| 释义 |
principal, a. and n. (adv.)|ˈprɪnsɪpəl|
Also 3–6 princy-, prynci-, pryncy-; 3–6 -pale, 4–7 -pall(e, 5 Sc. -paill; 5 prinsipall, -sepall, prynsipall, prencipall, -ale.
[a. F. principal (11th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), ad. L. principāl-is first, chief, original, primitive; princely, imperial; as n. in late L. an overseer, a chief; f. princeps, princip-em: see prince n. and -al1. In early use the adj. was often in plural principal(e)s (after F.) esp. when following the n.]
A. adj.
I. General senses.
1. First or highest in rank or importance; that is at the head of all the rest; of the greatest account or value; foremost: = chief a. 3.
a. of persons.
1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 9154, & þe bissop roger of salesbury after him suor anon..& þo was þe principal þe sacringe vor to do & vor ensample of hom oþere encentede þer to. 1390Gower Conf. III. 144 As a king in special Above all othre is principal Of his pouer. c1400Mandeville (1839) xxiii. 248 Of his iij wyfes, the firste and the princypalle þat was Prestre Iohnes doughter. 1535Coverdale Esther (Apocr.) xvi. 11 He was..had in hye honoure of euery man, as the next and pryncipall vnto the kynge. 1578in I. H. Jeayes Catal. Charters Berkeley Castle (1892) 324 Robert Commendatar of Dunfermelenge owre principall Secretar and Ambassador. 1662J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 3 The principal Minister, who among the Lutherans is look'd upon as a Bishop. 1795Gentl. Mag. July 544/2 He was the principal projector of the fund for decayed musicians.
(b) spec. as principal boy, the leading male role in a pantomime, usu. played by a woman; principal girl, the leading female role in a pantomime.
1893H. E. McLelland Jack & Beanstalk 11 She's Jill, our ‘principal girl’, the gallery's joy. Ibid., So it's only natural, as I'm the principal boy! 1897G. B. Shaw Our Theatres in Nineties (1932) III. 24 Why..is the ‘principal boy’ expected to be more vulgar than the principal girl? 1900London Lett. 26 Jan. 133/1 In the part of principal girl [in a pantomime] Miss L. L...dances and sings delightfully,..Miss F. L. as principal boy has no equal. 1901R. J. Broadbent Hist. Pantomime xxi. 224 Towards the close of the 'fifties..the character of Harlequin began to be played by women, the origin of what is now known as the ‘principal boy’. 1910Baroness Orczy Lady Molly ix. 236 The little actress looked ready to cry... ‘I am principal boy at the Grand,’ she explained. 1925M. W. Disher Clowns & Pantomimes xvii. 317 This obsession with barbaric splendour was shown in Harris's choice of ‘principal boys’. 1932D. L. Sayers Have his Carcase xv. 201 Airy-fairy-Lilian they used to call me when I was principal boy in old Rosenbaum's shows. 1962Oxford Mail 24 Dec. 6/6 In 1947 he met his wife in pantomime at Lincoln. ‘She was the principal girl, Maid Marion. I was just one of the bad robbers.’ 1969Listener 2 Jan. 18/1 Gone are the good days when principal boys were girls. 1971Petticoat 17 July 28/1 He..was wearing a pink voile shirt with principal-boy sleeves. 1975Times 2 May 11/3 The greatest of pantomine principal boys, Dorothy Ward.
b. of things.
c1386Chaucer Pars. T. ⁋441 The remedie agayns the foule synne of Enuye First is the louynge of god principal and louyng of his neighebor as hym self. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) v. 14 Þe principale citee of Cypre es Famagost. 1413Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton) v. i. (1859) 71 This hows is chyef and pryncipalle of alle other howses. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 1 The princypall purpose of our entent. 1611Bible Prov. iv. 7 Wisedome is the principall thing, therefore get wisedome. 1697tr. Burgersdicius his Logic i. xvii. 62 Cause Efficient is divided into Principal and less Principal. 1799G. Smith Laboratory I. 121 Your first or principal matter for enamel colours. 1860Tyndall Glac. i. xv. 100 The glacier which had filled the principal valley. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) III. 27 Their principal food is flour and meal.
2. Less definitely: Belonging to the first or highest group in rank or importance; of the first order; main, prominent, leading: = chief a. 4. In this sense formerly sometimes with comparative principaller (or more principal), often with superlative principallest (or most principal); otherwise referring usually to a number of individuals.
a. of things.
c1290S. Eng. Leg. I. 345/15 Bote þreo wateres principales of alle ne beoth, i-wis: Þat on is homber, þat oþur seuerne, and temes þe þridde is. 1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 7299 Yhit es over þase a payne generalle, Þat of alle other es mast principalle. c1391Chaucer Astrol. 1. §5 The 4 quarters of thin astrelabie, deuyded after the 4 principals plages or quarters of the firmament. 1483Caxton Cato B j b, The scoler which wyl lerne ought to haue thre pryncipalle condycions. 1533Test. Ebor. (Surtees) VI. 36 The fyve pryncypall woundes of our Lord. 1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. (1586) 10 Water is one of the principalest things to be cared for. 1665Boyle Occas. Refl. v. i, A further and more principal Consideration. 1690in Locke Govt. i. vi. §62 He..has the Sovereignty over the Woman, as being the nobler and principaller Agent in Generation. 1723Present St. Russia I. 305 Among the Drugs which Russia produces, Rhubarb is one of the most principal. 1874J. Sully Sensation & Intuition xi. 298 Character is but one, though a principal, source of interest among several that are employed by the drama.
