| 释义 |
ramshackle, a. and n.|ˈræmʃæk(ə)l|
Also -shacle.
[Later var. of ramshackled.]
A. adj.
1. Loose and shaky, as if ready to fall to pieces; rickety, crazy, tumble-down. (Said chiefly of carriages and houses.)
1830Miss Mitford Village Ser. iv. (1863) 215, I could shake the old chaise to pieces with one jerk, it's so ramshackle. 1847Thackeray Cane-bottom'd Chair, The rickety, ramshackle, wheezy spinet. 1865Athenæum No. 1978. 400/3 A huddle of ramshackle lath-and-plaster houses. 1889D. C. Murray Danger. Catspaw 78 There was J. P.'s ramshackle figure on the pathway.
2. Of persons, actions, etc.: Unsteady, irregular, disorderly, rude. (Chiefly dial.)
1855Robinson Whitby Gloss. 1870E. Peacock Ralf Skirl. II. 121 What ramshackle wark ha' ye been after? 1880‘Vernon Lee’ Italy ii. ii. 26 Fine talent..ruined..by a disorderly character, a ramshackle career.
B. n.
1. dial. A thoughtless or reckless fellow.
1824Lockhart Reg. Dalton I. 199 This will learn ye, again, ye young ramshackle. Ibid. III. 267 An ignorant ramshackle, no question. 1877in N.W. Linc. Gloss.
2. nonce-use. A ramshackle object.
1865Even. Standard 28 Mar., Our own..purchased hulks and general congregation of naval ramshackles.
Hence ˈramshackle v. trans., to ‘rattle up’.
1865Daily Tel. 27 Oct. 5/6 If their dwellings were not ‘ramshackled’ or ‘run up’ by some..speculative builder. |