释义 |
▪ I. straggling, vbl. n.1|ˈstræglɪŋ| [-ing1.] a. The action of straggle v.1
1601J. Wheeler Treat. Comm. 53 Such stragling by free, and vnfree English vsed in Germanie, and the townes of the Lowe Countries out of the Marte townes, is so vnseemely, vnmerchantlike [etc.]. 1622E. Misselden Free Trade 80 Having lost their Priuiledges, partly by their owne Stragling. 1847Infantry Man. (1854) 99 The prevention of straggling is..part of the duties of a rear guard. 1862Queen's Regul. Nav. Service 213 In cases of Desertion, a reward not exceeding 3l., and in cases of Straggling not exceeding 1l., is to be paid. 1893Nation (N.Y.) 2 Feb. 86/2 Straggling cuts a considerable figure in Col. Allan's as well as in other Southern estimates of Lee's forces. b. spec. in Nucl. Physics, a spread of the energies, ranges, etc., of charged particles about a mean value as a result of collisions undergone in their passage through matter.
1912Phil. Mag. XXIII. 902 After going a given time the α particles will have straggled out, and some will be moving faster than others. I have not succeeded in finding the amount of this straggling. 1930E. Rutherford et al. Radiations from Radioactive Substances iv. 112 The first experiments to estimate the straggling of the α particles were made by the scintillation method. 1950D. Halliday Introd. Nucl. Physics iv. 121 We can have straggling effects caused by varying energy losses in the source (source straggling), by departure of the beam from parallelism (angular straggling), and by characteristics of the detecting and recording equipment (instrument straggling). 1971Canad. Jrnl. Physics XLIX. 1015 (caption) Comparison of experimental and theoretical range and range straggling values of 224Ra ions in gases. 1979Physical Rev. A. XIX. 111/1 Measurements of the energy straggling of 16O ions with energies from 5 to 50 MeV passing through Al foils of thickness 100–500µg/cm2 were described. c. attrib. straggling-money Naut. (see quots.).
1815Falconer's Dict. Marine (ed. Burney), Straggling-Money, a compensation allowed to persons on their apprehending and bringing on board any stragglers, or deserters, from his Majesty's ships or vessels. 1867Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Straggling-money. If a man be absent from his duty without leave, but not absent long enough to be logged as run, and is brought on board, a deduction is to be made from his wages at the discretion of the captain; not, however, to exceed the sum of {pstlg}1. ▪ II. ˈstraggling, vbl. n.2 [f. straggle v.2 + -ing1.] A method of rough-dressing a grindstone (see quots.).
1850Holtzapffel Turning III. 1109 In straggling, or ragging, the stone is kept running as usual whilst a piece of soft iron about a quarter or half an inch square..is wriggled against the edge of the stone by a motion of the wrist. 1875Knight Dict. Mech., Straggling, the process of working down the face of a grindstone to a regular shape, or of removing metallic particles which have become imbedded therein. ▪ III. ˈstraggling, ppl. a. [-ing2.] That straggles. a. Of persons, animals, ships, etc.: Straying apart from companions or the main body; roving or wandering at random; † vagabond, vagrant. † straggling mate: a stray member of a company.
1589Bigges Summarie Drake's W. Ind. Voy. 36 Lest by some stragling Spaniards from the land, they might be warned by signes from comming in. 1590Greene Orl. Fur. i. i. 170 What is Orlando but a stragling mate, Banisht for some offence by Charlemaine. 1592Bacon Observ. Libel Resusc. (1657) 121 A wrangling Neighbour, that may Trespass, now and then, upon some Stragling ships of ours. c1611Chapman Iliad x. 178 To approue, if any stragling mate He can surprise neare th' vtmost tents. 1632Swed. Intelligencer i. 116 In passing thorow which [forest] many of his stragling Souldiers were knockt downe by the Boores of the Countrey. 1634Milton Comus 499 Hath any ram..Slip't from the fold..Or straggling weather the pen't flock forsook? 1643Docq. Lett. Lat. at Oxf. (1837) 20 For restrayning of stragling and idle people from following the Army. 1748Anson's Voy. ii. iii. 151 They had now and then a straggling canoe or two of Indians. 1776Adam Smith W.N. i. xi. (1869) I. 232 Some miserable pasture, just sufficient to keep alive a few straggling, half-starved cattle. 1841Elphinstone Hist. Ind. II. 143 The straggling survivors of his party assembled at the same place. 1842S. Lover Handy Andy xix, There were some straggling spectators besides, to witness the affair. 1866M. E. Braddon Lady's Mile i. 1 Some half-dozen nurse-maids with their straggling charges. 1883Coues in Encycl. Amer. I. 528/2 Aside from the straggling Haliaëtus albicilla and the South American harpy.., only two eagles are known to occur in North America. †b. Of a merchant: That trades in a market of which he is not free; interloping. Said also of trade thus practised. Obs.
c1592Horsey Trav. etc. (Hakl. Soc.) 290 All interloperes and straglyng Englishemene lyving in that contrey [Russia]. 1601J. Wheeler Treat. Comm. 54 The gouerned and well⁓ordered trade of the M.M. Aduenturers Companie, is farre to be preferred before a dispersed, stragling, and promiscuous trade. Ibid. 55 A number of stragling Marchants resorting thither out of this Realme, the trade was vtterly spoiled. 1622E. Misselden Free Trade 81 Which is an effect of a stragling vngouerned Trade. [1851Mayhew Lond. Labour II. 21/1 This traffic [in second-hand weapons], which is known as a ‘straggling’ trade, pursued by men who are at the same time pursuing other street-callings. ] c. Of hair, plants, a hedge, etc.: Growing irregularly or dispersedly; shooting or spreading too far.