b. of persons.
c1400Mandeville (1839) xxii. 242 It hath xii princypalle kynges in xii prouynces. c1430Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 4 Alle clad in white, and the most principalle Afforne in reed, with thaire mayre ryding. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. clxi. 196 The frenche kynge wolde nat agree without he myght haue foure of the princypallest of the englysshmen at his pleasure. 1598R. Grenewey Tacitus' Ann. i. vii. (1622) 11 Certaine of the Principallest Gentlemen of the citie. 1648Gage West Ind. 133 A principall family of Indians, who are said to descend from the ancient Kings. 1771Franklin Autobiog. Wks. 1840 I. 73, I made acquaintance with many principal people of the province. 1808E. Sleath Bristol Heiress III. 263 Attended by some of the principal of the nobility.
3. Specially great (in comparison with things of the kind generally); of high degree or importance; special, eminent. Now rare or Obs.
1417Let. to Hen. V in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. I. 55 The same beinge soe gracious and joyous newes as any can imagine or thinke to the principall comforte and especiall consolation of us and all your faythfull subjectes. 1424in Calr. Pat. Rolls, 8 Hen. VI 30 The xxiiij aldermen..xal..supporten the mair..walkyng with hym on principal dayes and in procession. 1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. 353 Some beastes..as they are vnto man principall benefites, so to themselues and to their kind, they are most louing and tender. 1611Bible Transl. Pref. 3 The Pen-men [of the Scripture being such as were] endewed with a principall portion of Gods spirit. 1748Hartley Observ. Man ii. iii. 213 That which is prior in the Order of Nature is always less perfect and principal, than that which is posterior. 1868Bushnell Serm. Living Subj. 252 Which is understood to be the manner to a principal degree of a certain immense trading house.
†4. Of special quality; excellent, goodly, choice; first-class, first-rate. Obs.
c1430Hymns Virg. 1 In þi palijs so principal I pleyde priuyli wiþoute mys. 1535Coverdale Song Sol. v. 13 His lippes droppe as the floures of the most principall Myrre. a1552Leland Itin. IV. 44 From Kiddey Mouth..to the Mouthe of Thawän a 3 Miles by very principal good Corn Ground. 1589Nashe Pasquil & Marforius B iij b, A great Nosegay in his hande, of the principalest flowers I could gather. 1609Bible (Douay) Ezek. xxvii. 17 Juda and the land of Israel they were thy merchants in the principal corne [Vulg. in frumento primo].
†5. Of, belonging to, or befitting a prince; princely, royal. Obs.
13..E.E. Allit. P. B. 1581 Fyrst knew hit þe kyng & alle þe cort after In þe palays pryncipale. 1382Wyclif Esther ii. 18 He ȝaf reste to alle prouyncis, and grauntide large ȝiftis aftir principal gret doing [1388 the worschipful doyng of a prynce; Vulg. magnificentiam principalem]. ― Ps. l. 14 [li. 12] With the spirit principal conferme thou me [Vulg. spiritu principali confirma me, LXX πνεύµατι ἡγεµονικῷ στήριξόν µε; Coverdale, etc. with thy free spirit]. 1578Chr. Prayers in Priv. Prayers (Parker Soc.) 499 Give me the comfort of thy saving help again, and strengthen me with a principal Spirit. 1582Bentley Mon. Matrones Ep. Ded., Hauing the principal and heroicall spirit of your holie father good King Dauid. 1591Spenser Muiopotmos 380 But walkt at will, and wandred to and fro, In the pride of his freedome principall.
II. Special and technical senses.
6. Of money: Constituting the primary or original sum; that is the main or capital sum invested or lent, and yielding interest or income; capital, capitalized. (Cf. B. 9.)
† principal cost, principal money, original or prime cost.
1340Ayenb. 35 Hi..makeþ ofte of þe gauel principale dette. 1494Fabyan Chron. vii. 496 It was ordeyned yt the sayd..dettours to the sayd vsurers shuld paye the pryncipall dette vnto the kynge at theyr dayes of payment. 1540–1Elyot Image Gov. 121 He desired theym..to take for that time their principall summe that was borowed, and clerely to remette the residue. c1677in Marvell Growth Popery 62 The parties..swore the Principal Costs of their Goods was to the Value of 3902l. a1687Petty Pol. Arith. Pref. (1690) a iij, Actions [shares] in the East-India Company are near double the principal Money. 1731Gay Let. to Swift 20 Mar., At the same time tell me what I shall do with the principal sum. 1852Bright Let. to Dr. Gray 25 Oct. in Speeches (1876) 549/2, 500,000l. per annum..or a principal sum, at twenty years' purchase, of 10,000,000l. 1864Will in Law Rep. (1871) 11 Eq. 232, I declare that the income arising from my principal money shall be paid [etc.]. [Malins Ibid. 234 In using the words ‘principal money’ I think he intended to signify all his capital.]
