| 释义 |
‖ Syrtis|ˈsɜːtɪs|
Pl. Syrtes |-iːz|. Also 6–7 sirtis.
[L., a. Gr. σύρτις, σύρτις, f. σύρειν to drag along, sweep away.]
Proper name of two large quicksands (Syrtis major and minor) off the northern coast of Africa; hence gen. a quicksand.
[1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xv. cl[i]. (Bodl. MS.) lf. 166 b/1 Sirtes beþ places in þe see ful of grauel... Sirtes beþ bi þe see of Egipte and ymedled þerwith in many places. ]1526Tindale Acts xxvii. 17 Fearynge lest we shulde have fallen into Syrtes [so Coverdale and Geneva; Great Bible the Syrtes, Rheims the Syrte; 1611 the quicke⁓sands; Vulg. Syrtim, Gr. τὴν σύρτιν]. 1552Elyot, Cyrenaica..hath on the west the great Sirtis. 1667Milton P.L. ii. 939 Quencht in a Boggie Syrtis, neither Sea, Nor good dry Land. 1697Dryden æneid iv. 59 Here lies a barren Wast of thirsty Land, And there the Syrtes raise the moving Sand. 1755Gentl. Mag. July 321/2 This prodigious syrtis. 1771Smollett Humph. Cl., Let. to Sir W. Phillips 12 Sept., In crossing these treacherous Syrtes with a guide, we perceived a drowned horse.
b. pl. used as sing.
1646G. Daniel Addresse 108 Wks. (Grosart) I. 13 The Labour's over If from this Syrte's wee our Sand recover. 1648― Eclog v. 124 The Syrtes of my Thought confounds my will. 1698Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 58 Somewhat undermined by the beating of the Sea, where it works its self into a Syrtes. |