Etymology: Origin uncertain. Probably via a Caribbean Creole language < a West African language, perhaps Igbo abià knowledge, wisdom, obìa healer, doctor (compare díbìà healer, doctor < husband, (in compounds) expert, specialist in + a second element perhaps < Ibibio abià medicine, charm (or a cognate word in Anaang)). With sense B. 2 compare Efik ubio fetish. In the β. forms perhaps after Edo obi poison. Compare French obi (1826), although the term seems to be limited to English-speaking areas of the Caribbean.A number of etymological theories have been proposed for this word, most of which seek an origin in a West African language. One of the most popular of these has been that obeah man and obeah woman are partially calqued on Akan ɔbayifó witch, wizard, sorcerer < ɔbayi sorcery + -fó person. However, it has recently been shown that attempts to find an etymon may have been influenced by a negative attitude to the practice of obeah on the part of those who first wrote about it in English, and a consequent tendency to look for West African words with negative connotations: see further J. S. Handler & K. M. Bilby ‘On the early use and origin of the term “obeah” in Barbados and the Anglophone Caribbean’ Slavery & Abolition (2001) 22 87–100.
Now chiefly Caribbean.
A. adj. (attributive).
Designating a person or thing involved in or associated with the practice of a kind of sorcery, witchcraft, or folk medicine originating in West Africa and mainly practised in the English-speaking areas of the Caribbean. Cf. myal adj.1
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > the occult > sorcery, witchcraft, or magic > non-European magic (miscellaneous) > [adjective] > ju(-)ju
obeah1710
juju1897
1710–12 T. Walduck Let. in Slavery & Abolition (2001) 22 88 Upon Negros compaining that they are bewitched, an Obia Negro hath taken out of their eyes bones, shells out of their thighs.
1729 A. Holt Let. 18 Feb. in Slavery & Abolition (2001) 22 88 Their Oby Negroes, or conjurors. To which multitudes are in slavery.
1749 R. Poole Jrnl. 17 Mar. in Beneficent Bee (1753) 300/1 Among the Blacks in this Country are some that are called Obeah Negroes.
1835 R. R. Madden Twelvemonths Resid. in W. Indies II. 98 In the criminal record-book..I find the following obeah cases.
1886 G. Allen in Chambers's Jrnl. 12 June 373/2 His mouldy obeah mummery of loose alligators' teeth and..little human knuckle-bones.
1952 E. Mittelhölzer Children of Kaywana 131 She cursed Katrina. ‘Let him sleep with you. What I care? I believe you work obeah on him. You're a bad obeah girl. You throw grey powder on him.’
1970 J. Brown Un-melting Pot vii. 99 Though St Lucia is 92 per cent Catholic,..obeah beliefs and practices still pervade its whole fabric of life.
1981 F. Charles Signposts of Jumbie xiv. 89 Why yuh didn't tell meh dis before, or make meh know it wid one of yuh obeah signs?
B. n.
1. Obeah practices; sorcery, witchcraft, or folk medicine as practised in the English-speaking areas of the Caribbean. Cf. juju n.1, myalism n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > the occult > sorcery, witchcraft, or magic > non-European magic (miscellaneous) > [noun] > obeahism
obeah1710
obeahism1829
1710–12 T. Walduck Let. in Slavery & Abolition (2001) 22 88 One Negro can bewitch another (Obia as they call it).
1760 Jrnls. Assembly Jamaica 16 Dec. (1798) V. 245/1 The engrossed bill to remedy the evils arising from irregular assemblies of slaves..and for preventing the practice of obeah.
1804 M. Edgeworth Grateful Negro in Pop. Tales III. 216 (note) Strict investigation..has..been made after the professors of Obi.
1823 T. Roughley Jamaica Planter's Guide ii. 83 Perhaps the horrid and abominable practice of Obea is carried on, dismembering and disabling one another.
1889 H. J. Bell Obeah i. 9 Before the emancipation..the practice of Obeah was rampant in all the West Indian Colonies.
1907 Port of Spain Gaz. 28 June 4 ‘Do you practise obeah?’ Witness: ‘I refuse to answer the question.’
1934 ‘J. Rhys’ Voy. in Dark iii. iv. 192 She had been in gaol for obeah.
1954 Caribbean Q. 3 i. 5 Obeah has been prohibited by law, and is always spoken of with a laugh; but the laughter is..never sneering.
1981 F. Charles Signposts of Jumbie xii. 67 An if e don't watch eself, de jumbie will let go fire an brimstone on e head. De boy have obeah workin for im, Ah tellin yuh.
2. The materials used in obeah practices.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > the occult > sorcery, witchcraft, or magic > non-European magic (miscellaneous) > [noun] > amulet
fetish1613
gris-gris1696
obeah1749
wonder-bag1793
saphie1799
churinga1899
1749 R. Poole Jrnl. 17 Mar. in Beneficent Bee (1753) 300/1 Old Nails, Glass, Stones, Rags, &c...being put together and tied in a Rag..is called the Obeah.
1788 P. Marsden Acct. Island Jamaica 40 They sometimes do much mischief by administering poisons, of which they have various kinds in the island, some of them very subtile and lingering in their effects. The general name with the negroes for these poisons is obea.
1793 E. Long Hist. Brit. Colonies in W. Indies II. iv. iii. 90 They manufacture and sell their obies adapted to different cases.
1796 J. G. Stedman Narr. Exped. Surinam (1813) II. xxix. 360 To whom he sells his obias or amulets, in order to make them invulnerable.
1823 Koromantyn Slaves 177 in F. G. Cassidy Jamaica Talk (1961) 242 The Obi is usually composed of a variety of materials; viz. blood, feathers, parrots' beaks, dogs' teeth, alligators' teeth, broken bottles, grave dirt, rum and egg shells.
1925 M. W. Beckwith Jamaica Prov. 78 Keep sensa fowl fe pick obeah.
1935 J. C. Trevor Aspects of Folk Culture in Virgin Islands in R. H. Low & R. Valls St. John Backtime (1985) 66/3 Shaggy fowl can dig up obeah from de do.
1961 F. G. Cassidy Jamaica Talk 242 The obeah itself is known as the obeah-man's things, sometimes his bush, because it frequently contains herbs medicinal or poisonous... These materials are essential to magic.

