| 释义 |
diabolic, a. and n.|daɪəˈbɒlɪk|
[a. F. diabolique (13th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), ad. L. diabolicus (in Vulgate), a. Gr. διαβολικός, f. διάβολος devil.]
A. adj.
1. Of or pertaining to the devil; belonging to, having to do with, or under the influence of the devil.
1399Langl. Rich. Redeles iii. 199 Alle deabolik doeris dispise hem ichone. 1491Caxton Vitas Patr. (W. de W. 1495) ii. 292 a/1 To knowe by what moyen his doughter myght ben preserued from this vexacyon dyabolyke. 1533–4Act 25 Hen. VIII, c. 12 To vse the said Elizabeth, as a diabolike instrument, to stirre, moue, and prouoke the people of this realme. a1555Latimer Serm. & Rem. (1845) 290 But not the church which you call catholic, which sooner might be termed diabolic. 1667Milton P.L. ix. 95 Doubt..of Diabolic pow'r, Active within beyond the sense of brute. 1669Gale Crt. Gentiles i. iii. i. 13 Suitable to many Ecstatic Diabolic Enthusiasts. 1822Byron Vis. Judgm. xxxvii, Satan..merely bent his diabolic brow An instant. 1831Carlyle Sart. Res. ii. vii. A Hell..without Life, though only diabolic Life, were more frightful. c1850Neale Hymns East. Ch. (1866) 118 Diabolic legions press thee. 1871M. Collins Mrq. & Merch. II. ii. 48 Theories..about lunacy and diabolic possession.
b. Pertaining to witchcraft or magic as attributed to Satanic influence.
1727De Foe Hist. Appar. vi. (1840) 59, I have already entered my protest against all those arts called magical and diabolic. 1863Geo. Eliot Romola l, His belief in some diabolic fortune favouring Tito.
c. Like or resembling the devil.
1843Carlyle Past & Pr. ii. iii. (1845) 71 A..more or less Diabolic-looking man. 1862H. Taylor St. Clement's Eve i. iii, Some I daily met Of aspect diabolic.
2. Partaking of the qualities of the devil; devilish, fiendish; inhumanly wicked.
1483Caxton Cato B ij, Lesyng is a synne dyabolyque. 1546Bale Eng. Votaries ii. 10 (R.) Of these most hellish and diabolick frutes, holy S. Paule admonished the Romains, in the first chaptre of his Epistle. 1642Milton Apol. Smect. viii. (1851) 306 He does not play the Soothsayer but the diabolick slanderer of prayers. 1871Morley Carlyle (1878) 193 A diabolic drama of selfishness and violence. 1876Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. III. xlviii. 363 No diabolic delight.
†B. as n. An agent of the devil. Obs.
1502Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W. 1506) iv. xv. 214 Of inuocacyons of the deuyll..or of paccyons with hym & with his dyabolykes. 1638Sir T. Herbert Trav. 215 Witches..Hydro and Pyro-mantiques and other Diaboliques. |