| 释义 |
superlative, a. and n.|s(j)uːˈpɜːlətɪv|
Also 4–5 -yf, 5 -yff, -yfe, 5–6 -yve, 7 -if.
[a. OF. superlatif (13th c.) = Pr. superlatiu, It., Sp., Pg. superlativo, ad. late L. superlātīvus, f. superlātus (used as pa. pple. of superferre), f. super- super- II + lāt- (for *tlāt-), pa. ppl. stem of tollĕre to take away.]
A. adj.
1. a. Gram. Applied to that inflexional form of an adjective or adverb used, in comparing a number of things, to express the highest degree of the quality or attribute denoted by the simple word, as sweet-est, tru-est, often-est (or to the periphrasis used in the same sense, as most sweet, most true, most often); the adjective or adverb is then said to be in the superlative degree, and is usually preceded by the definite article. Freq. used allusively.
The English periphrastic form is also frequently used (with the indefinite article), like the inflexional form in Latin and Greek, in an absolute or intensive sense, to express a very high degree of the quality or attribute, without definite comparison with other objects.
c1386Chaucer Merch. T. 131 Ther nys no thyng in gree superlatyf As seith Senek aboue an humble wyf. 1447O. Bokenham Seyntys (Roxb.) 162 In love among these thre To spekyn aftyr degrees of comparysoun Mary stood in the superlatyue degre. 1530Palsgr. 71 He standeth for the superlatyve degre. 1575Gascoigne Making of Verse Wks. 1907 I. 466 If I should undertake to wryte in prayse of a gentlewoman, I would..finde some supernaturall cause wherby my penne might walke in the superlative degree. 1636B. Jonson Engl. Gram. ii. iv, These adverbs, more, and most, are added to the Comparative, and Superlative degrees themselves. 1651Hobbes Govt. & Soc. xv. §14. 249 He..must use such [titles] as are either Negative, as infinite, eternall, incomprehensible, &c., or superlative, as most good, most great, most powerfull. 1657Trapp Comm. Ezra v. 8 ‘God of gods, Lord of lords’— yea He is a degree above the superlative. a1667Cowley Ess., Of Liberty Wks. (1906) 383 The Positive Parting with a little bow, the Comparative at the middle of the room, the Superlative at the door. 1824L. Murray Engl. Gram. (ed. 5) I. 250 Adjectives that have in themselves a superlative signification, do not properly admit of the superlative or comparative form..such as, ‘Chief, extreme, perfect’. 1886T. L. Kington-Oliphant New Engl. I. 165 The Superlative Adverb gladlyest. Ibid. II. 189 [Miss Burney] is fond of the French idiom that places the Superlative Adjective after the Substantive; as ‘a facility the most happy’. 1910J. W. Harper Social Ideal xiii. §3. 150 Liberty is the positive, equality the comparative, and brotherhood the superlative agency of social progress.
b. Exaggerative, hyperbolical. (Cf. B. 1 b.)
1588Fraunce Lawiers Logike Ded, To disgrace the one, or advance the other in comparison wise, by superlative woordes, and hyperbolicall amplifications. 1828Miss Mitford Village Ser. iii. (1863) 7 To all who knew Nelly's opinion of her own doings, this praise appeared superlative. 1906Churchill Sp. Ho. Comm. 21 Mar., I hope I shall not be drawn..into imitating..the protracted, superlative, and, I think, rather laboured exhibition with which he has occupied the attention of the House.
2. Raised above or surpassing all others; extremely high, great, or excellent; supereminent, supreme.
a. Of persons and material things.
c1410Hoccleve Mother of God 9 Modir of mercy,..Þat of al vertu art superlatyf. 1423Jas. I Kingis Q. cxcvii, Gowere and chaucere,..Superlatiue as poetis laureate. 1477Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 123 The viij. leches..whiche were all .viij. superlatyff aboue all other lechis. 1592Nashe Strange Newes I iv, Betweene you and me declare..whether you be not a superlatiue blocke, for al you readd the Philosophie Lecture at Cambridge. a1628F. Grevil Life of Sidney (1652) 75 A Peer of this Realme,..superlative in the Princes favour. 1630Dekker 2nd Pt. Honest Wh. Wks. 1873 II. 170 O euerlasting, supernaturall superlatiue Villaine! 1657North's Plutarch, Add. Lives (1676) 18 Natural Philosophy, wherein Aristotle was so superlative. 1706E. Ward Wooden World Diss. (1708) 105 He..allows Newcastle Ale and Salmon to be the most superlative Diet in the Universe. 1838Dickens Nich. Nick. xxxiv, You are the demdest, knowing hand,..the cunningest, rummest, superlativest, old fox. 1868Stanley Westm. Abbey iii. 124 Its Chapter House, its ornaments..were to be superlative of their kind.
b. Of immaterial things, actions, qualities, etc.
c1550Rolland Crt. Venus i. 760 Thay..Ponderat weill the falt superlatiue. 1610Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 256 Queene Elizabeth,..worthy of superlative praise. 1625Bacon Ess., Viciss. Things, Superlatiue and Admirable Holinesse of Life. 1647N. Bacon Disc. Govt. Eng. i. lii. (1739) 93 Reason of State, which as the times then were, was evident and superlative. 1665Wither Lord's Prayer Preamb., This superlative Form of Prayer. 1762Falconer Shipwr. iii. 115 Thy state..Gain'd, like thine arms, superlative applause. 1798S. & Ht. Lee Canterb. T. II. 27 Miss Archer's advice she treated with superlative contempt. 1878R. B. Smith Carthage 189 This religious mission he..carried out to the best of his superlative ability.
c. superlative surprise, the name given to an especially complicated method of change-ringing. Cf. surprise n. 5 b.