7. Law.
a. That is the chief person concerned in some action or proceeding; esp. that is the actual perpetrator of, or directly responsible for, a crime: cf. B. 2 b. ? Obs.
b. principal challenge: a challenge against a jury, or against a particular juror, alleging a fact such as, if proved, would disqualify such jury or juror as a matter of law.
1448Paston Lett. I. 74 Before the coroner of Coventre, up on the sygth of the bodyes, ther ben endited, as prynsipall for the deth of Richard Stafford, Syr Robert Harcourt and the ij. men that ben dede. And for the ij. men of Harcourts that ben dede, ther ben endited ij. men of Syr Umfrey as prynsipall. 1486Act 3 Hen. VII, c. 2 Such Mis-doers, Takers,..and Receitors..[shall] be..judged as principal Felons. 1553Brende Q. Curtius vi. 112 b, The residue of the counsail were of opinion that Philotas woulde neuer haue conseiled this conspiracie, excepte he had bene either principall or priuye therunto. 1607–72Challenge principal [see challenge n. 3]. 1768Blackstone Comm. III. xxiii. 363 A principal challenge is such, where the cause assigned carries with it prima facie evident marks of suspicion, either of malice or favour. 1863H. Cox Instit. ii. iii. 354 Where there are manifest reasons of suspecting partiality..in which case the challenge is called a principal challenge.
†8. Of a document: Original (as opposed to a copy): cf. B. 5. Obs.
1567in 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. 642/1 This is the autentik and iust copy of the principall lettir aboue mentionat... And the same originall and principall extant to schaw will testifie.
9. Gram. Said of a sentence or clause, or of a word (esp. a verb), in relation to another which is auxiliary to or dependent upon it: opp. to subordinate or dependent. principal parts of a verb: see part n. 19 b.
1590J. Stockwood Rules Construct. 2 After the nominatiue case commeth the principall verbe... First of all, the principall verbe must be sought out. 1824L. Murray Eng. Gram. (ed. 5) I. 272 This rule refers to principal, not to auxiliary verbs..the principal and its auxiliary form but one verb. 1871Roby Lat. Gram. iv. iii. §1024 A compound sentence contains two or more single sentences... If they are not independent of each other, one will be principal and the others subordinate. Ibid. §1032 A subordinate sentence may itself be principal to a third sentence. 1876Mason Eng. Gram. (ed. 21) §400 A Complex Sentence is one which, besides a principal subject and predicate, contains one or more subordinate clauses, which have subjects and predicates of their own. Ibid. §403 A Substantive Clause..may be either the subject or the object of the verb in the principal clause.
10. Building. Applied to the main rafters, posts, or braces in the wooden framework of a building, which support the chief strain. Cf. B. 7.
1594Plat Jewell-ho. i. 10 The principall postes, the Rafters, and the beames of any house. 1663Gerbier Counsel 45 Beams of the Roof for the principal Rafters to stand on. 1703Moxon Mech. Exerc. 163 Principal-Posts, the corner Posts of a Carcass. 1710J. Harris Lex. Techn. II, Principal Posts, in any wooden Building, are the Corner Posts. 1860Weale Dict. Terms Archit., Principal brace, a brace immediately under the principal rafters or parallel to them, in a state of compression, assisting with the principals to support the timbers of a roof.
11. Math., etc. principal axis: (a) of a conic, that axis which passes through the foci, the transverse axis (opp. to conjugate axis); (b) each of three lines in a body or system used as the chief lines of reference in relation to forces operating upon it; as principal axes of inertia, principal axes of stress (see quots.); principal component, one of the components of a set of statistical data (regarded as points in a multi-dimensional space) which contribute most strongly to its variance; freq. attrib. (in sing. or pl.), designating a method of analysis which involves finding the principal component and removing the variance due to it, and repeating this successively; principal focus of a lens or concave mirror, the focus of rays that impinge upon it parallel to its axis; principal ideal, an ideal whose elements can be generated by multiplying some particular member of the ring by each member (including itself) in turn; principal plane, (a) of a symmetrical body: an imaginary plane of symmetry, as, in an oblate or prolate spheroid, the plane passing through the centre at right angles to the axis of revolution; in an ellipsoid there are three principal planes at right angles to each other, two of which pass through the longest axis, and the third through the centre of both the others; (b) principal plane of stress: see quot. 1883; principal point: in Perspective, the point where the principal ray meets the plane of delineation; principal points of a lens or combination of lenses (tr. Ger. Hauptpunkte, Gauss), two points on the optical axis such that the straight line between the first of these and any point of the object is parallel to that between the second and the corresponding point of the image; principal quantum number (Physics), the quantum number symbolized by n (see N I. 4 b); principal ray: in Perspective, the straight line from the point of sight perpendicular to the plane of delineation; principal section of a crystal, any section passing through the optical axis; principal stress, each of the three purely tensile or compressive stresses acting in mutually perpendicular directions into which any combination of stresses acting at a point can be resolved; principal value, the one real value of a function which has also several imaginary values.
1879Thomson & Tait Nat. Philos. I. i. 262 Any axis is called a *principal axis of a body's inertia, or simply a principal axis of the body, if when the body rotates round it the centrifugal forces either balance or are reducible to a single force. 1882E. J. Routh Dynamics Rigid Bodies (ed. 4) 99 The existence of principal axes was first established by Segner in the work Specimen Theoriæ Turbinum. 1883Thomson & Tait Nat. Philos. I. ii. 207 For any stress..there are three determinate planes at right angles to one another such that the force acting in the solid across each of them is precisely perpendicular to it. These planes are called the principal or normal planes of the stress; the forces upon them, per unit area,—its principal or normal tractions; and the lines perpendicular to them,—its principal or normal axes.