Compounds

obeah man n. a man who practises this kind of sorcery, witchcraft, or folk medicine.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > the occult > sorcery, witchcraft, or magic > non-European magic (miscellaneous) > [noun] > obeahism > obeah-man or woman
obeah man1749
obeah woman1793
locoman1796
1749 R. Poole Jrnl. 17 Mar. in Beneficent Bee (1753) 300/1 The Obeah Men have had a Sort of bewitching Power, in inflicting Injuries upon others.
a1818 M. G. Lewis Jrnl. W. India Proprietor (1834) 237 Adam, the reputed Obeah-man.
1973 Sunday Express (Trinidad & Tobago) 1 Apr. (Suppl.) 12/2 Sometimes they would visit Rattan, the famed obeah man..and ask him to cast a good spell on them.
obeah woman n. a woman who practises this kind of sorcery, witchcraft, or folk medicine.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > the occult > sorcery, witchcraft, or magic > non-European magic (miscellaneous) > [noun] > obeahism > obeah-man or woman
obeah man1749
obeah woman1793
locoman1796
1793 E. Long in B. Edwards Hist. Brit. Colonies W. Indies II. iv. iii. 91 When a Negro is robbed of a fowl or hog, he applies directly to the obeah man or woman.
1840 F. Marryat Poor Jack xli. 298 She..had always been considered as an Obi woman.
1974 Practitioner Dec. 848 An Obeahman or Obeahwoman may also be consulted about social matters, including a child's education.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

obeahv.

Brit. /ˈəʊbɪə/, U.S. /ˈoʊbiə/, Caribbean English /ˈoːbia/
Forms: also with capital initial.
Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: obeah n.
Etymology: < obeah n.
Now chiefly Caribbean.
transitive. To bewitch; to practise obeah on (a person or thing).
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > the occult > sorcery, witchcraft, or magic > non-European magic (miscellaneous) > [verb (transitive)] > practise obeah on
obeaha1818
a1818 M. G. Lewis Jrnl. W. India Proprietor (1834) 134 Edward had Obeahed him.
1827 Hamel, Obeah Man i. 266 Or have you been wrestling with a duppie in your sleep..? Or have you been Obeah'd?
1895 H. J. Bell in C. A. Stoddart Cruising Caribbees xi. 89 Missis, I'm Obeahed, I know I'll go dead.
1950 L. Bennett et al. Anancy Stories & Dial. Verse 53 Is better smady obeah yuh Dan sell yuh a ole car!
1981 T. D. Rhone Old Story Time 22 If that news did get out, it would spread like bush fire, an' if somehow people did learn that the boy was in contact with me, then them would say is me obeah him.
1995 Voice (Nexis) 5 Sept. 28 Shortly after this threat..he dies. People say somebody ‘obeahed’ him.

Derivatives

ˈobeahed adj. rare
ΚΠ
1949 Caribbean Q. 1 ii. 45 Mr. Waugh manages to feature an immigrant London crooner..and an obeahed French colonial official, in his treatment of..St. Lucia, Dominica, and Martinique.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1710v.a1818
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