| 释义 |
stiff-necked, a.|ˈstɪfnɛkt|
[f. stiff neck + -ed2; after Gr. σκληροτράχηλος, Heb. q⊇shēh ﻋōref ‘hard of neck’.]
Having a stiff neck. Chiefly fig. of persons, with Biblical reference: Obstinate, stubborn, inflexible, haughty (cf. neck n.1 3 b). † Also of a horse: That will not obey the rein. Also transf.
1526Tindale Acts vii. 51 Ye stiffenecked and of vncircumcised hertes and eares. a1533Frith Disp. Purgat. ii. I j, Yf they be so styfnecked that they wyl not bow to the truth. 1545Brinklow Lament. (1874) 79 The greate parte of these inordinate riche styfnecked Cytezens will not haue in their howses that lyuely worde of our soules. c1550M. Basset in More's Wks. (1557) 1366/1 If after fayre handelyng, we drawe styll stubbernely backeward, and..contynue yet vnreasonably styffe necked, lyke a Horse and Mule whiche haue no maner of vnderstandynge. 1565Cooper Thesaurus s.v. Equus, A stiffe necked horse that wil not be ruled. 1625K. Long tr. Barclay's Argenis iv. xix. 310 Being stiffe-necked and stronger than the Bit with which he was held in, hee carryed him forceably into the enemies' camp. 1710Tatler No. 214 ⁋1, I shall therefore give up this stiff-necked Generation to their own Obstinacy. 1867Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) I. vi. 462 One is converted, while the other seemingly goes away stiffnecked in his old errors. 1898Gissing in Strand Mag. XV. 28 The stiff-necked old aristocrat had gone to London. 1963Times 23 Apr. 13/2 Fortunately the recent exchanges promise slightly less stiff-necked attitudes on both sides.
Hence ˌstiffˈneckedly adv., obstinately; ˌstiffˈneckedness, obstinacy.
a1555Latimer Let. in Foxe A. & M. (1583) 1756/1 It is no small iniquitie to keep any one poore man so long from his right and duetie so stiffeneckedly and obstinately. 1563–83Foxe A. & M. 449/1 He alwayes wrote most commendable protestations agaynst obstinacye and stifneckednesse. 1663J. Wilson Cheats ii. iii, We are wilfully, stiff⁓neckedly blind. 1699W. Clagett 17 Serm. 216 There will be both inconstancy and stiffneckedness. 1857S. Winkworth Tauler's Life & Serm. 132 note, He were a heretic who, after much admonition, should stiffneckedly disobey the Word of God. 1861J. G. Sheppard Fall of Rome xi. 572 A strength of will degenerating into stiff-neckedness and obstinacy. |