1933H. Hotelling in Jrnl. Educ. Psychol. XXIV. 421 We..determine the components, not exceeding n in number, and perhaps neglecting those whose contributions to the total variance are small. This we shall call the method of *principal components. 1963Sokal & Sneath Princ. Numerical Taxon. vii. 195 Two different methods of factor analysis are customarily practiced: the principal components method is largely employed by British factor analysts. 1968Brit. Med. Bull. XXIV. 236/2 Examples of the use of the older established techniques of principal components analysis..and factor analysis..rather than taxonomic analysis, predominate in the literature. 1969A. P. Dempster Elem. Contin. Multivariate Anal. vii. 136 The principal component analysis of a given sample relative to a given reference inner product over variable-space consists of finding the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the sample covariance inner product relative to the reference inner product. The eigenvalues found in this way will be called sample principal components of total variance relative to the chosen reference inner product or, more briefly, principal components.
1831Brewster Optics i. 9 When the rays which the mirror collects are parallel, as in the present case, the point F is called its *principal focus, or its focus for parallel rays.
1937A. A. Albert Mod. Higher Algebra (1938) xi. 255 Every two quantities of a *principal ideal ring have a greatest common divisor. 1965J. J. Rotman Theory of Groups iv. 66 A principal ideal domain is a domain in which every ideal is a principal ideal. 1970D. M. Burton First Course in Rings & Ideals ii. 19 An ideal (a) generated by just one ring element is termed a principal ideal.
1862Salmon Analytic Geom. Three Dimens. iv. 45 A diametral plane is said to be principal if it be perpendicular to the chords to which it is conjugate... Hence a quadric has in general three *principal diametral planes, the three diameters perpendicular to which are called the axes of the surface.
1704J. Harris Lex. Techn. I, *Principal Point, which some Writers call the Centre of the Picture, and the Point of Concurrence.
1922, etc. *Principal quantum number [see N I. 4 b]. 1973J. G. Tweeddale Materials Technol. I. ii. 23 A specific maximum possible number of orientations of orbital pattern, each pattern being completely occupied if two electrons are in it, is possible for each mode, the number being determined by the relevant Principal Quantum Number.
1704J. Harris Lex. Techn. I, *Principal Ray, in Perspective.
1831Brewster Optics xvii. 151 Every plane passing through the axis is called a *principal section of the crystal.
1858W. J. M. Rankine Man. Appl. Mech. i. v. 94 The three conjugate normal stresses are called *principal stresses, and their directions, principal axes of stress. 1922Glazebrook Dict. Appl. Physics I. 803/2 The intensity of greatest shearing stress at any point is equal..to one-half the algebraic difference of the greatest and least principal stresses. 1944A. Holmes Princ. Physical Geol. vi. 78 The various types of faults depend on the relationships between the three principal stresses.., assuming of course, that..the stress difference is sufficient to bring about fracture and movement. 1971I. G. Gass et al. Understanding Earth xix. 272/1 Making certain other reasonable assumptions about the shear fracture character of the fault, it is possible to derive..the direction of the maximum principal stress.
12. Surveying. = primary a. 3 a.
1790Phil. Trans. R. Soc. LXXX. 248 The first set [of Secondary triangles] consists of thirty-five, whereby the relative distances of so many points have been determined from certain stations of the principal series. 1795Ibid. LXXXV. 490 (heading) Of the selection of the angles constituting the principal triangles, and the manner of reducing them for computation. 1847W. Yolland Acct. Measurement of Lough Foyle Base vii. 113 From the commencement of the Irish Survey, in 1825, secondary objects required for breaking up the principal triangulation into a smaller network..were regularly observed at the same time as observations were made of the principal stations. 1920[see primary a. 3 a].
13. Seismology. Applied to the most intense shock or earthquake occurring in a sequence.
1899C. Davison Hereford Earthquake Dec. 17, 1896 iv. 199 The principal shock was also registered by magnetographs at Kew. Ibid. 200 The principal earthquake was felt by several persons in the Isle of Wight. 1902Q. Jrnl. Geol. Soc. LVIII. 374 The focus of this shock was evidently close to the northern end of the focus of the first and principal shock. 1938L. D. Leet Pract. Seismol. ix. 295 Davison has cited several well-studied cases..where the range of audibility of after-shocks increased progressively and systematically, giving evidence of decreasing depth of foci following the principal shock. 1965A. Holmes Princ. Physical Geol. (ed. 2) xxv. 893 The principal shock, which generally lasts only a few seconds, or at most, and rarely, a few minutes, may be preceded by fore-shocks and is invariably followed by a series of after-shocks.
B. n.
I.
1. a. A chief or head man or woman; a chief, head, ruler, commander, superior; a governor, a presiding officer, as the head of a religious or educational institution, the manager of a house of business, an employer, etc.; † the master or mistress of a household (obs.).
