| 释义 |
desirable, a. (n.)|dɪˈzaɪərəb(ə)l|
Also 7–8 desireable.
[a. F. désirable (12th c. in Hatzfeld), f. désirer to desire, after L. dēsīderābilis.]
A. adj.
1. Worthy to be desired; to be wished for. In early use often standing for the qualities which cause a thing to be desired: Pleasant, delectable, choice, excellent, goodly.
1382Wyclif Prov. xxi. 20 Desyrable tresor and oile in the dwelling place of the riȝtwis. c1489Caxton Blanchardyn xxiii. 80 Blanchardyn..as that thinge whiche most he desyred in this world, dyde accepte this gracyouse and desyrable ansuere. 1573G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 126 Greate varietye of desirable flowers. 1611Bible Ezek. xxiii. 12 She doted vpon the Assyrians..horsemen riding vpon horses, all of them desireable young men. 1662Stillingfl. Orig. Sacr. iii. iii. §7 No evil is in its self desirable, or to be chosen. 1783Watson Philip III (1839) 169 It was surely desirable to put a period to these calamities. 1833J. Holland Manuf. Metal II. 301 This exceedingly convenient and desirable machine. 1891H. Matthews in Law Times XCII. 96/1 Some general modifications in the rules..are now desirable.
†2. To be regretted or desiderated; regrettable.
1650T. Froysell Gale of Opportunity (1652) 1 He lived amiable and dyed desirable.
†3. Characterized by or full of desire. Obs.
1759S. Fielding C'tess of Dellwyn II. 23 With the desireable View of rendering her Smiles or Frowns of Consequence.
B. n.
1. That which is desirable; a desirable property or thing.
1645E. Willan in Spurgeon Treas. Dav. Ps. xvi. 11 All these desirables are encircled within the compass of the first remarkable. 1721Watts Serm. ii. Wks. 1812 I. 18 He..despises fame..pleasure and riches, and all mortal desirables. 1797A. M. Bennett Beggar Girl (1813) V. 52 Besides the desirables it would purchase [etc.]. 1873R. Broughton Nancy II. 82 At that time, you see, he had not all the desirables.
2. One who is desirable.
1669H. More Antid. Idolatry viii. 93 The highest of all desirables, that is, God himself. 1853R. S. Surtees Sponge's Sp. Tour xvi, Certainly all parties concurred in placing him high on the list of ‘desirables’. 1904Daily Chron. 21 Sept. 8/5 Nor did the individual who spoke proudly of ‘moving in a circle’—of ‘desirables’—realise the vulgarity of the expression. 1905Westm. Gaz. 21 June 8/2 The real undesirables..would have to be kept back and looked after until they became ‘desirables’. 1908Ibid. 26 June 2/1 Could not the undesirables be got rid of, and the desirables multiplied? |