释义 |
tartness|ˈtɑːtnɪs| [OE. teartnysse: see tart a. and -ness.] The quality of being tart. †1. Severity; painfulness. Obs. (In later quots. fig. from 2.)
c1000in Napier O.E. Glosses 85/3158 Acerbitatem, teartnesse. a1602W. Perkins Cases Consc. (1619) 61 The sweetnesse of comfort..if it bee alaied with some tartnesse of the Law. 1647Trapp Comm. Matt. x. 24 Sweeten me the tartness of all our sufferings with this sentence, as with so much sugar. 2. Sharpness of taste; † pungency (obs.); acidity.
1530Rastell Bk. Purgat. iii. vii. F iij b, That eyer wyll..vapour out the tartnes and sowernes of that humour. 1538Elyot, Acrimonia, tartnes, which biteth the tunge, and perceth the heed, as in the taste of garlyke, oynions, and other lyke thynges. 1562Turner Herbal ii. 58 b, Vnrype mulberries besyde theyr tartnes they haue also a sournes. 1634T. Johnson Parey's Chirurg. xxvi. vii. (1678) 632 Acidity or tartness is also in verjuice. 1770Cook Voy. round World iii. i. (1773) 501 The juice had an agreeable tartness, though but little flavour. 3. fig. Sharpness of disposition, language, etc.; biting or caustic manner or character; acerbity, pungency, acrimony, asperity of tone.
1548Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Mark ix. 67 Which with the tartenesse of truth byteth awaye. 1579Gosson Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 31 The bitternesse of rebukes, and..the tartenesse of euery taunt. 1607Shakes. Cor. v. iv. 18 The tartnesse of his face, sowres ripe Grapes. 1709Hearne Diary in Remains (O.H.S.) II. 196 The Plowman's Tale... If it were Chaucer's, it was left perhaps out of his Canterbury Tales, for y⊇ Tartness against the Popish Clergy. 1748Smollett Rod. Rand. xliv, I told him with some tartness,..he might have chosen a more convenient opportunity. 1866Lond. Rev. 3 Mar. 242/1 Lord Russell with a good deal of tartness declared that before February was out the Bill should be before the house. |