1788W. Jones et al. Key to Art of Ringing xi. 179 Superlative Surprise... The above is an original composition of our own on purpose for this work, and has never yet been rung: the principle upon which it is founded, will..give it credit among amateurs of the art, for..it will plainly appear the most even treble bob peal..discovered. 1845Cambr. Chron. 6 Dec. 4/3 The company of change⁓ringers, of Saffron Walden, performing..upwards of 1,200 changes of Superlative Surprise. 1874W. Banister Art & Science Change Ringing 33 (heading) Superlative Surprise. 1931E. Morris Hist. Change Ringing 458 Harry Withers..once..conducted a peal of Superlative Surprise at Selly Oak, Birmingham. 1965W. G. Wilson Change Ringing 237/2 Superlative Surprise Major, 114.
B. n.
1. a. Gram. The superlative degree; an adjective or adverb in the superlative degree.
Also, by extension, applied to any word denoting the highest degree of some quality (quot. 1802).
1530Palsgr. Introd. p. xxviii, We and the latines forme our comparatives and superlatyves out of our posytives. 1567Sanders Rocke Ch. ii. 31 According to the Greeke phrase (where the comparatiue standeth for the Superlatiue). 1638Baker tr. Balzac's Lett. (vol. II) 220, I will now at the end of my letter, add a superlative, and say I am Sir yr most humble, most faithful. a1721Prior Dial. Dead, Charles & Clenard (1907) 218 Your very Titles, Your Serenissimus and Augustissimus are superlatives created by the Power of us Grammarians. 1802Paley Nat. Theol. xxiv, ‘Omnipotence,’ ‘omniscience,’ ‘infinite’ power, ‘infinite’ knowledge, are superlatives; expressing our conception of these attributes in the..most elevated terms. 1824L. Murray Engl. Gram. (ed. 5) I. 250 Double comparatives and superlatives should be avoided: such as, ‘A worser conduct;’..‘The most straitest sect’. 1886T. L. Kington-Oliphant New Engl. II. 43 There is the old superlative of the Adverb, ‘the rudeliest welcomed’. 1892Kellner Engl. Syntax §255 heading, The Comparative and Superlative used absolutely.
fig.1583Greene Mamillia Wks. (Grosart) II. 47 Virginity you say is delightful, yet matrimony more pleasant: Virginity you put in the positiue, but matrimonie in the superlatiue. 1725Watts Logic ii. iii. iii. §6 Some Persons have a violent and turgid Manner both of Talking and Thinking... They..pronounce concerning everything in the Superlative. 1856Emerson Eng. Traits, Truth Wks. (Bohn) II. 53 An Englishman..avoids the superlative, checks himself in compliments.
b. transf. An exaggerated or hyperbolical expression; usually pl., exaggerated language or phraseology.
1597Drayton Heroic. Ep. x. 64 His birth from heauen thy Tudor not deriues, Nor stands on typ-toes in superlatiues. 1597Bp. Hall Sat. i. Prol. 12 [He] Hath made his pen an hyred Parasite, To..pranck base men in Proud Superlatiues. 1697Dryden Virgil, Life (1721) I. 45 Nor were they under the constraint..of violent Superlatives at the close of their Letter. 1896Fam. & Pers. Mem. Ld. Selborne I. ix. 137 He thought and felt in superlatives.
2. A person or thing surpassing all others of the class or kind; one who or a thing which is supereminent or supreme; the highest example (of a quality). Now rare, and with allusion to sense 1.
1600W. Watson Decacordon (1602) 359 Amongst the most famous preachers in Rome..three were..all superlatiues in a different kind. c1645Howell Lett. (1688) IV. 433 This..is the best of all, and may be called the Superlatif of the three. 1777Sheridan Sch. Scandal, To Mrs. Crewe 38 Nature's best and heaven's superlative. 1885W. F. Crafts Sabbath for Man (1895) 188 The so-called Christians who sanction these Sunday parties are the superlatives of hypocrisy. 1903Westm. Gaz. 17 Sept. 5/2, I sell bread here made from best ‘London whites’ and ‘superlatives’ at 6d. per loaf.
3. The highest or utmost degree of something; the height, acme. Usually with allusion to sense 1.
1583B. Melbancke Philotimus Ff ij, The prince of whome I speake, is in the Positiue degree of her Superlatiue. 1589Puttenham Engl. Poesie i. vii. (Arb.) 29 Monasticall men then raigning al in their superlatiue. 1623Massinger Dk. Milan iii. iii, Dearest lady,..Make a superlative of excellence In being greatest in your saving mercy. 1653R. Sanders Physiogn. Moles 4 The superlative of his good fortunes shall be in Merchandizing. a1687Waller On Divine Poesy i. 24 What mortal can with heav'n pretend to share In the superlatives of wise, and fair? 1837Carlyle Fr. Rev. i. v. ix, So many highest superlatives achieved by man are followed by new higher; and dwindle into comparatives and positives! |