1390Gower Conf. II. 345 Criseide,..Which was..Of thilke temple principal, Wher Phebus hadde his sacrifice. c1400Rule St. Benet 2211 Þe Priores als principall Es ‘lady’ & leder of þam all. c1440Alphabet of Tales 219 Sho..went vnto ane abbay..And when þer principall was dead, sho was made principall. 1489Caxton Faytes of A. iii. ii. 170 The Emperoure of Rome..is the pryncypall of the worlde. 1608Shakes. Per. iv. vi. 89 Why, hath your principall made knowne vnto you who I am? 1754Richardson Grandison (1781) III. vii. 48 The servants throughout the house adore you: And I am sure their principals do. 1805T. S. Surr Winter in Lond. (1806) I. 43 [He] attended the banking-house in the capacity of a pupil, who was hereafter to become a principal in the concern. 1827S. Rodman in B. Swan New Bedford in 1827 (1935) 3/2, I visited the High School, Wm. Johnson, principal. 1833Century Mag. XXX. 780/1, I am, sir..permitted to be the Principal of the Canterbury, (Conn.) Female Boarding School. 1836Sir H. Taylor Statesman xxiii. 167 A minister's private secretary has the care and management, under his principal's direction, of all affairs relating to the disposal of offices and employments. 1949Lubbock (Texas) Morning Avalanche 23 Feb. i. 10/6 Price was named to the position of principal of the new school. 1973N.Y. Law Jrnl. 30 July 13/7 Petitioner, a probationary assistant principal in James Wilson Young High School, resigned in writing on Feb. 13, 1973 (effective June 29, 1973) after being pressed to do so by both the District Principal (Mr. Covell) and the Assistant District Principal (Mr. Pecorale) of the School District. 1974Hartsville (S. Carolina) Messenger 22 Apr. 1-a/4 Dr. Black pointed out that students who presented certificates to their principals in September, 1973 will not need another one.
b. fig. or transf. Of a thing.
1390Gower Conf. I. 322 Thi will is thi principal, And hath the lordschipe of thi witt. Ibid. III. 101 So is the herte principal, To whom reson in special Is yove as for the governance. c142026 Pol. Poems xv. 14 Þe brayn is pryncypal Chef of counseil ymagenyng.
c. In Great Britain, the most usual designation of the head of a college in senses 4 c, d, e; sometimes also in senses 4 a, b, and often in 4 f; also of the head of a hall (sense 4 b). (Cf. president 2 c.)
In Oxford, used to designate the heads of a number of colleges and private halls (the others being variously called president, master, provost, warden, rector, and dean); in Cambridge, used only of the heads of Newnham and Homerton Colleges.
1438Early Chan. Proc. (P. R. O.) 75/11 One Roger Grey, Clerk, principalle of Brasenoce in Oxynforde. 1563Act 27 Hen. VIII, c. 42 §1 The Deanes, Wardeynes, Provostes, Maisters, Presidentes, Rectours, Principalles,..Scolers and Studentes..within the said Universities. 1569Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 675 Maister Alexander Andirsoun principall, Maister Andro Galloway sub-principall,..of the College of Auld Abirdene. 1582Reg. Privy Council Scot. III. 490 Maister Thomas Smetoun, principall of the College of Glasgow. 1691[see principality 6]. 1706Phillips s.v., The chief person in some of the Inns of Chancery is also called Principal of the House. 1899Oxford Univ. Cal. 511 The King's Hall and College of Brasenose... The foundation was for a Principal and twelve fellows. 1900Oxford Directory 104 Mansfield College, founded here in October 1886 by the Congregationalists as a Faculty of Theology. Principal, Rev. A. M. Fairbairn, M.A., D.D. Ibid. 106 Lady Margaret Hall, founded in 1879 for the higher education of women. Lady Principal, Miss Elizabeth Wordsworth. 1908Camb. Univ. Calendar 785 A student of..Newnham College may present..a certificate signed by the Principal of her College.
†d. pl. Principal or chief men; leading or prominent persons; nobles, notables. Obs.
1388Wyclif Jer. xxv. 34 Ȝelle, ȝe scheepherdis, and crye, and ȝe princypals of the floc. 1460J. Capgrave Chron. (Rolls) 160 Ther the kyng tok the principalis of London, and sette hem in prison at Wyndsore. 1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. A ij, The principalls of ech Prouince, stayed themselues vpon his determination. 1588Parke tr. Mendoza's Hist. China 20 The garments which the nobles and principals do vse, bee of silke. 1622Bacon Hen. VII 11 To attaint by Parliament the Heads and Principals of his Enemies.
e. A rank in the Civil Service.
1890A. E. Housman Let. 9 Oct. (1971) 27 The Administrative Principal, Mr Webb, has to-day taken up the comparison of Trade Mark applications. Ibid. 28 The position as Principal held by Mr Webb would give him a status not justified..by length of service. 1915F. G. Heath Brit. Civil Service xxii. 230 The salaries are as under: Twelve Analysts (Second Class), {pstlg}160 by {pstlg}15 annually to {pstlg}350;..one Deputy Principal, {pstlg}700 by {pstlg}25 to {pstlg}800; and one Principal Chemist, {pstlg}1200, and after five years.., {pstlg}1500 per annum. 1951T. A. Critchley Civil Service Today ii. 38 Under these high officials..are the assistant secretaries, in charge of divisions, and principals, in charge of sections. 1951Posts in Civil Service for University Graduates 9 The Principal's day to day work is not confined to his desk. 1967Times Rev. Industry Feb. 100/2 The full time staff is small... Of these five are ‘principals’—as the Civil Service calls executives.
f. A fully-qualified practitioner or partner in a professional business.
