| 释义 |
dissipation|dɪsɪˈpeɪʃən|
[ad. L. dissipātiōn-em, n. of action from dissipāre to dissipate. Cf. F. dissipation (16th c.).]
†1. The action of dissipating or dispersing; a scattering; the fact of being dispersed; dispersed condition. Obs.
1545Joye Exp. Dan. xii. (R.) Subuersions of empires & kingdoms, skatterings and dissipacions of nacions. 1605Shakes. Lear i. ii. 161 Banishment of friends, dissipation of cohorts, nuptial breaches. 1667Milton P.L. vi. 598 Foule dissipation follow'd and forc't rout. 1677Hale Prim. Orig. Man. ii. iii. 143 Peleg, in whose time the famous dissipation of Mankind and distinction of Languages hapned. 1760C. Johnston Chrysal (1822) II. 214 In this dissipation I fell to the lot of one of the officers.
b. Optics. The scattering or dispersion of rays of light. circle, radius of dissipation: see quots.
1748Hartley Observ. Man i. ii. 219 Narrow the Pupil of the Eye, i.e. lessen the Radius of Dissipation. 1753Chambers Cycl. Supp. s.v., Circle of Dissipation..is used for that circular space upon the retina, which is taken up by one of the extreme pensils of rays issuing from an object..Radius of Dissipation, the radius of the circle of Dissipation. 1794G. Adams Nat. & Exp. Philos. II. xvii. 283 The circular spaces..illuminated by pencils of rays..are called circles of dissipation. 1867J. Hogg Microsc. i. ii. 22 Produced by the central rays falling in a circle of dissipation, before they have come to a focus.
2. The passing away or wasting of a substance, or form of energy, through continuous dispersion or diffusion.
1615Crooke Body of Man 94 The substance of the whole body hath a necessary diffluence and dissipation, as well by the in bred heate..as also by the outward aire. c1790J. Imison Sch. Art I. 62 In this case, the dissipation of the electricity is not so considerable. 1881Maxwell Electr. & Magn. I. 45 Coulomb investigated the law of dissipation. 1881Sir W. Thomson in Nature No. 619. 441 Losing..20 per cent of this [energy] by the generation and dissipation of heat through the conductor.
attrib.1879Dissipation-function [see dissipativity].
3. Reduction to atoms or to an impalpable condition; complete disintegration or dissolution.
1597Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lxv. §15 The dissipation of Idols..they were fashioned of matter, subiect vnto corruption, therefore to grinde them to dust was easie. 1647H. More Philos. Poems, Democr. Platon. Pref., The dissipation of the whole frame of Nature into dis⁓joynted dust. a1656Bp. Hall Rem. Wks. (1660) 315 To hear of the least danger of the dissipation of your Church. 1680H. More Apocal. Apoc. 189 An utter ruine and dissipation of this Idolatrous City. a1711Ken Hymnarium Poet. Wks. 1721 II. 52 Saints no Dissipation fear, Who to the Boundless one adhere. 1796Burke Regic. Peace iv. Wks. IX. 26 The dissipation of France into..a cluster of petty Republicks. 1875E. White Life in Christ iii. xxi. (1876) 325 Another attempt to reconcile this expression of our Lord with the idea of dissipation of the soul.
4. Wasteful expenditure or consumption of money, means, powers, faculties, etc.; squandering, waste.
1639T. Brugis tr. Camus' Moral Relat. 351 [Almsgiving] must be done fitly..Otherwise it were rather a dissipation then a distribution. 1677Hale Prim. Orig. Man. i. i. 13 Means that our Faculties might use without dissipation, distraction, or too great astonishment. a1715Burnet Own Time (1766) I. 339 There had been such a dissipation of treasure. 1785Paley Mor. Philos. v. ix, Nothing but stupidity or the most frivolous dissipation of thought. 1893W. Lewin in Bookman June 85/2 Avoiding any wasteful dissipation of his powers.
5. Distraction of the mental faculties or energies from concentration on serious subjects: at first often with colourless sense, as the scattering or distraction of attention, or with laudatory sense, as the dispelling of melancholy or sadness; diversion, amusement; but later implying the frittering away of energies or attention upon frivolities, and thus gradually passing into sense 6; also, with a and pl., a distraction; a diversion; a frivolous amusement.
1733Swift Let. 28 May, I have begun two or three letters..and been prevented from finishing them by a thousand avocations and dissipations. 1742Young Nt. Th. viii. 949 While Noise, and Dissipation, comfort Thee. 1748Chesterfield Lett. II. clv. 55 I am going to Cheltenham tomorrow..for the dissipation and amusement of the journey. 1759Johnson Rasselas xi, Change of place..inevitably produces dissipation of mind. 1768Beattie Minstr. ii. xxvii, In the giddy storm of dissipation toss'd. 1788Wesley Serm. lxxix. Dissipation Wks. 1872 VI. 445 We hear of the still increasing dissipations..the word..was hardly heard of fifty years ago..And yet it is so in every one's mouth, that it is already worn threadbare; being one of the cant words of the day. 1800E. Hervey Mourtray Fam. iv. 60 Nothing would be of so much service to her spirits, as a little dissipation. 1845S. Austin Ranke's Hist. Ref. v. ix. III. 289 He was not born for the amusements and dissipations of the world. 1876Ouida Winter City iii. 59 Art had remained with her rather an intellectual dissipation than a tenderness.
6. Waste of the moral and physical powers by undue or vicious indulgence in pleasure; intemperate, dissolute, or vicious mode of living.
1784Cowper Task ii. 770 A task That bids defiance to the united powers Of fashion, dissipation, taverns, stews. 1791Mrs. Radcliffe Rom. Forest i, In a few years his fortune and affection were equally lost in dissipation. 1837Dickens Pickw. ii, Tupman was not in a condition to rise, after the unwonted dissipation of the previous night. 1861M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 47 Severer penalties awaited drunkenness, dissipation, or dicing. 1894Sir W. Gregory Autobiog. v. 89 He died young, worn out by dissipation. |