| 释义 |
pe·ri·od
I. \ˈpirēəd, ˈpēr-\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English pariode, from Middle French periode, from Medieval Latin, Latin, & Greek; Medieval Latin periodus period of time, punctuation mark, from Latin & Greek; Latin, rhetorical period, from Greek periodos way around, circuit, period of time, rhetorical period, from peri- + hodos way, journey — more at cede
1.
a. obsolete : customary or ordained length of existence : lifetime
< make plants more lasting than their ordinary period — Francis Bacon >
b. : the half-life of a radioactive element
2.
a. : an utterance from one full stop to another : sentence; especially : a well-proportioned sentence of several clauses
< rounded periods >
< stately periods >
b. : periodic sentence
c. : a musical structure or melodic section usually of eight or sixteen measures and of two or more contrasting or complementary phrases and ending with a cadence
3.
a. : the full pause with which the utterance of a sentence closes
b. : a point of time marking a termination of a course or an action : end, stop, cessation
< progress … towards the perfection of nature without arriving at a period in it — S.F.Mason >
< worries, together with … disease put a period to his honorable life — C.G.Bowers >
4.
a. obsolete : final outcome : consummation
b. obsolete : the goal of an action or a journey
c. obsolete : a particular point in a progress : moment, occasion
d. obsolete : the highest point : culmination
e. : peroration
< to hear the admiral's period to the piece — Lee Rogow >
5.
a. : a point . used to mark the end of a declarative sentence, the end of an abbreviation (as Eng., Mr.), or the end of a paragraph heading or outline heading — often used interjectionally at the end of a statement to indicate and emphasize that the statement is finished and complete without further qualification or discussion
< private profit by public servants at the expense of the general welfare is corrupt, period — Estes Kefauver >
< conclusion that we fought the war to win, period — H.W.Baldwin >
< not just unlucky in love, but unlucky, period >
b. : a division of time in a rhythmic series : a temporal unit of measure; specifically : a rhythmical unit in Greek verse composed of a series of two or more cola
6. : the completion of a cycle, a series of events, or a single action : conclusion
< certain cheeses … serve as a brilliant period for a gay, well-ordered meal — This Week Magazine >
7.
a. : a portion of time determined by some recurring phenomenon : a division of time in which something is completed and ready to commence and go on in the same order
< period of the earth's orbit >
< period of a flashing beacon >
b. : the interval of time required for a cyclic motion or phenomenon to complete a cycle and begin to repeat itself
< the period of a pendulum >
< period of an alternating current >
being equal to one divided by the frequency
c. : a single cyclic occurrence of menstruation — called also menstrual period
8.
a. : a chronological division (as of a life, a development) : stage
< period of infancy >
< period of preparation and training >
< period of incubation of a disease >
b. : an extent of time that is an epoch or era in the history of civilization
< the Reformation period >
< art in the Victorian period >
< furniture of the Empire period >
c. : a time often of indefinite length but of distinctive or specified character : spell
< period of laziness >
< periods of anxiety >
< a period of wet weather >
< periods of rising prices >
d. : a division of geologic time longer than an epoch and included in an era
e. : a stage of culture having a definable place in time and space; specifically : the length of time a pottery style is maintained in a certain area
9. : a number k that does not change the value of a periodic function f when added to the independent variable: f(x+k).f(x); especially : the smallest such number
10. : a sequence of elements of increasing atomic numbers as represented usually in horizontal rows in the periodic table from one inert gas to the next and that may be short (as from helium through fluorine or from neon through chlorine) or long (as from argon through bromine)
11.
a. : one of the divisions of the academic day : the time appointed for a recitation or lecture or for study, physical training, luncheon, assembly, or other activity : a class hour
b. : one of the portions usually of equal duration into which the playing time of a game (as hockey, polo) is divided
Synonyms:
epoch, era, age, aeon: period, the most general of these terms, can designate any extent of time
< a period of a few seconds >
< the period of five thousand years prior to recorded history >
epoch often designates the beginning of a period, especially a striking or remarkable beginning
< this is an epoch … the end and the beginning of an age — H.G.Wells >
but more often designates a period set off by some significant or striking quality, event, or series of related events
< an epoch in the annals of printing — Encyc. Americana >
< the Renaissance epoch — G.C.Sellery >
era, often interchangeable with epoch in its more frequent meaning, is a period, usually of history, marked by some new or characterizable order of things
< the Victorian era >
< the Christian era >
< an era of singular crisis and upheaval — J.W.Aldridge >
age, usually interchangeable with but possibly more definite than era, is used frequently of a period dominated by a central figure or clearly marked feature
< the atomic age >
< the age of Shakespeare >
< the age of Reason >
aeon is an immeasurable or indefinitely long period
< Mars is a planet which has rusted away, its oxygen having been used up aeons ago — J.G.Vaeth >
< the hour of waiting seemed an aeon to the impatient child >
II. adjective
1. : relating or belonging to an historical period : deriving from or fashioned after the style prevalent in a particular period
< period furniture >
< period costume >
2. : representing realistically a particular historical period; especially : depending largely on evocation of a period for effect
< period play >
< period novel >
< an amusing period study of manners — Time >
< period film > |