1968Economist 13 Apr. 41/1 A young man can..become a principal in general practice.. after four to five years' training..plus a year's pre-registration service—in hospital. 1972Accountant 26 Oct. 502 (Advt.), Principals with the responsibility for training newly articled clerks should ensure that the best course of action for their newly articled clerks is to enrol with the Metropolitan College. 1975Law (Employment Service Agency: Careers and Occupational Information Centre) 8 The principal with whom he has served his articles or apprenticeship may offer him an opening.
2. a. A chief actor or doer; the chief person engaged in some transaction or function, esp. in relation to one employed by or acting for him (deputy, agent, etc.); the person for whom and by whose authority another acts.
1625Bacon Ess., Faction (Arb.) 81 Those that are Seconds in Factions, doe many times..proue Principals. c1645Howell Lett. (1650) I. 58 Their factors live in better equipage, and in a more splendid manner than in all Italy besides, than their masters and principals in London. 1654Pell Let. to Secr. Thurloe 29 July in Vaughan Protectorate O. Cromwell (1838) I. 35 He will say, ‘I shall report this your answer to my principals’, that is to those that sent me... It is a form of speaking not yet in fashion in England. 1707Lond. Gaz. No. 4368/2 The Deputy was dismissed with no other Reply than, That they would send an Answer to his Principals in due Time. 1732Pope Ess. Man i. 57 So man, who here seems principal alone Perhaps acts second to some sphere unknown. 17..Swift (J.), We were not principals, but auxiliaries in the war. 1788Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 496 The functions of the vice-consul would become dormant during the presence of his principal. 1848Wharton Law Lex. s.v., He who being competent and sui juris to do any act for his own benefit or on his own account, employs another person to do it, is called the principal, constituent, or employer, and he who is thus employed is called the agent, attorney, proxy, or delegate. 1962H. O. Beecheno Introd. Business Stud. xiii. 117 Whereas an agent is not normally allowed to relend his principal's money at interest..a bank is allowed to do this. 1976Times 22 Apr. (Baltic Exchange Suppl.) p. i/9 The Baltic is unusual in being open both to middle men and principals.
b. A person directly responsible for a crime, either as the actual perpetrator (principal in the first degree), or as present, aiding and abetting, at the commission of it (principal in the second degree). Opp. to accessary. (Cf. A. 7 a.)
1594Nashe Unfort. Trav. 40 To prison was I sent as principal, and my master as accessarie. 1596Spenser State Irel. Wks. (Globe) 620/1 By the Common Lawe, the accessoryes cannot be proceeded agaynst, till the principall receave his tryall. 1769Blackstone Comm. IV. iii. 34 A man may be principal in an offence in two degrees. 1771Junius Lett. xlix. (1820) 257 In murder you are both principals. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. v. (1871) I. 312 In cases of felony, a distinction..is made between the principal and the accessory after the fact.
c. A person for whom another is surety; one who is primarily liable for a debt.
1576Reg. Privy Council Scot. II. 545 We Alexander Arbuthnot merchand, and Thomas Bassinden imprentair..bindis and oblissis us, conjunctlie and severalie as principallis; David Guthrie [etc.] as souirteis conjunctlie and severalie. 1652Z. Boyd in Zion's Flowers (1855) App. 24/2 The foirsaids persones principallis and catiounaris. 1789W. Brown Cases Chancery II. 581 The defendant..insisted upon the benefit of the said plaintiff's bond, and that he was to be deemed a principal and not a surety. 1802Ld. Eldon in Vesey's Rep. VI. 734 But the surety is a guarantee; and it is his business to see, whether the principal pays, and not that of the creditor. 1848Wharton Law Lex. s.v. Guaranty, A surety or guarantor who has paid the debt of his principal, is entitled to a reimbursement therefor... Story on Contracts, chap. v.
d. Each of the actual or intending combatants in a duel, as distinguished from their seconds.
1709Steele Tatler No. 39 ¶ 24 The Principals put on their Pumps. 1824Scott St. Ronan's xxix, Your principal, I presume, is Sir Bingo Binks?.. I have not forgotten that there is an unfortunate affair between us. 1837Dickens Pickw. ii, ‘We may place our men, then, I think’, observed the officer, with as much indifference as if the principals were chess-men, and the seconds players. 1848W. K. Kelly tr. L. Blanc's Hist. Ten Y. II. 232 The principals were placed at forty paces from each other, and were to fire as they advanced.
e. Each of the solo or leading performers at a concert, as distinguished from the members of the band or chorus.
1881W. H. Stone in Grove Dict. Mus. III. 32/1 Principals, in modern musical language, are the solo singers or players in a concert.
f. A leading performer in a drama or entertainment.
1936N. Streatfeild Ballet Shoes xiv. 212 The production was on a very large scale... The principals became unduly important. 1961Times 20 June 16 The three principals are admirable: as Danila, Mr. Yuri Soloviev gives a tremendous performance; he has a prodigious technique in leaps and turns. 1971Morning Star 28 June 4 Steve Hodson and Gillian Blake, the two principals in Yorkshire TV's new children's series. 1976National Observer (U.S.) 8 May 20/3 To add to my discomfort, I found the voices of the principals, Michael Cristofer and Tyne Daly, distinctly unpleasant.