1674tr. Scheffer's Lapland 12 Their hair is thin, short and flaggy, their beard stragling and scarce covers their chins. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. i. 358 Twine The Sallow Twigs to tye the stragling Vine. 1707Curios. in Husb. 254 Take off the Roots that are too long, and stragling. 1770Goldsm. Des. Vill. 193 Beside yon straggling fence that skirts the way. 1784Cowper Task ii. 446 First we stroke An eye-brow; next, compose a straggling lock. 1851Helps Comp. Solit. vi. 85 She..held up a straggling but pretty weed. 1860Thackeray Lovel ii. (1861) 48 This gentleman with..the straggling beard. 1862M. E. Braddon Lady Audley i. 5 They must have fallen but for the straggling ivy. d. of inanimate moving objects, of the direction or course of a moving body, of handwriting, etc.
1560T. Phaer æneid ix. (1562) Cc iij b, I se y⊇ stragling starrs yt from the poale their course declynes. 1581G. Pettie Guazzo's Civ. Conv. i. (1586) A 5, I doubt not nowe but to escape a few stragling shot in a light skirmish. 1627May Lucan x. T 3 b, Hence nature did His straggling waues within high mountaines hide. 1822Byron Juan vii. lxxxvi, With straggling light The stars peep through the vapours. 1847Lever Knt. Gwynne xxiii, The writing was straggling and irregular. 1871L. Stephen Playgr. Eur. (1894) v. 134 We marched steadily forwards in a long straggling line. e. fig. of immaterial things (e.g. thoughts, looks, words).
1589Greene Menaphon (Arb.) 63 When your straggling eye..would bee gadding throughout euerie corner of our companie. 1608Downame in Eng. Hist. Rev. (1909) Apr. 245 A few stragling sentences quoted out of the Fathers. a1614D. Dyke Myst. Self-Deceiv. xxii. 276 The spirit of prayer..chaseth away all stragling thoughts. 1615R. Brathwait Strappado 10 May I speake more, for I am in a vaine, To cull strange things out of a stragling braine. 1676Wycherley Pl. Dealer ii. i, Oliv. He a Wit!..he's only an Adopter of stragling Jests and fatherless Lampoons. 1678Shadwell Timon 50 O stragling Senses, whither are you going? 1747Frauds & Abuses Coal Trade (ed. 3) 13 To be Runner to a Coal-Owner to distribute Bills, and collect straggling Debts. 1854Carlyle in Froude Life Lond. (1884) II. 156 It must have been fourteen years later before I..began to have some distant straggling acquaintance of a personal kind with him. f. Of stationary objects: Scattered or arranged irregularly. Of a road, tract of country: Winding irregularly, having an irregular outline. Of a house, town, etc.: Built irregularly and uncompactly.
1604E. G[rimstone] D'Acosta's Hist. Indies iv. v. 217 There are two different kindes [of silver], the one they call stragling, the other fixed and setled. 1615G. Sandys Trav. iii. 150 In the vally on the East side of the Citie, are many stragling buildings. 1700Dryden Fables, Char. Good Parson 61 Wide was his Parish; not contracted close In Streets, but here and there a straggling House. 1778Eng. Gazetteer (ed. 2) s.v. Bicister, 'Tis a long, straggling town. 1835Dickens Sk. Boz, Parl. Sk., That..ungainly-looking man,..with the straggling black trousers, which reach about half-way down the leg of his boots. 1838Lytton Alice v. i, A straggling, irregular, but picturesque building. 1860Trollope Castle Richmond vi, The straggling mahogany table in the centre of the room, whose rickety legs gave way and came off whenever an attempt was made to move it. 1870E. Peacock Ralf Skirl. II. 187 An inn with a straggling collection of houses near it. 1894S. Weyman Under Red Robe ii, The cottages..ran in a straggling double line with many gaps. g. Occurring casually or occasionally, ‘stray’.
1618in J. Charnock Hist. Mar. Archit. (1801) II. 231 Wherein is sett downe how of the 182 sailes wanting, 104 may be supplyed with stragling sailes of other shipps. Hence ˈstragglingly adv.
1579–80North Plutarch, Dion (1595) 1047 The other that could not get in in time, fledde straglingly vp and downe. 1650A. B. Mutat. Polemo 24 So they stragglingly departed like fools. 1668Lond. Gaz. No. 230/2 About 160 German Souldiers being straglingly arrived at Milan, were by the Governours Order disposed of. 1693Evelyn De La Quint. Compl. Gard. II. 190 If we be not careful to thin it,..it..grows weak, and shoots its Leaves straglingly outward. 1774Goldsm. Nat. Hist. II. 220 [The Tartars] have but little beard, which grows straglingly on the chin. 1818Ann. Reg., Chron., etc. 479/1 The town stands stragglingly on an abrupt slope. 1884Howells in Harper's Mag. Dec. 125/1 Roberts, Lawton, and Bemis follow stragglingly. |