| 释义 |
downright, adv., a., and n.|daʊnˈraɪt, ˈdaʊnraɪt|
[f. down adv. + right a. and adv., in OE. riht, rihte: cf. adownright.]
A. adv. (Stressed ˈdownright when preceding the word it qualifies, downˈright when following.)
†1. Straight down; vertically downwards. Obs.
c1205Lay. 25613 Þe drake..flah dun rihte, mid feondliche ræsen. c1320Seuyn Sag. (W.) 621 The elde tre..Hewe him to the grounde dounright. 1426Audelay Poems 23 He fel downe ryȝt into hel sodenly. 1538H. Medwall Nature (1896) 40 Some shote sydelong and some down ryght. 1674Ray Notes Husb. 129 That part of the root, which descends down-right. 1728Pope Dunc. ii. 288 He..Shot to the black abyss, and plung'd downright. 1763Brit. Mag. IV. 554 Several..were seen to sink downright, by some people who were on the cliffs.
2. Thoroughly, absolutely, quite, positively, out and out, outright.
a1300E.E. Psalter cv. 18 Þe lowe it swath sinful dounright. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xviii. 191 God gaf þe dome..Þat Adam & Eue..Shulde deye doune riȝte. 1480Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxlvii. (1482) 314 Scottes that day were slayne doune right the substaunce of them alle. 1588Shakes. L.L.L. iv. i. 389 They'l mocke vs now downe⁓right. 1664H. More Myst. Iniq., Apol. 562 Unless you were down-right mad. 1724R. Falconer Voy. (1769) 141 Killed four downright, and wounded several. 1832H. Martineau Homes Abroad v. 66, I was downright scared.
†3. In a direct or straightforward manner; plainly, definitely. Obs.
1600Shakes. A.Y.L. iii. iv. 31 You haue heard him sweare downright he was. 1680Otway Caius Marius iv. i, An honest, simple, downright-dealing Lord. 1684T. Burnet Th. Earth ii. 131 St. Peter..uses a plain literal style, and discourses down-right concerning the natural world.
†4. Straightway, straight. Obs.
1647H. More Song of Soul ii. ii. i. iii, The soul that I..Must now pursue and fall upon down-right. 1712Arbuthnot John Bull ii. iii, This paper put Mrs. Bull in such a passion that she fell down right into a fit.
B. adj. (Usually stressed ˈdownright; but sometimes downˈright at the end of a clause.)
1. Directed straight downwards; vertical; directly descending.
1530Palsgr. 215/1 Downeright stroke, taille. 1578Lyte Dodoens v. xiv. 566 This Hawkweede hath no deepe downeright roote. 1593Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, ii. iii. 92 Haue at thee with a downe-right blow. 1621G. Sandys Ovid's Met. ii. (1626) 225 To iump from downe-right cliffes. 1684Bunyan Pilgr. ii. 71 He gave him again a down-right blow, and brought him upon his knees. 1759Phil. Trans. LI. 299 Its motion was..quite downright, i.e. perpendicular to the horizon. 1857Whittier What of the Day? 3 Thunders..Far-rolling ere the downright lightnings glare.
2. fig.
a. Direct, straightforward, not circuitous; plain, definite. Of persons: Plain and direct in speech or behaviour (sometimes implying bluntness of manner). Obs. or arch.
1603Shakes. Meas. for M. iii. ii. 12 After this downe-right way of Creation. a1616Beaum. & Fl. Knight Malta v. ii, Your downright captain still I'll live, and serve you. a1626Bacon (J.), An admonition from a dead author, or a caveat from an impartial pen, will prevail more than a downright advice. 1717Savage Love in Veil i. i, What we call in downright English a pimp. 1733Pope Hor. Sat. ii. i. 52 As plain As downright Shippen, or as old Montaigne. 1856Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) II. vii. 145 He had a certain downright honesty about him.
b. That is thoroughly or entirely (what is denoted by the n.); nothing less than.., mere, absolute, positive, thorough, ‘flat’, ‘out-and-out’.
1565–73Cooper Thesaurus, Autopyron, Browne bread..downe right bread. a1628Preston Serm. bef. his Majestie (1630) 19 To be a downe-right Papist. 1699Bentley Phal. 267 This is no better than down-right Nonsense. 1712Steele Spect. No. 266 ⁋3 [She] is not to have down-right Money, but..a Present of Plate. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 344 He is a downright atheist.
C. n. (ˈdownright). [The adj. used ellipt.]
†1. A vertical line; a perpendicular. Obs.
1674N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 153 Brought by a sharp angle to a downright or perpendicular..with the thiller.
2. (pl.) Name of a quality of wool.
1793Vansittart Refl. Concl. Peace 73 Downrights {pstlg}12 0 0 per pack, Seconds {pstlg}11 0 0. 1832–52McCulloch Dict. Comm. 1428 The best English short native fleeces..are..divided by the wool sorter into..1. Prime; 2. Choice; 3. Super; 4. Head; 5. Downrights; 6. Seconds. |