释义 |
delicious, a.|dɪˈlɪʃəs| Also 4–6 -yci-, -icy-, -ycy-, -ous, -owse, dilicious(e, 5 dylycy-, 6 delicius, di-, 6–7 delitious, 7 delishous. [a. OF. and Anglo-Fr. delicious (later F. delicieus, -eux) = Pr. delicios, Sp. delicioso, It. delizioso, ad. late L. dēliciōs-us delicious, delicate (Augustine), f. L. dēlicia, -æ: see delice and -ous.] 1. a. Highly pleasing or delightful; affording great pleasure or enjoyment. In mod. use, usually less dignified than ‘delightful’, and expressing an intenser degree and lower quality of pleasure.
c1300K. Alis. 38 Theo wondres, of worm and best, Deliciouse hit is to lest. c1374Chaucer Boeth. ii. iii. 36 Þise ben faire þinges..and only while þei ben herd..þei ben deliciouse. c1534tr. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden) I. 20 Plenti of delicius rivers, pleasauntlie wateringe there feldes. 1632Lithgow Trav. v. 222 A Delicious incircling Harbour, inclos'd within the middle of the Towne. a1661Fuller Worthies (1840) III. 283 [Guy's Cliff] a most delicious place, so that a man in many miles riding cannot meet so much variety, as there one furlong doth afford. 1742Collins Eclog. i. 24 Each gentler ray, delicious to your eyes. 1824Dibdin Libr. Comp. 611 A delicious array of Miltonic treasures. 1861E. O'Curry MS. Materials Anc. Irish Hist. 263 The delicious strains of the harp. 1879Farrar St. Paul (1883) 349 A green delicious plain. b. Intensely amusing or entertaining.
1642Milton Apol. Smect. viii. Wks. (1847) 92/1 Delicious! he had that whole Bevie at command whether in Morrice or at May-pole; whilst I..left so impoverish'd of what to say, as to turn my Liturgy into my Lady's Psalter. 1851Ruskin Stones Ven. (1874) I. App. 362 The strut of the foremost cock, lifting one leg at right angles to the other, is delicious. 1853Kingsley Hypatia vi. (1879) 71 A delicious joke it would have been. 2. a. Highly pleasing or enjoyable to the bodily senses, esp. to the taste or smell; affording exquisite sensuous or bodily pleasure.
1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 9287 Þat savour sal be ful plenteuouse, And swa swete and swa delicious. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) xv. 71 Ane oþer maner of drinke gude and delicious. c1440York Myst. xxix. 76 Itt is licoure full delicious. c1532G. Du Wes Introd. Fr. in Palsgr. 921 A quyete slepe is right necessary and delycious. 1548Hall Chron. 230 b, In the same delicious climate. 1634Sir T. Herbert Trav. 183 Bananas or Plantanes..the fruite..gives a most delicious taste and rellish. 1667Milton P.L. ii. 400 The soft delicious Air. 1732Berkeley Alciphr. i. §1 We walked under the delicious shade of these trees. 1847Emerson Repr. Men, Uses Gt. Men Wks. (Bohn) I. 274 In Valencia the climate is delicious. 1850L. Hunt Autobiog. ii. x. 31 There is something in the word delicious which may be said to comprize a reference to every species of pleasant taste. b. With capital initial: designating a variety of eating apple of North American origin. Also as n.
1903Budd & Hansen Amer. Hort. Man. ii. 70 The Apple..Delicious. Originated by Jesse Hiatt..Iowa; tree a regular and heavy bearer. Fruit large, roundish conic, ribbed; skin medium thick..color yellow, washed with mixed red. 1932Discovery July 220/1 Canada is proud of the Mackintosh Red, Delicious, Jonathan, [etc.]. 1959A. McLintock Descr. Atlas N.Z. 42 The most popular export varieties are Sturmer, Delicious, Jonathan, Granny Smith, and Cox's Orange. †3. a. Characterized by or tending to sensuous indulgence; voluptuous, luxurious. Obs.
a1340Hampole Psalter ix. 6 Deliciouse affecciouns of flescly lust. a1450Knt. de la Tour (1868) 54 The flesshe is tempted by delicious metes and drinkes, the whiche bene leteres and kindelers of the brondes of lecherye. 1563Homilies ii. Fasting i. (1859) 280 An abstinence..from all delicious pleasures and delectations worldly. 1632Lithgow Trav. i. 22 Forsaking the delicious lives of the effeminate Affricans. 1651–3Jer. Taylor Serm. for Year (1678) 339 The habitual Intemperance which is too commonly annexed to festival and delicious Tables. †b. Of persons: Addicted to sensuous indulgence; voluptuous, luxurious, dainty. Obs.
1393Gower Conf. III. 33 If that thou understode, What is to ben delicious, Thou woldest nought ben curious. c1450Mirour Saluacioun 914 Of mete nor drinke was sho neure yhit diliciouse. 1483Caxton Gold. Leg. 116/2 Thyse monckes ben ouer delycious. 1530Palsgr. 309/2 Delyciouse, daynty mouthed or delycate. 1598Sylvester Du Bartas ii. i. Eden (1641) 84/1 Idleness..Defiles our body, Yea sobrest men it makes dilicious. 1680Morden Geog. Rect. (1685) 71 The Gentry are..Costly in their Apparel, Delicious in their Diet. 1681W. Robertson Phraseol. Gen. (1693) 448 A delicious mouth or palate. |