II.
3. a. The chief, main, or most important thing, part, point, or element. ? Obs.
In early quots. perh. the adj.
1396–7in Eng. Hist. Rev. (1907) XXII. 298 Fals beleue, þe whiche is þe principal of þe deuelis craft. c1400tr. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh. 85 Þys ys þe þrydde medicyne, his properte ys to efforce þe pryue, and namly þe pryncypales. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccccxxvi. 748 They shulde take downe the leaues of the gates of the foure princypals of the cytie. 1596Spenser F.Q. v. x. 2 That Vertue..Which..to preserve inviolated right Oft spilles the principall to save the part. 1611W. Sclater Key (1629) 35, I meane not to prosecute every particular at large, but to cull out the principals. 1726Ayliffe Parergon 21 A Quality is said to be an Accessory unto a Fact or Crime, which is the Principal. 1845Stoddart Gram. in Encycl. Metrop. (1847) I. 16/1 The words which are necessary for communicating the thought..may well be called principals, and those which only help to make out the thought more fully and distinctly may be called accessories.
†b. in principal: principally, chiefly. Obs.
1390Gower Conf. III. 85 As of thre pointz in principal. Wherof the ferste in special Is Theorique. 1470–85Malory Arthur vi. xi. 198 That wylle I refuse in pryncypal for drede of god. 1815Southey Lett. (1856) II. 410 Thanks to my friends, and to you in principal.
†c. A primary or fundamental point of a subject, upon which the rest depend; a principle (in most or all cases app. identified with that word, or perhaps an erroneous spelling of it). Obs.
1545Jove Exp. Dan. Argt. 5 b, Let euery diligent reder knowe hymselfe miche to haue profited, if he but the cheif principalls vnderstand, although it be but meanly. 1578Cat. in Maitl. Cl. Misc. (1840) I. 11 The principallis of astronomie. 1663Flagellum or O. Cromwell (ed. 2) 4 His Father..sent him to School to learn the Elements of Language and principals of Religion. 1784J. Barry in Lect. Paint. iv. (1848) 158 A centre and a great uniting principal which associates all parts of the composition. 1816Accum Chem. Tests (1818) 51 The test combines with some principal of the body.
†4. The head, top. Obs. rare—1.
a1533Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. xlviii. (1535) 93 In the principall of the sayd table was pictured a Bulle.
†5.
a. The original document, drawing, painting, etc., from which a copy is made; an original. Obs. (Cf. A. 8.)
1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 78 He shewed him the copie of the confederacie, promysing hym also the principall. 1646Crashaw Delights Muses, Upon Dk. York's Birth 48 Thou art of all This well-wrought copy the fair principal. 1660Pepys Diary 19 May, Another pretty piece of painting I saw, on which there was a great wager laid by young Pinkney and me whether it was a principal or a copy.
†b. Origin, source. Cf. principle n. 2. Obs.
1555W. Watreman Fardle Facions i. i. 27 To Jupiter also thei Sacrificed, and did honour as to y⊇ principall of life. 1616R. C. Times' Whistle i. 18 For heresie, Scisme, Puritanisme, Brownisme, papistrie,..Proceed from thee, thou art the principall.
†6. The best beast or other chattel of any kind bequeathed, or passing by custom. Obs. exc. Hist.
[1367(Trinity term) Coram Rege Roll 41 Edw. III. ro. 21 Consuetudo hundredi de Stretford in com. Oxon., talis est quod heredes terrarum et tenementorum..post mortem antecessorum suorum habebunt..principalia, videlicet de quocumque genere catallorum, utensilium et necessariorum domorum et culturarum melius catallum illius generis, videlicet optimum plaustrum optima caruca et optimum ciphum, et sic de aliis instrumentis [etc.]. ]1420E.E. Wills (1882) 47, I bequeth my body to be beryed yn the chapele..and my beste best in the name off principale. 1424Ibid. 57 After my principal is taken, I wul my wyf haf my best ambeler. 1511in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 325 Forasmuch as taking of such principales is not by commene lawe, butt only by custume and usage. 1512in Southwell Visit. (Camden) 115 Item I bequeth my best horse for my principall. 1534Ibid. 138, I gyffe and bequethe unto the vicar for my principall accordynge to the acte of parliament. 1670Blount Law Dict., Principal,..an Heir-lome. 1895Pollock & Maitland Eng. Law II. ii. vi. §4. 361 There are many traces of local customs which under the name of ‘principals’ or ‘heirlooms’, will give him [the heir-at-law] various chattels, not merely his ancestor's sword and hauberk, but the best chattel of every different kind, the best horse (if the church does not take it) and the best ox, the best chair and the best table, the best pan and the best pot.
7. Building. A principal rafter (see A. 10); any one of the rafters upon which rest the purlins which support the common rafters. Also applied to a main iron girder.
