| 释义 |
embellish, v.|ɛmˈbɛlɪʃ|
Forms: 4–5 embelyssh, (4 enbelyse, embellis), 5 embellissh, -ysh, (embelese, -yse, -yce, enbelis, -issh, embelsh), 6– embellish. Also 7–8 imbelish, imbellish.
[a. OF. embelliss- lengthened stem of embellir, f. en- (see en-) + bel beautiful.]
1.
†a. To render beautiful (obs. in general sense).
b. To beautify with adventitious adornments; to ornament.
c1340Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1033 & enbelyse his burȝ with his bele chere. c1385Chaucer L.G.W., Lucrece, Teeres ful of hevytee Embelysshed [v.r. embelesed, enbelised] hire wifly chastitee. c1440Partonope 5981 Wyth beaute..nature Wold so embelyce ony oo creature. 1474Caxton Chesse 9 The robes of purpure..enbellissheth the body. 1579Spenser Sheph. Cal. Feb., It was embellisht with blossomes fayre. 1601Holland Pliny II. 185 The Elm [yields] a waterish humour, which is very proper to imbelish the skin. 1679–88Secr. Serv. Money Chas. & Jas. 49 For writing, flourishing, and embellishing, partly in gold, a letre sent to the Emperor of..Morocco. 1734tr. Rollin's Anc. Hist. (1827) II. iv. §1. 215 His hair embellished with artificial locks. 1801Strutt Sports & Past. i. iii. 36 Bridles..embellished with bits of yellow gold. 1872Yeats Techn. Hist. Comm. 248 The objects thus embellished were jewel-cases.
c. fig.; now often with sense to ‘dress up’, heighten (a narration) with fictitious additions.
1447O. Bokenham Seyntys Introd. 3 Hys newe poetrye Enbelshyd wyth colours of rethoryk. 1482Caxton (title) Higden's Polychronicon..emprynted and sette in forme by me William Caxton and a lytel embelysshed fro tholde makyng. 1649Selden Laws of Eng. (1739) ii. xvii. 90 To imbellish mens minds with..Learning that may gain them preferment. 1722Wollaston Relig. Nat. vii. 154 False notions of glory: imbellishd indeed by servile wits. 1726Swift To a Lady, I shall..with books my mind embellish. 1772Sir W. Jones Ess. ii. 205 A simple and agreeable melody, which will..embellish [the words]. 1801Home in Phil. Trans. XCI. 329 Events..probably..much exaggerated and embellished. 1850A. Jameson Leg. Monast. Ord. (1863) 53 A long life..embellished by elegant pursuits. Mod. The story is true in substance, but has been greatly embellished.
†2. fig. To brighten (in feeling), cheer. Obs.
1481Caxton Myrr. i. v. 17 But they were embelisshid moche of that they sawe the firmament thus torne and so nobly to holde his cours. |