1448–9in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) II. 10 The principalles shalbe..x inch thik with a purlyn in the Middes from one principall to a nother. 1579Ibid. I. 310 Braces to the principals eche of them xij foote longe. 1624A. Wotton Runne fr. Rome 4 To trie how every tenant and mortuis is fitted each to other, what principals are too weake, which peeces are too long. 1778Phil. Surv. S. Irel. 146 The remainder they lay parallel to the principals. 1860[see A. 10]. 1898Westm. Gaz. 25 Mar. 7/2 Four massive iron principals (or girders) of a building in course of erection..fell yesterday afternoon.
†8. An upright pillar or stem having branches to bear tapers; formerly used on a ‘hearse’. Obs.
a1548Hall Chron. Hen. VIII 1 b, A curious herse made of .ix. principalles, full of lightes. 1594in Coll. Top. & Gen. (1837) IV. 286 This..Bishope of Norwiche was buried with a hearse of foure pryncypales or vprightes. 1849Rock Ch. of Fathers vii. II. 496 These uprights [of a hearse of lights], technically called ‘principals’.
9. The original sum of money dealt with in any transaction, as distinguished from any later accretions; the sum lent or invested upon which interest is paid; the capital sum as distinguished from the interest; also, capital as distinguished from income. (Cf. A. 6).
c1390Earl of March Let. in Rec. Priory Coldingham (Surtees) 65 We wylle garre rayse till us alle the fermes and the profittes of Coldynghame, quylle we be assethit als wele for owr scathes and of our costages as of our principale. 1502Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W. 1506) iv. xxi. T viij b, And the other it receyue ouer the pryncypall for to kepe hym, & to recompense hym the domage. 1571Act 13 Eliz. c. 8 §4 So muche as shal be reserved by way of Usurie above the Principall for any Money so to be lent. 1572T. Wilson Disc. Vsurye 85. 1693 Dryden Persius vi. 159 Put out thy Principal..: Live of the Use. 1728T. Sheridan Persius vi. (1739) 93 But you have broke in upon the Principal. That I did for my own Use. 1827Hutton Course Math. I. 129 The sum of the principal and its interest added together, is called the Amount. 1856Settlement in Law Rep. (1908) 1 Ch. 523 To hold as well the capital or principal of the said trust funds as the dividends, interest and annual income thereof upon the usual trusts for the children of the marriage. 1868G. Duff Pol. Surv. 14 It will facilitate the reduction of the principal of the National Debt.
fig.1818Byron Juan i. ccxiii. I Have spent my life, both interest and principal. 1874T. Hardy Far from Madding Crowd xli, ‘You'll never see Fanny Robin no more—use nor principal—ma'am’. ‘Why?’ ‘Because she's dead in the Union’.
10. Falconry. Each of the two principal feathers in each wing (the two outermost primaries).
1575Turberv. Falconrie 120 Then cutte off some part of hir two principalles in each wing. 1579E. K. in Spenser's Sheph. Cal. Ep. Ded., So finally flyeth this our new Poete, as a bird, whose principals be scarce growen out. 1677N. Cox Gentl. Recreat. (ed. 2) 186.
11. Mus.
†a. The subject of a fugue or other contrapuntal piece, as distinguished from the answer or ‘reply’. Obs.
1597Morley Introd. Mus. 105 The first [sort of double descant] is, when the principall (that is the thing as it is firste made) and the replie..are sung changing the partes. 1898Stainer & Barrett Dict. Mus. Terms, Principal (Old Eng.), the subject of a fugue, the answer being termed the Reply.
b. An organ-stop of the same quality as the Open Diapason, but an octave higher in pitch. † small principal (obs.), a similar stop two octaves higher than the open diapason; now called fifteenth. Also, with qualification, applied to other stops an octave higher than the ordinary pitch, as dulciana principal (also called dulcet).
In German, Prinzipal is applied to the Open Diapason, and (with qualifications) to all stops of the same quality, of any pitch higher or lower.
1613Organ Specif. Worcester Cathedral, The particulars of the great organ, 2 principals of mettal, 1 twelfth of mettal. Ibid., In the chaire organ, 1 principal of mettal, 1 flute of wood, 1 smal principal or fiftenth of mettal. 1776Hawkins Hist. Mus. IV. i. §10. 46 The simple stops are the..Principal..and some others. 1789Organ Specif. Greenwich Hosp. in Grove Dict. Mus. II. 598/1 Swell Organ. Open Diapason. Stopped Diapason. Dulciana. Principal. Dulciana Principal. 1881Broadhouse Mus. Acoustics 219 The principal is a stop of four feet in length.
†c. A kind of trumpet used in the orchestra in the time of Handel: see quots. Obs.
1881W. H. Stone in Grove Dict. Mus. III. 32/1 Principal or Prinzipale, a term employed in many of Handel's scores for the third trumpet part... It is obvious that whereas the tromba..represented the old small-bored instrument now obsolete,..the Principal..more nearly resembled the modern large-bored military trumpet. 1898Stainer & Barrett Dict. Mus. Terms, Principal, the name given by Handel to the third trumpet in the Dettingen ‘Te Deum’.
†C. adv. Principally, chiefly; in the chief place.
c1400Destr. Troy 2895 And prinsipall of Parys the pepull dessiret, Of þat comly to Ken. 1456in Coventry Leet Bk. (E.E.T.S.) 288 Prince Edwarde, my gostly chylde, whom I love principall. 1480Newcastle Merch. Vent. (Surtees) I. 5 Maires, shereffs, and aldermen..shall go princypall in the sayd solemp procession. |